Pizza
Brooklyn Lager
Italy’s great contribution to global food culture lends itself well to lager, primarily, perhaps, because of the vast list of potential toppings available, but also because its low bitterness and malt flavours don’t overpower simple classics like the margherita. Brooklyn Lager is an American amber lager from Brooklyn Brewery that complements the tomato, brings out the sweetness of the cheese, balances all the competing flavours and cuts through the oil, refreshing the mouth between bites.
Thai
Hogstar
Thai food has seen a huge boom in popularity in recent years. The robust spice and delicately layered flavours of south-east Asian cuisine can make it tricky to find a beer that cools the palate while not overpowering the rich contrasts of sweet and sour found in dishes such as pad Thai and tom yum soup. This is where a crisp lager comes in. Being well carbonated, it’s great at cutting through creamy textures and refreshing the palate. Hogstar is a contemporary English lager produced by Surrey-based Hogs Back Brewery that retains the depth of flavour found in an ale, but with a crisp, clean finish.
Indian
Deuchars IPA
In 1810, Indian entrepreneur Dean Mahomet opened Hindoostane Coffee House in Portman Square, London, the first Indian restaurant in the UK, aimed at anyone who had travelled to the subcontinent and developed a taste for the cuisine. Almost two hundred years later, curry is a cornerstone of British culinary culture. Wine is famously tricky to match to Indian food, but beer is simpler. Deuchars IPA from Edinburgh’s historic Caledonian Brewery is a fruity, floral ale that can hold its own against the intense spice of a Madras, while its heat-tempering maltiness complements the natural fruity sweetness found in many Indian dishes and chutneys.
Fish and chips
Tribute Pale Ale
No high street is complete without a chippy offering freshly battered fish and crisp chips dowsed in salt and vinegar. There’s something not quite right about drinking this dish with wine, not least because of the oiliness. A zesty pale ale makes for a perfect accompaniment instead. Tribute is a Cornish pale ale brewed by St Austell Brewery with orange and grapefruit notes that go perfectly with fish, while its carbonation sweeps the palate clean.
Greek and Turkish food
Badger First Call ale
Whatever your takeaway of choice, it is surely undeniable that beer and kebabs are perfectly matched. However, the intensity of marinated red meat demands a beer that will stand up on its own – so choose bitter with pita. Badger First Call is a classic, rich Dorset ale made using a single hop, First Gold, for purity and character. Its sweet, malty backbone complements the meat and there’s enough fizz to slice through fatty textures.
Chinese
Friar Weisse
Chinese takeaway food has been transformed since its initial popularity in the 1970s. As our palates become more discerning, dishes now embrace complex regional flavours. At its best, it is utterly mouthwatering and perfectly suited to beer, especially weissbier (wheat beer), originally a German brew made with a mix of pale wheat and barley malts. Friar Weisse, from the award-winning Franciscan Well brewery in Cork, Ireland, boasts fruity, citrus notes – perfect for the fusion of spice and sweetness found in Chinese food. Its light, spritzy character will cleanse the palate, but won’t compete with the savoury flavours.
Sushi
Hoegaarden
Japanese food is one of the breakthrough successes of the past two decades, but the delicate combination of rice, vegetables and raw fish requires thoughtful matching. Wheat beer fits the bill, particularly Hoegaarden, a Belgian beer – its effervescent finish and orange peel and coriander flavours combine exquisitely with sushi’s delicate textures and flavours.
Find the perfect beer to match your meal at beerforthat.com/beer-match
