Beer with dinner: a hobby cook's guide to pairing

Wine gets all the attention at dinner parties, and beer gets the leftovers. That is a pity. Beer is made from grain, so it is already close to bread, roast meat and toasted flavours. It is carbonated, which cleans the palate. It is cheaper and less intimidating than wine. And Canada has a lot of excellent brewers, from large to very small.

Here is how to pair beer with food at home without a certification.

Three simple rules

1. Match intensity. Delicate food, delicate beer. Big flavours, big beer. A light lager disappears next to a spicy curry; a stout will flatten a delicate fish.
2. Contrast or echo. A bitter pale ale cuts through rich, fatty food (contrast). A roasty stout echoes roasted meat or chocolate (echo). Both work.
3. Think about the whole plate, not just the protein. The sauce, spices and sides matter.

Five beers, five dinners

Pilsner or light lager Clean and crisp. Good with: fried food, sushi, fish and chips, salads, soft cheeses. Serve it very cold.

Wheat beer (witbier, hefeweizen) Cloudy, with notes of citrus, clove and banana. Good with: brunch, grilled shrimp, citrus salads, mild cheeses, mussels.

Pale ale or IPA Hoppy and bitter, with grapefruit and pine notes. Good with: burgers, spicy food, tacos, strong cheddar, fried chicken. The bitterness cuts fat and handles heat.

Brown ale or amber Malty, with caramel and toast. Good with: roast chicken, sausages, pork, grilled vegetables, mushroom dishes. This is the most forgiving beer for a dinner party.

Stout or porter Dark, roasty, with coffee and chocolate flavours. Good with: stews, braised beef, oysters (a classic), chocolate desserts, vanilla ice cream (try a stout float).

Sour or saison (a bonus) Tart and refreshing. Good with: goat cheese, salads with vinegar, charcuterie, seafood.

A beer dinner for six

• Arrival: pilsner with salted nuts and olives
• Starter: wheat beer with a citrus and fennel salad and grilled shrimp
• Main: brown ale with roast pork shoulder, potatoes and braised cabbage
• Cheese: pale ale with sharp cheddar and apples
• Dessert: stout with a chocolate brownie

Allow about one to two small glasses of each beer per person and have water on the table. Offer a non-alcoholic beer too; there are very good ones now, and some guests will be driving or simply not drinking.

Serving tips

• Temperature. Lagers and wheat beers: cold, about 4 to 7 degrees C. Pale ales and brown ales: a little warmer, 8 to 10. Stouts: 10 to 12. A beer that is too cold hides flavour.
• Glassware. A clean glass matters more than a special one. Rinse glasses with cold water before pouring to remove any dust or soap film.
• Pouring. Tilt the glass at 45 degrees and straighten as it fills. A little foam is fine, and it carries aroma.
• Storage. Keep bottles and cans upright, cold and out of the light. Most beer is best fresh.

A local touch

If you live in Canada, visit a local brewery or a bottle shop and ask what is new. Many small breweries have seasonal beers that suit autumn and winter dinners. A bottle from the brewery down the road makes a better host gift than something from a duty-free shop, and it starts a good conversation.

Beer at the table is relaxed, sociable and generous. That is the spirit of a good dinner party, and it is a lot of fun to get right.