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cweston · 05-03-2007, 12:38 PM

I enjoy beer more on its own, in most cases, than with food. (Actually, I have similar feelings about wine. I mean, wine has more of an obvious affinity for food IMHO, but if I really want to concentrate on and enjoy the drink, I prefer to just drink it.)

But one exception is stout.Hearty food and stout really complement each other well. I generally enjoy a stout more with food than by itself.

Cheesefood · 05-03-2007, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cweston

I enjoy beer more on its own, in most cases, than with food. (Actually, I have similar feelings about wine. I mean, wine has more of an obvious affinity for food IMHO, but if I really want to concentrate on and enjoy the drink, I prefer to just drink it.)

But one exception is stout.Hearty food and stout really complement each other well. I generally enjoy a stout more with food than by itself.

Steak and Stout: the perfect winter combination.

I like hoppy ales with meat, and sweeter ales with seafood. Something about matching the color of the beer with the food I guess.

Chrus · 05-03-2007, 01:35 PM

Beer is a lot like wine, in that it works well with food. But unlike wine... its very hard to get a food/beer combo thats terrible... pretty much all beer will go with any food. Of course there are some combos that work better than others... but ya cant stuff it up too badly.

Gotta love beer

God Emporer BillyBrew · 05-03-2007, 01:39 PM

Personally, I love a good IPA and some spicy thai food. Other than that, I mostly drink water with my meals and beer for dessert.

Evan! · 05-03-2007, 02:29 PM

I've got to disagree. Beer improves almost any meal, and when you find that awesome pairing, it's transcendent. Like a few years ago, Garrett Oliver was in our shop signing books and doing a beer tasting with us. He paired his Monster barleywine with some Stilton. Simply unreal! Now, every time I have that beer or any b-wine like it, I crave stilton. Some deal happened with Eggenberg's "Natur Trub" unfiltered pils and homemade guacamole dip.

Anyway, read Garrett Oliver's "The Brewmaster's Table". He really does a great job of integrating food and beer.

GoBrewers · 05-03-2007, 02:54 PM

I would agree that stout + steak = awesome. But I don't think that pairing is head and shoulders over the experience you get with a nice cab or another full bodied red. IMHO, where beer/food pairings really shine is with spicy ethnic dishes, like Indian and Thai, etc. There really is no good wine (that I've found) that can stand up to those big spices, but the carbonation and bite of a restrained ale or lager, say a Helles bock or APA, is just fantastic. Cools down the tongue and is just a nice palette cleanser, in a way. Just my $.02

cweston · 05-03-2007, 02:58 PM

Evan--you're disagreeing that I typically enjoy beer more on it's own than with food? Wow, you must be very in touch with my taste buds!

Seriously--I get what you're saying. But on any given weeknight, when Stilton is not on the menu...

Plus, I generally have one beer on a weeknight, and I prefer to have it a little later in the evening, when the evening's work is done and I can collapse on the couch.

Cheesefood · 05-03-2007, 03:07 PM

Just think -

Without beer, a porterhouse steak would just be a house steak.

Evan! · 05-03-2007, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cweston

Evan--you're disagreeing that I typically enjoy beer more on it's own than with food? Wow, you must be very in touch with my taste buds!

Yes, actually, I know what's better for you than you do. Nice to meet you, my name is The US Government.

Quote:

Seriously--I get what you're saying. But on any given weeknight, when Stilton is not on the menu...

Sure, but still, all in all, I find that it's easier to pair food with beer than with wine---and I'm a wine nerd too.

Quote:

Pluse, I generally have one beer on a weeknight, and I prefer to have it a little later in the evening, when the evening's work is done and I can collapse on the couch.

One? Damn, good on you! Last night I had a few. The Siegnuriale from Unibroue was awesome, and the Redbach (rodenbach w/ kriek) tasted like a cherry tootsie pop. heheh. But yeah, I get what you're saying. I just usually have a beer or wine with dinner, and it usually makes the meal better.

I'm right and you're wrong.

Can we just leave it at that?

**Rook** · 05-03-2007, 04:10 PM

I agree with the OP greatly.

I enjoy beer when that is all that is on my palate. I find that food especially detracts from my palate and I enjoy the beer less. I perfer a tall glass of milk with most dinners (ESPECIALLY spicy foods) and a tall frosty IPA afterwards for dessert.