A Twentysomething's Guide To Pairing Food & Beer

Often overlooked as something to guzzle at baseball games along with a hotdog and popcorn, beer is finally taking its rightful place on the dining room table and giving wine a run for its money. Sommelier John Peter Laloganes and his team at Kendall College have sought to make our job a little easier, and have created a wonderful infographic guide to food and beer pairing. We are living in a craft beer renaissance, with the soaring rise of microbreweries since the 1980s, beer has changed its reputation. But with this plethora of fabulous product, how do we know what to drink?

Beer is extremely food friendly (as well as cost effective), the many flavors and varieties lending themselves to harmonious pairings. The number of elements that beermakers work with to create a perfectly balanced product can make your head spin. The veritable cornucopia of flavors range from the bready yeast, to the sweetness of barley, to the cutting bitterness of hops, and in some cases, the addition of spices, nuts, coffee, chocolate, and fruits. It’s a lot to keep in mind when standing in front of the grocery store fridge trying to decide what would go best with tonight’s grilled cheese sandwich. This infographic thankfully breaks food and beer pairing down into three foundational principles, and gives excellent examples. As it turns out, wine pairing and beer pairing share a similar foundation. They both take into account the body and weight of the product, so that it matches but does not overpower the food. Is your fave IPA too bold for a bacon cheeseburger, or is it a marriage made in Foodie Heaven? By using this as a guideline, it will make any dinner a raging success!

Say goodbye to your college days of drinking warm mystery beer from a keg! Who knew that beer had so very much to offer? Now take this knowledge and go out there and explore! And remember the most important principle: drink what you like.

Images: Pixabay , Courtesy of Kendall College, Giphy