Beery beery good! On craft beer flavours and profiling

Tingling tastebuds: Beer flavours and profiling.
Beer-food_pairing
Beer-food_pairing

I've had a number of requests lately to write about food pairing with beer. While it would be simple to give you a bunch of beers and dishes to go, I’m going to give this a little more thought, so bear with me! Let’s begin with beer flavours and profiling.

I’ve spoken about the ingredients in beer – mainly water, hops, malted barley and yeast. These magical ingredients lend various flavours such as of chocolate, bacon, toffee, caramel, nuts, fruits, spices and so on.

Nearly all these flavours, and the descriptions we use for them, can also be found in food. The shared palate of flavours in fact makes beer-food pairings equally natural and enjoyable.

A variety of beer styles offer umpteen food pairing options. As a result, no one beer is right for every kind of cuisine. Regardless of your approach, the goal is to create a pleasant experience, where each bite and sip helps create the desire for another mouthful. Indeed, in some cases, artisanal beer becomes a valid component in haute cuisine. Here are a few tips to keep in mind -

Beer-food harmony

Firstly, make sure that the beer's overall flavour intensity matches that of the food item, so that neither overpowers the other – especially when it comes to meat, and seafood. The beverage and the food must have complementary flavours to create a sense of harmony – be wary of those excessive spices, as this isn't hard liquor!

For contrast, there could be some flavour differences to create an interesting pairing. Beer, for the record, cuts through sweet, fatty or rich foods with its properties of bitterness, carbonation, roastiness and alcohol.

As you may know, the ingredients in beer each contribute in unique ways. Malt provides a range of flavours associated with grain-based foods like biscuits, crackers and bread, and also lends a residual “sweetness”. Hops contributes bitterness and aroma, and ale yeasts offer fruity flavours. While water may only add subtle flavours, its influence in brewing chemistry greatly impacts the final product.

Mouthfeel & aftertaste

The taste of beer can be evocative of flavours we encounter in other foods and spices, so we often use common terms to describe the results.

The mouthfeel aspect can be all-important, as it includes the beer's physical aspects perceived by our sense of touch, such as texture and body. It can be thought of as the non-flavour characteristic of beer, as it sits in your mouth. Mouthfeel references include viscosity (thin, thick, syrupy), texture (smooth, slick, creamy, or drying) and astringency (a dry puckering character that is the result of tanins).

Aftertaste is the other defining aspect, in terms of flavours perceived after a beer is swallowed. This factor can be distinct, as we allow some components of the brew to linger on the tongue. Aftertaste can be short, clean, long or lingering, while some instances may be sweet and malty, and some others, bitter and mineral-like.

Well, that's our lesson for this week – so now you can settle in with those beer-battered fries, onion rings, crisps and nachos and know exactly how they need to be garnished to go with your beer! Enjoy it responsibly.

George Jacob is the Founder and Partner of the brewing consultancy, The Beer Chronicles.

Email george@thebeerchronicles

Twitter @beer_chronicles

Related Stories

No stories found.
Indulgexpress
www.indulgexpress.com