Celebrate Fall With A Harvest Beer Dinner
The summer heat is slowly giving way to the wonderful season that is fall. With the welcomed change in weather also comes the abundance of fall beers. Seasonal beers are to be appreciated and they represent the best in creativity and passion that a brewer can deliver.
Seasonal beers focus on seasonal ingredients and highlight flavors that harmonize with the faire of the moment. There is no better way to share your favorite fall beers with others than hosting a beer and food dinner.
Top 3 things to remember when pairing beer and food :
- Match strength with strength.
Delicate dishes work best with delicate beers, and the opposite is equally true, that strongly flavored foods demand assertive beers. Intensity of flavor may involve many aspects: alcoholic strength, malt character, hop bitterness, sweetness, richness, roastiness and so on. Examples:- Hefeweizen style beers pair well with lighter foods: salads, seafood, sushi and light deserts: strawberry shortcake, fruit trifle or key lime pie
- Brown Ales work better with hearty foods: roast pork, smoked sausage, grilled salmon and heavier desserts: almond or maple-walnut cake, pear fritters, cashew brittle
- Find harmonies.
Combinations often work best when they share some common flavor or aroma elements. The nutty flavor of an English-style brown ale and a handmade cheddar cheese; the deep, roasted flavors of an imperial stout and chocolate truffles, and the rich, caramelly flavors of an Oktoberfest lager and roasted pork are all examples of this. - Consider sweetness, bitterness, carbonation, heat (spice) and richness.
Specific characteristics of food and beer interact with each other in predictable ways. Taking advantage of these interactions ensures that the food and beer will balance each other, each giving you a desire for a taste of the other.
Most importantly, don’t be afraid to try things out and seek new possibilities. The best pairings have yet to be discovered. And remember, beer is pleasurable experience, so enjoy yourself!
Learn what your favorite brewer is offering for fall at www.SeasonalBeerAndFood.com as well as in the Brewers Association’s American Craft Beer and Food Guide which is available online at the Beer Enthusiast Store.
