Beer pairings are a great way to liven up the flavour profiles of your top dishes, drive profitability with high-margin adult beverages, and tap into the guest demand for unique craft beers.
We teamed up with craft beer expert David Soper, the Head Brewer of Mother’s Brewing Company in Springfield, Missouri. His passion for food and beer is amazing. He can expound on the rich, intermingled history of beer and food, while also promoting its importance in modern restaurants. He says, “One only needs to look at the books at a restaurant once to understand why you would want to sell a beer (or other alcoholic beverage) with every plate that leaves the kitchen. There are great margins in alcohol, but beyond that you have an opportunity to elevate someone's meal by pairing it with a beer and by doing this you are not just selling them food but an experience.”
We’ve created a beer pairings map that will help bring your top dishes to life.
Canada
-
Top dish
Suggested beer pairing
Why it works
Province
Grilled Salmon
Belgian Witbier (Jolly Pumpkin Calbaza Blanca or Perennial’s Funky Wit)
The full body and spice of these beers will hold up nicely to a fattier fish like salmon, while the citrus and spice quality along with a little funk should complement without overpowering.
Quebec
Black Bean Burger
New American Pale Ale (Bellwoods Brewery’s Jutsu)
These are a new twist on a North American classic: Pale Ale. Since it was bastardized from its English predecessor, it’s been about a balance of bitterness, malt character, and hop flavour and aroma. These beers take the style and throw all that out the window. With just enough malt to hold the beer together the aromas of bright citrus, pine resin, and tropical fruit jump out of the glass. These intense yet subtle beers would be great with almost anything, but hey, why not enjoy it with a new take on another American classic.
West Coast
Cheeseburger
American India Pale Ale (Dieuduciel’s Moralite or Central City Brewing’s Red Betty)
The strong bitterness and high carbonation will go a long way toward cutting the hearty meatiness of the burger, while the citrusy, floral, and resinous hop flavours and aromas will pair nicely with the sweet fatty and bready aspects of the burger.
Ontario
Fish & Chips
German Kolsch (Reissdorf Kolsch or Trillium’s Sprang)
The lighter body of the beer will not overpower the fish, while the crispness and faint fruity hop and ester qualities will balance well with the fried fish.
Prairies
Tacos
German Gose (Off Color’s Troublesome or Westbrook Gose)
German Gose is a pale German ale with a lactic acidity that is typically spiced with coriander and salt. Sour and salty goes great with spicy adobada or maybe even a slightly smoky cachete with some pickled veggies.
East Coast / Atlantic
