As excited as we get about some beers, they aren’t the focus of every event and sometimes they only play a supporting role. Having just entered Autumn, we wanted to look at the beer styles we’re looking to be drinking and figure out which of our favorite foods they might pair with.
Over the last few blog posts, we’ve spent some time with Marzen/Oktoberfest, so we’ll continue with that style to start. When pairing beer with food, or vice versa, you’re looking for balance. It’s important that one not outshine the other and that both have something to offer.
We had a hunch that a crisp, clean amber lager with a rich, toasty and bready malt flavor and dry finish, like a Marzen/Oktoberfest, would be perfect for something with a touch of sweetness, some spice, toasted/caramelized bits and fat. We recently welcomed the Flavors of Fall into our home with a Chile-glazed Sweet Potato and Pork Carnitas Hash…AND IT WAS AWESOME! The chile-glaze included toasted ancho chiles, cinnamon, clove, orange juice and honey and it helped to bring the pork and sweet potatoes together into a bed of incredible. The toasty malt character of the style carried the flavorful seasonings like they were its own. The carbonation handled the richness of the pork, and sunny side-up eggs, perfectly. The dry-finish and subtle hop bitterness of the beer helped to ready us for each delicious bite.
You could also try a Marzen/Oktoberfest, like Spaten Oktoberfest, with chicken and sausage gumbo!
Dunkel
Dunkel or “dark” in German, is brown, rather than the amber Marzen/Oktoberfest, and the flavors are equally deeper and richer, having a slightly sweeter caramel character and more pronounced roast (chocolate). The added richness makes it a better pair with fruity or acidic flavors. It also has enough “heft” to carry the more robust flavors of game, because “hunting season”.
Maybe try a Dunkel, like Hofbrau Dunkel, with pan-seared venison with a cherry-wine sauce, or a plate of German sausages and good sauerkraut
Dubbel
Another delicious beer for your Fall table is Dubbel, a Belgian Abbey-style brown ale with the malt flavors of a Dunkel, and the added layer of delicious fruit contributed by beautiful Belgian ale yeast. Imagine a subtle caramel sweetness, toasted bread crust, cocoa and dried/dark fruits like raisins, figs and plums. This sort of depth makes for fun food pairing. Robust game meats, like with dunkel, work here, but think more along the lines of a red wine meal, rich and flavorful.
Treat yourself, and anyone else, to a Westmall Dubbel alongside roast duck, or try it with a hearty beef stew, the Belgians have a great version called carbonnade flamanade that begs to be paired with a dubbel!
Pumpkin Ale
And no mention of the Flavors of the Fall would be complete without a Pumpkin Ale. Not every pumpkin ale lends itself to a place alongside food, but some offerings take a “beer first, pumpkin second” approach and they make for a fun pair.
One of our favorites, Dogfish Head Punkin Ale, is a substantial American Brown Ale that incorporates pumpkin and pie spices. The brown ale portion could play along with most of the pairings above, and the spices would be an interesting addition, but we’re thinking we’ll do a pumpkin “riff” on our sweet potato hash and stew some pumpkin with pork, dried chiles and Fall spices!
