15 Original Food and Beer Pairings

Choosing the ideal beer to accompany a starter, a spicy dish or a chocolate dessert is not always easy. To guide you, discover the three key principles for successful pairings and 15—sometimes surprising—gourmet combinations that are sure to delight your taste buds.

Resonance Pairings

These are the simplest pairings to nail as they highlight the common flavours in the dish and the beer, which in turn helps intensify and prolong the flavours. This effective technique ensures the perfect balance and turns every bite into a harmonious experience.

1. Bitter lettuce salad (arugula, radicchio, kale, endive, chicory) and bitter beer
2.  Smoked or braised meat and smoked beer (brewed from smoked malts) or peated beer (malt smoked with peat)
3. Red fruit pie and fruity beer
4. Caramel (flan) or vanilla dessert and sweet malted beer

Contrasting Flavours

The idea is to surprise by emphasizing opposing characteristics, such as sweet and bitter, fat and acidic, spicy and fresh. The desired effect is to bring out the best in each one in order to create a more complex and surprising taste experience.

1. Fatty dishes (cheese fondue, quiche, fish and chips, etc.) and sour beer.
   The acidity cuts the rich side of the dish and balances the flavours.
2. Oysters and dry black beer (Guinness stout)
   The harshness of the beer, brewed from roasted malts, contrasts with the saltiness of the oysters.
3. Kimchi and bitter IPA-type beer dominated by resinous hops.
   The marked bitterness and notes of pine resin create a sharp contrast to the spiciness and acidity of the kimchi.
4. Lemon tart and sweet malty beer
   The caramelized roundness of the malt softens the tangy flavour of the citrus dessert.

Complementary Elements

This type of pairing aims for harmony. Rather than opposing food and beer, we seek to make them a dialogue by highlighting their respective qualities. The beer does not imitate the dish, but adds a nuance that enriches the whole and creates a balanced tasting that is pleasant for the palate.

1. Fish dish and lemon beer (seasonal type)
   The freshness and liveliness of the beer enhance the aromas and highlight the delicacy of the fish.
2. Curry or a tagine and spiced beer (chili)
   The spices of beer and curry (turmeric, cinnamon, coriander), without being identical, are in continuity and match the same tone of flavours.
3. Apple dessert and amber beer
   The caramelized and slightly toasted notes of the beer complement the sweet and tangy taste of the fruit.
4. Brownie or crème brûlée and milk stout
   The creamy, smooth texture of the beer creates a comforting pairing with the meltiness of the chocolate and the velvetiness of the crème brûlée.