For decades, fine dining establishments have been recommending various wines to go with meals. Recently though, in the UK, restaurants have begun recommend beers to go with their food offerings, and it is a trend that’s catching on in North America as well. Next time you’re having a dinner party and want the perfect beer to accompany your food, try out some of these combinations.
Dunkel Lager
Brewed up for you by the Sly Fox Brewing Company, this dark beer with a caramel aftertaste is the perfect compliment to steaks and burgers. Get ready to impress your friends and family when you serve these together.
California
A pale ale offered by the Lagunitas brewing company, it’s the ideal drink to serve with anything slow seared and tangy and spicy. Its citrus tones make it perfect with chicken or pork.
Belgian White
Offered by the Blue Moon brewing company, its subtle and delicate hoppy flavor make this the beer of choice if you’re serving shellfish or any kind of seafood.
Schneider Weisse Unser Original
A German wheat beer, its light flavor is a great compliment to summer salads or grilled vegetable plates. With these dishes, you need something light so it doesn’t overpower the subtle flavors of the vegetables that are making up your main course.
Lindeman’s Kriek
This fantastic Belgian beer is a desert beer, no doubt. Fruity and earthy, it’s the perfect accompaniment to that lovely pie you’ve got waiting to spring on everyone for dessert.
Double Chocolate Stout
If your desert runs toward the more decadent, like say, a rich chocolate cake, then add to the decadence with this offering from Wells and Young. Cool and creamy, envision a beer infused with the essence of chocolate, coffee and nuts, then drink up.
If you find a restaurant in Edmonton offering these wonderful brews let us know!
We feature some of these beers and many others like them, so why not join us at the annual Edmonton International BeerFest? We’d love to see you there in 2015!
If you love beer, a visit to BeerFest is a must. You get to drink loads of beer of various brands, in the company of fellow beer lovers. Just pay the entrance fee and you can drink beer to your heart’s delight! However, to ensure you enjoy yourself and don’t end up doing something you will regret after all that beer, here is a quick beer festival survival guide to help you.
1. An empty stomach won’t help you enjoy more brews. Eat a meal before you start the beer binge or your enjoyment will last only a few beer rounds. However, don’t eat any spicy foods as they will only destroy your ability to properly taste a mug of beer.
2. Hydrate yourself! Drink lots of water, your day at the beer festival will be very long and hot!
3. Take your time. You have come to the beer festival to enjoy yourself and your beer. Pace yourself and enjoy as many types and mugs of beer as possible. Don’t drink uncontrollably, relax and just taste the beer and either dump it or take your time to drink it. The festival lasts for hours. No one’s racing – just relax and enjoy your day!
4. Wear a comfortable pair of shoes. Shoes matter a lot as seating is limited. You will spend lots of time moving from one beer booth to the next, so wear comfortable shoes.
5. Bring cash. Cash is important to buy some things with so many beer vendors and food to try. Though some vendors accept credit cards and the festival might have ATMs, it’s more convenient if you carry some cash.
6. Take notes. You never know; you may find some beer you like and no matter how strong your memory is, you won’t remember the names after all the beers, so carry some way of remembering. I like to take cell phone photos of the bottle to help me, but you may prefer the old-fashioned pen and paper method.
7. “If lost please send to.” If you traveled from out of town, it’s also a good idea to write down the name and address of your hotel or sleep accommodations. That way at the end of the night, you know where to have the taxi deliver you. Large amounts of beer can sometimes affect the memory.
8. Take lots of photos. Last, but not least, a camera is a must at any beer festival. You get to see many crazy things worth clicking to remember. Share your pics with others to give them an idea of how great a beer festival actually is!
