What I've Learned About Beer

For those of you who aren’t wine drinkers, I thought I would follow up with some interesting information about beer.  One thing I have always been curious about is the coupling of beer and food.  Supposedly, the correct combination can make both taste better.  To quench my thirst and curiosity I read Duane Swierczynski The Big Book O' Beer: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about the Greatest Beverage on Earth. 

In the book Duane suggests some very obvious combinations, like drinking light beer with lighter foods and heavy beer with heavier foods, and some more interesting suggestions, like matching cuisine with a beer from the same country.

 

Birra Moretti with Italian Food   

   


















Singha with Thai food

                                                         

New Castle Brown Ale with English Food

                                                                    


  
Negro Modela with  Mexican Food

Other good combinations are:

• Porter with chocolate desserts
• Wheat beer with fried foods
• Pilsner with hamburgers, hot dogs, or pizza
• Ale (Irish or American) with Pork

Finally, Duane Swierczynski explains the ultimate coupling of beer and food, the Beer Can Chicken.  Basically, you take a 12-ounce aluminum beer can with no seams, drink half of it and cut off the top third of the can.  You then added a 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, and 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce.  The can is then placed up a chicken’s backside and placed on the grill.  After about an hour of cooking, the beer has evaporated and flavored the bird with your beer of choice.

So If you're curious (and over 21), try one of these beer-food combinations and leave a comment saying how it was and  If you're brave, give the Beer Can Chicken a try.