What is Beer & How it Enhances Your BBQ Experience
Beer is a delicious beverage that has as many, if not more, variations than wine. It can be light or dark, bitter, sweet, fruity, sour, and even smoky. But what is beer and why does it go so well with barbecued food? In this article, we will explore the components that make beer the beloved beverage that it is. Find out where it gets the flavours that allow just about any type of beer to pair with your grilled creations.
How is Beer Made?
Barley is sprouted and then dried in a malting process, followed by a hot water bath called mashing. This process is similar to scotch making. The proto-beer is filtered, then the liquid extracted from the mash, called wort, is boiled, this is generally when the hops are added. Wort contains the sugars that will be used to cause fermentation. The boiled wort is cooled before yeast is added and fermentation occurs. Finally, the beer is conditioned to remove sediment and contaminants which detract from the final flavour before it is bottled.
What Does Beer Taste Like?
Much like wine and many other things, there are components that build the flavours in the end result. It is the ratios and processes done to the individual ingredients in beer that create the flavours that we are about to explore.
Hops
Hops are one of the two major ingredients in beer. They are flowering buds of a plant that produces a bitter flavour and can also introduce floral, fruit, and citrus notes. Hops are also used as a stabilizing agent in beer. The amount of bitterness caused by hops depends on when the hops are added in the process of beer making. The earlier in the recipe, the more bitter flavours are created.
Hop-heavy beers, ones that are more bitter, do not play well with spicy and sour foods as the bitterness can overwhelm flavours. Instead, pair hoppy beers with big rich foods like Tex-Mex, cheddar cheese, a big grilled steak, and carrot cake.
Street Corn Nachos
These Street Corn Nachos will pair perfectly with hoppy or bitter beers thanks to the creamy and cheesy flavours as well as the smoked beef.
Bitterness
While hoppy beers are generally bitter, some can have a residual sweetness that can change how pairing will work. Bitterness as a whole flavour sensation is in all beers, but the amount of bitterness can vary between the different styles of beer. While it is directly linked to the hops, it is also its distinct flavour that is measured by International Bitterness Units (IBU). IPA-style beers are both hoppy and bitter.
Pairing bitter beers, the ones that are hop heavy or even tannic – think tannins in wine – you will want to complement bitter greens and green sauces as the two bitters will mellow and allow the underlying nuances to come out. Bitter beers also contrast well with salty, fatty, umami-heavy, and sweet foods. Think charcuterie, oysters, wings, and strong cheddar-y cheeses. They don’t usually play well with acidic foods as the two flavours will clash. Nor will they go well with spicy foods because they will enhance the spicy heat until it overwhelms everything else.
Malt
The malt flavour in beer is created by roasted barley. This barley is soaked and sprouted before being roasted and dried to produce a malty flavour. The higher the temperature, the darker the toasted grain, and the darker the malt. This roasting process produces nutty, toasted, roasted, flavours that are even more distinct in darker beers. This is because the roasting process has caramelized the sugars.
Malty beers can provide some pretty dynamic pairings. The rich syrupy notes will produce a lingering sweetness on the tongue. That pairs well with the salty meats at breakfast, fried foods, roasted root vegetables, starchy foods, ramen, and sandwiches. Imagine the perfect sandwich, piled high with salty, smoked or cured meats. A malty beer will play well with both the bread and the salty meat. The malt flavour can also mellow out the physical heat when eating spicy foods allowing one to enjoy the flavours below the physical sensations. Lagers that are malt-driven play well with acidic foods like anything tomato-based or Szechuan-style cooking.
Hot Honey Chicken Sandwiches
Dark and malted beers pair well with salty foods, spicy, foods, and bread. Try something dark and malted with this Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich on Homemade Biscuits.
Dark
Yes, the colour of the beer can be dark, but when we are talking about darkness here it’s more about how the beer actually tastes. Darkness is related to maltiness. When the malt grain is roasted after sprouting, the more toasted it is, the richer and heavier the dark profile will become. In the same way that caramelization works, the grain flavour will go from lightly sweet and caramelized to a deeper chocolatey flavour, to a nutty and dark coffee flavour. Darkness can come across as rich, decadent, deep, and even become earthy.
Pair these dark and malty beers with sweet or salty foods, roasted root vegetables, Middle Eastern cuisine, citrus, fatty and rich foods, especially BBQ steak, burgers, and blue cheese. Beers with a coffee-type darkness love avocado, Tex-Mex, parmesan cheese, and garlic. Keep in mind that the longer the malt has been roasted, the stronger the roasting or searing can be on the food that it is paired with.
Light
Not quite a flavour or colour, light refers to beers with a higher carbonation level. These beers are generally bright on the palate, refreshing the drinker. They are (mostly) low on the ABV scale and aren’t heavily flavoured in regard to hoppiness or being bitter. They are quite agreeable and pair well when looking for something of a palate cleanser or something to cut unctuous fattiness.
Sour / Tart / Acidic
Sour beers are interesting. They can be funky, tart, fruity and definitely will tickle some tastebuds. They are made by introducing specific bacteria to create acidity, or the tartaric or malic acid from any fruits used in the brewing process for flavour can create acidity as well. These beers are a great alternative for wine drinkers.
Bringing acid to the table when pairing will liven up certain flavours on the tongue. Sour beers will cut richness in a wagyu steak and allow you to enjoy more of it. Acidity and sourness in beers mellow out foods with similar flavour notes and bring the more subtle nuances of both beer and food to the fore. Sour beers balance salt meaning that they pair well with briny foods like feta and funky cheeses too. They supercharge umami and mix well with delicate seafood flavours like scallops and lobster. The dark beers that are also sour bring to mind the barnyard with a rustic flavour that plays well with red and game meats. Avoid spicy and/or sweet foods when drinking sour beers. They have a tendency to aggravate spicy heat, while sweet foods will leave the beer tasting hollow and one note.
Paella
A sour IPA would pair beautifully with the earthy and delicate seafood flavours in this Paella made on the grill.
Smoked Beer
A grill master’s dream! There are beers that are smoked. German-style Rock Beer is a great example. Its malt goes through a beechwood smoking process. Others include smoked ingredients in the beer recipe like fruit. Drinking smoked beer is a great way to bring a meaty flavour into a vegetarian dish, especially when it’s incorporated into the recipe.
Pairing smoked beers with a meal will add smoke to that meal by association. The volatile compounds from the alcohol will bring the scent to your nose and linger on the tongue. An obvious pairing is barbecue, especially with Texas-style and Carolina-style preparations. But, would you try smoked beers with fruits and desserts? Doing so adds a new dimension to the sweetness. Imagined barbecued peaches with ice cream and a smoked beer!
Grapefruit and Cheesecake Ice Cream
Smoked beers can add a new dimension to sweets and desserts, so pairing a smoked beer with this Grilled Grapefruit and Cheesecake Ice Cream could provide an exceptional experience.
| Quick Reference Guide | |
|---|---|
| Beer Characteristics | Food/Flavour Pairing |
| Sweet Beers | Foods that are roasted or seared, mellow sweet beers allowing other flavours in both to come out |
| Yeast-driven and aromatic | Fruits and warming spices like ginger and cinnamon |
| Malty and rich beers | Versatile, like salty, rich, and acidic foods; dark fruits, chocolate, coffee, and desserts; Indian, and Middle Eastern cuisine |
| Bright/light colour | Citrus, light fruits, bright flavours; Seafood, poultry, salad; Vietnamese, Thai food |
| Dark, rich ales | Desserts, Warm spices; Earthy and acidic foods like bruschetta and stew |
| Hoppy beers, bitter | Barbecued meats, steak, smoked meats; Spice heavy ethnic cuisines – not heat but flavour |
| Sour, tannic, or acidic | Barbecued & smoked meats; Delicate and light flavours like seafood and salads; Fruit and desserts |
Temperature Matters
Did you know that the sensation of cold can inhibit the tongue’s ability to taste? That means that beer should be served at a precisely perfect temperature, approximately 45°F (7.2°C), however, you do have a few degrees of leeway in either direction.
Why Does Beer Pair Well with BBQ?
In the simplest terms, barbecued foods and beer go together because of caramelization. The roasting of malt caramelizes the sugar of the grain used in beermaking, and the same thing happens when you cook food on the BBQ. The Maillard reaction is happening to both of these creating a complementary flavour sensation. While some beers will taste better than others when you pair them with your grilled gastronomic delights, you will definitely be able to enjoy most beers with your BBQ.
People Also Asked:
Why Do People BBQ With Beer?
Beer pairs well with BBQ meats, especially because of the roasting of malt at the beginning of the brewing process. It goes well with the food as your beverage of choice but can also be used as an ingredient in the cooking process as well. A spritz or mop, part of a marinade or brine, a component of barbecue sauce. The sky and your imagination are the limit when beer and BBQ are involved.
Is Beer Good with BBQ?
Much like peanut butter and chocolate, beer and BBQ are a pairing that is just meant to be. (By the way, try a peanut butter stout with a bacon cheeseburger, trust us.) The sheer number of different varieties of beer, both craft and commercial, create a near-endless parade of possibilities for perfect pairings that will enhance the cooking and eating of barbecued meals!
Why Put Beer on the Barbecue?
It comes down to similar flavour profiles and chemical reactions. The Maillard reaction created caramelization in the barley that was used in the beer, this same reaction is responsible for the delicious crust on your steak or whatever you’re barbecuing. These common elements create harmony between the food and the beverage, while the other elements of both the food and the beer will complement or contrast each other to create, what we hope is, a lovely combination.
Why Does Beer Taste Good with Meat?
Beer contains some volatile compounds in the alcohol that comes naturally to it. These compounds play well with fat and food, carrying additional scents and flavours to your taste and scent receptors. Not to mention that the processes that create your delicious barbecued meal and go into the brewing of beer create similar flavour characteristics which pair them beautifully together.
What Beer do you like to Pair with BBQ?
Beer is a delicious beverage with as many, if not more, variations than wine. From light and fruity to dark and smoky, there's a beer for every palate. The magic happens through a meticulous brewing process involving malting, mashing, boiling, and fermenting. The secret is to have fun discovering new and delicious combinations by complementing or contrasting different beers with food. So, get adventurous the next time you're barbecuing, and try an Irish Ale with some Grilled Pork Belly. What new beer and BBQ pairing will you discover? Share your perfect pairings, recipes, and photos with us on social like our Facebook and TikTok pages using the hashtags #NapoleonEats and #NapoleonGrills.
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