Lager than life: how to pair bold AF beers with vibrant foods
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The August long weekend in Toronto didn’t serve up the best of weather. Fortunately, what was on the menu were some very tasty – even surprising – food and alcohol-free beer pairings.
The menu was a bit eclectic, and thankfully so was the beer.
(Antoine Tedesco)
First to pour was Big Drop Brewing Co.’s Pine Trail Ale, winner of the World’s Best Pale Beer (Low Strength) at the 2020 World Beer Awards. It was served with a variety of appetizers, all pairing nicely with the lime notes and the slightly bitter finish. Pine Trail’s citrusy flavours elevated the lemon in both the garlicky hummus, and the tomato basil salad. Some fresh corn, slathered in butter, lime, and salt was a perfect sweet to the beer’s bitter – the dusting of paprika gave each bite between sips a great beginning and end.
On to the mains, which were a selection of chicken quesadilla, two kinds of pizza – hot Italian salami and Hawaiian – with a salad of mixed greens.
There were a few surprises off the top – surprises of this reviewer’s making, and others from the breweries themselves, mixing things up and daring to add some unique ingredients.
Honestly, the ingredients weren’t even looked at, assuming Le BockAle’s Station S would bring flavours traditional to a golden ale. That’s not what came across on the nose or on the palate. The subtle saffron notes jump out at you. The taste is unique; at first, perhaps a bit too unique. Yet, with a spicy chicken quesadilla and mixed greens salad it worked. You can also give this beer a try with Middle Eastern or Moroccan dishes, which often play nicely with the sweet floral taste of the saffron. The slight sweetness of Station S would also work with a few select sweets — something Persian or Turkish would work.
Like pickled ginger when enjoying sushi, the palate needed refreshing. Le BockAle’s Berliner Sonne was bright, lemony and slightly acidic. A real thirst-quencher. Tastebuds now cleansed, it was time to dive into the next item on the menu. Pizza!
Everyone loves pizza! Delicious IPAs packed with tropical flavours and pronounced bitterness help enhance tropical sweetness and cut through any spice. Two different IPAs were ready to crack and serve – La Découverte and Paradiso.
(Antoine Tedesco)
What’s more tropical than homemade pizza with pineapple (haters, please don’t hate)? Le BockAle’s La Découverte works nicely with a simple yet zesty, fruity pizza. The sweetness from the pineapple smoothed out the beer’s bitterness. Next on the plate was a very hot Italian salami pizza, and in the glass Big Drop’s Paradiso IPA. The intense citrus pop (nose and mouth) was an important moment to help soothe those outer taste buds as they burst into flames. Paradiso is an extremely refreshing beer, which makes it easy to pour another one and grab another slice of spice.
Dessert? For sure. You just have to find the right pairing. There wasn’t a lot to serve with Big Drop’s stout-style Galactic Dark Noir. Thankfully, there were some chocolate-covered almonds that mingled extremely well with the cacao nibs in the beer brew. It’s not a traditional stout by any means, but thanks to the oats and lactose in the mix, Galactic is sweet with a rich, full mouthfeel.
When you’re planning your next get-together, put down that alcohol-free wine and serve up some alcohol-free beers with your favourite foods. The same pairings run true for both alcohol and alcohol-free beer styles. The internet is full of helpful websites to start your beer and food pairing journey. So, get creative.
About the Author - Antoine Tedesco
In an online world [said in a deep, booming movie voice] that demands never-ending content, Antoine is a pioneer. From journalism to government to charities and non-profits, Antoine’s passion is telling compelling and impactful stories. He loves anything that makes his taste buds smile and his ears dance.
