Bedford County Post

Summer Local Living May 2024— 33 E ven though pizza, wings and beer is a combination that has ap- peared on game day food tables seemingly since the dawn of orga- nized sports, the nuances of beer open up the possibility for many other food-beverage combinations. Just as wine can complement a vari- ety of di ff erent foods when the right combination of fl avors is presented, so, too, can one’s favorite brew. Craft brewers have opened the public’s eyes to a much wider array of beer styles thanmay be available at the local liquor store or supermarket. Below you can fi nd some suggestions for beer and food pairings, courtesy of the Brewers Association. - Blonde Ale: Match this ale with lighter food choices, such as chicken, salads, and light, nutty cheeses. - India Pale Ale: The hoppy forward fl avor of IPAs makes these popu- lar beers a good pairing with strong, spicy foods, or bold, sweet desserts. - Amber/Red Ale: Pair a wide range of foods with amber ales, like chicken, seafood, burgers, and spicy cuisine. - Porter: The strong fl avor of porter will work well with roasted or smoked food, barbecue, sausages, or blackened fi sh. -DarkLager, Dunkel, Schwarzbier:Hearty, spicy foods, barbecue, and roasted meats also complement these dark beers, as do pizzas and burg- ers. - Hefeweizen: Fans of this light German or Austrian beer will learn it pairs well with salads, seafood, sushi, and traditionally weisswurst, a white Bavarian sausage. - Imperial Stout: This beer can easily overwhelmmany foods, but can stand up to foie gras or smoked goose. Long-aged cheeses, like gouda, parmesan or cheddar, also can work with stout, as do rich, chocolate des- serts. - American Wheat Ale: Choose this beer to go with very light foods like sal- ads and sushi. It’s generally too light for dessert, but might work with fresh fruit. Furthermore, when pairing beer with food, keep in mind that beer with hop bitterness, roasted malt, high carbon- ation, and higher ABVs balance sweet, rich (fatty) and umami fl avors in food. Hop bitterness also can emphasize the spice of foods, such as in chili or certain ethnic cuisines. A sweet or malty beer balances out spiciness or acidity in foods. Pair beer with food like a pro