From malt to sweet, caramel, and roasted grains, beer has various tastes depending on the ingredients and storage process. As a result, there is no one answer when it comes to pairing food or even cooking with beer.
Due to various types of beer, finding the right flavor balance is the key for success. Hoppy bitterness goes well with sweet, rich in fat, and umami dishes, and sweet maltiness pairs well with chili pepper heat level spiciness and a hint of acidity.
Find the harmonies to pair with your favorite beer and enjoy complimentary foods to their maximum flavor.
What to eat with beer? In general, beer pairs wonderfully with meats such as beef, ham, pork, sausages, and shrimp. When it comes to food pairings, beer tastes good with barbecue, burgers, hot dogs, pizza, potato ships, pretzels, and sandwiches.
However, there are numerous types of beer that go with specific foods:
- Ale: burgers, buffalo wings, pizza, steaks, fried food
- Bock beer: Cajun food, sausage, seared food
- Fruit beer: pickled dishes, duck and pork, salad with fruity dressings
- Lager: shellfish, sushi, grilled pork and chicken
- Pilsner: light seafood, salmon, tuna, trout, spicy food
- Porter: smoked foods, barbecue, sausage, stews, chili, braised dishes
- Stout: roasted, smoked foods, oysters, chocolate, desserts
- Wheat: light soup, vegetarian dish
Beer always has a place on those evenings when all you want is to throw your feet up, invite friends over, plug into a favorite playlist, and just let your hair down. We suggest accompanying these shenanigans with good food or snacks.
From savory to sweet dishes, and dark to light beers, there are countless flavors to match. If you are wondering what other snacks or foods to serve with beer, read till the end to find out more.
What goes with beer?
Most beer types can be served with cheese, meat, fruits, and nuts at anytime of the day. However, there are specific ingredients that goes with beer as well as type of beer to improve taste with certain foods:
- Meat: beef, pork, chicken
- Seafood: shrimp, fried shellfish, salmon
- Cheese: cheddar, sheep’s milk
- Cured meat: ham, sausages
- Vegetables: onions, garlic
- Condiments: sauerkraut, soy sauce
- Food: stews, marinades, sauces, burritos, curries, hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza, potato chips, pretzels, salsa, sandwiches, tapas, chili
- Spices: chili powder
- Nuts: almonds, peanuts
If you have special craft beers, here is a list of foods to serve with for best results:
- Blanche: goat cheese, white fish, orange, pork, shellfish
- Bock: duck, ham, pork, sausage, duck, game, pork, sausage, venison
- Fruit: cheesecake, dark chocolate, custard, egg dishes, ice cream
- Hefeweizen: cheese, fruit, lemon, sweet and sour pork, shellfish
- German lager: dry rubbed barbecue, chicken, choucroute, hamburgers, grilled meat, pork, pretzels, sausage
- Saison: aperitif, cheese, chicken, crab cakes, curry, jambalaya, Mexican food, spicy dishes, steaks, Thai and Vietnamese food
- German Rauchbier: bacon, barbecue, smoked fish, ham, Indian food, pork
- Wheat beer: Asian food, light and spicy chicken, crab cakes, fried fish, oysters, pasta, salad, seafood, sushi, scallops
What snack goes well with beer?
From summer to winter, beer is a four season beverage that is commonly served during lunch, dinner, appetizers, and even for dessert. Especially with light and heavy snacks, beer quenches everyones tastebuds.
Snack ideas to pair with beer include:
- french fries
- salted nuts, especially macadamias, peanuts, pistachios, almonds, cashews
- nachos
- chicken wings
- sausage
- pizza
- jalapeño poppers
What flavor goes well with beer?
Fruits, herbs, and spices are perfect with beer. Anything from basil to strawberries, cardamom, and vanilla beans compliment the hoppy, malty flavors in beer.
Play easy with these ingredients, as a little goes a long way.
Here are classic flavor combinations that goes well with beer:
- lager beer + chicken + salad + salmon + fried food
- brown ale beer + sausage + roast pork + barbecue + fish
- stout beer + chocolate + lobster + barbecue rib + shellfish
- IPA beer + burger + steak + burritos + fajitas
- pilsner beer + chicken + root vegetables + mild cheddar
- wheat beer + light seafood + salads
- porter beer + lobster + crab
Eat with Beer: Conclusion
Pairing beer with food can help enhance flavors in the dishes. First, it is vital to understand what flavors pair perfectly with specific beers to make the best possible pairings.
Once you understand that, pairing beer and food will be easy peasy. Be sure to try different combinations to get what works for you.
Beer generally goes well with beef, ham, pork, sausage, and seafood. Almost any type of beer can be enjoyed with barbecue, burgers, hot dogs, pizza, fries, pretzels, and sandwiches.
Beers can be served throughout the year, on specific occasions, and any time of the day. From light ale to wheat and dark stout beer, use these flavor combinations, ingredients, and snack ideas to enjoy beer with your favorite foods.