KLOB - Dec '06 - Pairing Foods with Beer

The Basics:

No "right" or "wrong"
Go for balance or emphasis
Find common flavors or blend dissimilar
Choose pairings of equal strength
Match if used as food ingredient
Don't be afraid to experiment!

Popular Pairings:

American Amber Ale Common Foods: BBQ, Mexican, Pizza	American Pale Ale Common Foods: Spicy Foods Common Cheeses: Parmesan, Romano, Cheddar	Barleywines Common Cheeses: Gorgonzola, Creamy blues
Belgian Strong Ale Common Foods: Indian, dessert Common Cheeses: Roquefort, Stilton	Brown ale Common Foods: red meat Common Cheeses: Colby, Gloucester, Cheddar	Bock/Doppelbock Common Foods: mushrooms, potatoes Common Cheeses: Swiss, Gruyere, Emmental
Fruit beers Common Foods: chocolate Common Cheeses: Mascarpone	Imperial Stout Common Foods: (dark) chocolate	IPA Common Foods: fried seafood
Oktoberfest/Vienna Common Foods: roast chicken, pork, sausage	Pilsners Common Foods: seafood Common Cheeses: American, Muenster, Havarti	Saison Common Foods: Asian, shrimp
Sour beers Common Foods: creme brulee	Stout Common Foods: oysters, beef stew Common Cheeses: Brie	Weissbier Common Foods: fish, melon, vegetarian, salads, brunch Common Cheeses: Feta, goat cheeses