A few weeks ago I posted about the great fall seasonal beers that are available right now. As a big fan of pairing a beer with my meal, I thought I’d offer some pairing suggestions for some of the fall seasonals.
Pairing is all about experimentation. Sure, there are suggested pairings, but the best way to figure out if a beer pairs well with a certain dish is to try it! There are no rules when it comes to pairing, but there are a few guidelines as to which tastes go best together:
• Ales go well with red meats in the same fashion as red wines do.
• With lighter, beers like lagers, consider pairing as you would with white wines (pastas, light meals, cooked vegetables).
• Dark beers pair well with rich foods.
• Hoppy beers match up and hold their own with spicy foods.
Seasonal beers are around for a limited time, so I’d recommend trying them with your dinner soon. You can try my suggestions or experiment and find your own favorite combos.
Oktoberfest beers, like Leinenkugel’s Oktoberfest and Samuel Adams Octoberfest, are full bodied and bold. They pair best with foods that are also full-flavored like brats and *** or pretzels and mustard. The full flavors of the beers and the food balance each other well.
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is a bitter, hoppy beer. The bitterness cuts through spicy foods like jambalaya or Szechwan chicken.
Lakefront Pumpkin Lager tastes like liquid pumpkin pie and pairs perfectly with holiday meals like turkey, chicken or ham.
Capital Autumnal Fire is a rich Dopplebock with a slightly bitter finish. I like this one best with bread or barbequed ribs.
Leinenkugel’s Apple Spice is full of apple flavor with a hint of cinnamon. It pairs best with dishes with similar tastes like pork tenderloin with applesauce.
