Beer and food pairing 101: Consider the three C's

"The simplest way to approach pairing beer and food? Consider the three C's: complement, contrast and cut. Complement Beer can complement food by harmonizing similar flavors, like chocolate notes in chocolate brownies with the chocolate in a dark stout. Try matching a spicy dish with a hoppy IPA, or a Rauchbier (smoked beer) or porter with barbecue. When two similar flavors combine, they're often better than the sum of the parts, leading to a more pleasurable dining experience."

"The second C is contrast. Start by looking for opposites. For instance, a classic contrasting pairing is oysters and stout. A dry Irish stout, with roasted chocolate notes and strong coffee bitterness, meets its match in the sweet, briny flavors of oysters. If you're having something sour, like sauerkraut or kimchi, try a sweeter beer, especially one with fruit flavors to emphasize that contrast between sweet and sour. Or pair a sour beer like a Lambic or a Gose with something like beef stew."

Plan beers alongside meals for family feasts, considering flavor interactions. Use three guiding approaches: complement, contrast and cut. Complement pairs harmonize similar flavors, such as chocolate brownies with a dark stout, or match spicy dishes with hoppy IPAs and smoked beers with barbecue. Pairing can start from the beer or the food by identifying signature flavors like maltiness with caramel or toffee. Contrast uses opposites, such as oysters with dry Irish stout, or sweeter beers against sauerkraut and kimchi. Hop bitterness, roast malt, carbonation and alcohol can balance sweetness and richness, while malty sweetness can temper acidity and spiciness.

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