Too often today beer plays second fiddle to wine and other beverages when considered for meal pairing. I’m going to go out on a limb and say something rather bold – real beer is a better pair with more varieties of food than wine is. There I said it. And it’s true.
For example, what wine would you put with a spicy Indian dish like vindaloo? There is none. Some will say a Riesling because it’s cool and lightly sweet but that doesn’t really pair! For spicy foods you need something quenching and robustly bitter. Something that’ll cleanse your palate of heat and refresh your taste buds for the next bite – so go for an India or an American Pale Ale. Spicy foods turn red wines hot and white wines end up tasting like gasoline.
Commodity-grade beers don’t have distinct flavors and won’t pair well with food, even the premium commodity beers, like wine, they just don’t work. So what does work? Craft Beer.

Brunch

Brunch is a sweet combination of breakfast and lunch foods, your accompanying beer should be equally light, but flavorful. Wheat beers are the best choice as their soft effervescence and gentle fruity-vanilla flavors will work with practically anything you bring to the table.
An amazing twist on the classic Mimosa (orange juice and champagne) is orange juice and Blanche De Chambly, by Unibroue. This is a remarkable combo, and works even better than champagne. The beer’s soft and delicate sensations, creamy vanilla and clove flavors work so beautifully with juice – it’s a match made in heaven.
Try Hacker-Pschorr Hefe Weisse, Muskoka Hefe-Weissbier, Dinison’s Weissbier, Erdinger, Schneider Weisse, Mill Street Wit, or the Weihenstaphaner.

Dinner

You say, “Dinner?” most guys think, “Meat.” There are few things as amazing as a properly roasted turkey or beef brisket. So what’s the best way to enjoy them?
The flavor of dark, amber or roasted malts match roasted meats perfectly. They are gently sweet, bring warm caramel flavors, but are balanced with bitter hops and a juicy mouthfeel. This balance is what makes the pairing so perfect, and the carbonation of the beer helps scrub your palate clean for the next taste.
A huge range of beers can fit into these categories, but some of the best are dark Belgian Ales and American Pale ales. Their creamy mouthfeel but crisp and lightly effervescent texture creates the perfect sensations to balance slightly complex malt flavors, aromatic hops and mouth watering savory flavors.
For soothing malty ales try Chimay Red, Unibroue Maudite, Innis & Gunn, Brakspear Triple, Paulaner Salvator, Affligem Dubbel, Neustadt 10W30, Hockley Dark, Mill St. Tankhouse, Muskoka Darlk Ale, Cameron’s Dark Ale,or St Ambroise Oatmeal Stout.
For quenching hoppy beers try Fullers ESB, Pilsner Urquell, Green King IPA, Skslfti, Liberty Ale, Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA, Rogue Dead Guy Ale, Southern Tier IPA, Anchor Steam Beer, Black Oak Pale Ale, Flying Monkeys Hoptical Illusion, Dougan #9, or Chrsitoffel Nobel.

Dessert

Dessert is where beer can really shine. Whether the dessert is light, dense, chocolaty, fruity, cheesy, creamy, warm, hot, or cold there’s a beer to fit it perfectly! That being said, the range of flavors that work with dessert depend on the dessert itself.
Chocolate desserts range from dense or light cakes, to mousses, puddings, ice creams and more. The obvious choice is a stout, and better yet, why not try a chocolate stout! These beers are creamy and elegant with smooth roasty flavors and delicate hints of cocoa and chocolate. You can also find Belgian style stouts that have a richer malt flavor and show a touch of effervescence.
Try Young’s Double Chocolate Stout, St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout, Lion Stout, Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence, Rogue Shakespear Stout, or the Southern Tier Crème Brulee Stout.
Cheesy deserts, like cheesecake, can have so many flavors piled onto it. Chocolate, peanut butter, caramel and other very sweet cheesecakes work perfect with the stouts just mentioned. But one of the most classic styles is fruit flavors. And in comes the world of fruit beers.
The sweetness of a fruit beer can pair off the creamy and earthy flavors of a cheesecake so magnificently, and the carbonation scrubs your palate clean for the next bite.
Try Mort Subite Frambroise, Unibroue Effemere Pomme, St. Louis Gueuze, or the Lindemans Peche.