Arrive Magazine - September/October, 2008

pairing separately below. But, what we do agree on is this: Beer and wine are more alike than different, and both deserve a place at the table. Although personal preferences may run more to one than the other, and each has pairing strengths and weaknesses, there’s no question that both beer and wine are world-class food partners.

Sam: Beer Is Better

I’ll admit that wine can be delicious, but I don’t understand why people assume it’s superior with dinner.

Beer averages half of wine’s alcohol, so you can drink more of it with your meal. Plus, its carbonation exfoliates the palate after rich food. Further, wine has a few Achilles’ heels when it comes to pairing. When it comes to the complex flavors of asparagus, curry and spicy wings, beer pulls up a bar stool and makes itself right at home.

There are no “bad matches” in food-and-beer pairings, so no need to stress much over which brew to select. The best place to start exploring beer pairing is with some loose comparisons. One useful generalization is that ales are most comparable to red wines (lush, robust and complex), while lagers are more like white wines (crisp, delicate and refined).

Like wine, body and strength are very important too. Stronger, fuller-bodied beers pair best with rich, flavorful foods, like winter stews and barbecue. Lighter-bodied beers, lower in alcohol, are more flattering with delicate foods and fresh produce, like summer salads and lightly seasoned seafood.

Give a few craft brews or premium imports a try, and you’ll find good beer can give any wine a run for its money when it comes to finding mutually flattering pairings.

Marnie: Wine Is Finer
Sam’s got this all backwards. Wine
is stronger, but this is an asset at the
table, not a liability. Drinking more
beer with dinner just fills you up, while
small sips of wine pique the appetite.
And, while beer bloats the belly with
bubbles, wine’s natural tang acts to
cleanse the palate between bites, the
perfect counterpoint for universal
food components like salt and fat.

84 Arrıve • September/October2008 • AMTRAK.COM

Pairing Principles

Whether you choose beer or wine, remember these pairing basics when it comes time to pour a bottle at your next meal.

• Choose lighter-bodied, lower-
alcohol beverages with low-
fat or subtly seasoned foods.

• Serve fuller-bodied, higher-alcohol beverages with rich or intensely seasoned foods.

• Pairing “like with like” is often successful, such as sweet, malty beers with sweet teriyaki, tart white wines with vinegary salads, roasty stouts with dark chocolate or oaky red wines with smoky grilled meats.

• Color and flavor go hand in hand, both in spectrum and depth. Pale foods, like chicken or fish, are often terrific with pale wines and beers, while deep, dark foods, like steaks and stews, are often better with deep, dark wines and beers.

• Alcohol exaggerates the “burn” of spicy heat, so think light-bodied with the spiciest dishes.

• The taste of wine changes more dramatically with food than the taste of beer, largely because of its tangy acids. With salty foods, wine will seem markedly less acidic and more mellow—with sugary foods, more thin and acidic. Beer flavor holds steadier flavorwise with both salt and sugar.

Like a squeeze of lemon or splash of vinegar, wine’s natural acidity enlivens the flavor of any food.

And, yes, I confess that choosing wine may be complicated by the need to avoid a few unpleasant combinations. However, this is a small price to pay for the wine’s unparalleled ability to amplify the pleasure we take in food. I’ll grant that beer may not rival wine’s infamous pairing lows, but neither does beer rival wine’s famous pairing highs. With no risk, there is no reward. Beer may be wine’s equal when it comes to everyday eating. But, there’s a reason wine is still the top choice in fine dining.

The Perfect Pair

Beer and wine have more in common than the casual observer might realize.

Both are naturally fermented beverages, made from wholesome ingredients, barley and grapes. Wine and beer acquire unique layers of flavor through fermentation, much the way cheese tastes more complex than milk. And, like any other product, both can be exploited for volume on an industrial scale or crafted by artisans aiming for quality over quantity.

Worldwide, the trend is to drink better. Delicious wines, once a hallmark of privilege, are more accessible and affordable than ever. Beers, long pigeonholed as bland and lowbrow, are pushing the envelope of quality and style as well, thanks to an international beer renaissance. In fact, the greatest difference bet ween wine and beer may be how each is perceived.