"Once, during Prohibition, I was forced to live for days on nothing but food and water." - W. C. Fields
What a life it must have been to live during prohibition! Lucky for us, those days are long gone and we can drink beer and eat food until we burst, literally and figuratively. But we all know that some food pairs better with some beer, so we decided to come up with another list of food pairings, and this week we’re highlighting the best beer and food pairings the world has to offer. Don’t forget to loosen the belt buckle before you start trying all these delicious beer and food pairings!
Fried chicken is a kitchen staple across the nation, something about the golden crispy chicken skin keeps the masses ordering the dish repeatedly. We recommend pairing your fried chicken with a Märzen beer. Märzen has a malty taste and a medium to full body and its clean dry finish is the perfect companion to the juicy splendor you get with the fried chicken. Try SurlyFest by Surly Brewing Company for this beer and food pairing.
Nothing compares to the deliciousness that is chocolate covered bacon. If you’ve yet to try it, do yourself a favor and haul yourself to your local pork place and grab a heaping plate. With so much flavor already going on on your appetizer plate you need something equally flavorful to balance it out, which is why an American Porter is the best beer choice. The roasted, nutty flavor of this brew will cut the decadence of your bacon for an all around winning combo. Try Victory At Sea Coffee Vanilla Imperial Porter by Ballast Point Brewing Company for this beer and food pairing.
Once again we’re pairing a fried food with a light beer. French fries when prepared right should be crispy, salty and delicious. You can coat them in toppings or just eat them as is but we recommend pairing them with a Belgian Blonde Ale that will cleanse your palate without washing away all the salty flavors, cutting through and bringing out the taste of the fries. Try Redemption by Russian River Brewing Company for this beer and food pairing.
Fajitas are one of my personal favorite things to order at a restaurant because they always make a big show of coming to the table sizzling. For the ultimate beer and food pairing, we recommend pairing beef and shrimp fajitas with an Indian Pale Ale. IPA’s have a supper hoppy flavor, perfect for cutting through the flavors sizzling on your plate. The combo is a perfectly balanced treat for your taste buds. Try Two Hearted Ale by Bell's Brewery, Inc. for this beer and food pairing.
This one may seem like a no brainer, but Japanese Rice Lager is often forgotten in the mass of other beer options on the market. We love pairing sushi with it because the hop bitterness is low and only mildly perceptible, providing balance to grain sweetness. The mouth-feel is crisp and refreshing, which pairs well with the flavorful sushi your eating, especially if your sushi features any creamy ingredients like avocado. Try Oh Myyyy Takei by 3 Floyds Brewing Co. with a Philadelphia Sushi Roll for this beer and food pairing.
As a general rule, you typically want to pick a beer that is as sweet as—or more sweet than—its accompanying dessert to avoid devastating taste interactions. In this example however, we throw rules to the wind and go for a more bitter pairing. The sweet, dense, richness of the flourless chocolate cake is enough to protect the palate from the aggressive bitterness and alcohol of the Imperial Stout while the flavors seamlessly integrate. Try Founders Breakfast Stout by Founders Brewing Company for this beer and food pairing.
There you have it, six amazing beer and food pairings to get you started. Feel free to try out our pairings or suggest some of your own. For more fantastic food and booze pairings check out our other pairing posts: Count Down the Top Six Pairings of Fried Food and Spirits | The Top Six Food and Wine Pairings