Why You Should Start Pairing Beer with Finer Dining Options

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We're a nation of laid back folk. Some of us can get away with wearing thongs to work, boardies and bathers are a Monday-to-Friday staple for others, and words longer than two syllables don't have a place in our vocab (arvo, bev, sanga — sounds like a good day to us). And though we do love our rosé, a few espresso martinis and definitely a negroni or two, when it comes down to it an ice cold beer is simply a classic. So, why not pair our favourite brew with the best that our chefs have to offer? Beer and fine dining, once a sommelier's nightmare, the pairing is now de rigeur with the rise of craft breweries and the multitude of flavours available.

But if you're stuck on the idea of swapping your sauvignon blanc for a stout, read on to hear from three chefs behind the upcoming The Dining Table pop-up restaurant on how you can navigate this culinary trend. Across ten nights, The Dining Table will see a different chef take over the pop-up to serve a delicious three course meal, with each course paired with a different beer. We sat down to chat with Adam Wolfers from Bar Brose, Jemma Whiteman and Nick Eggert from Good Luck Pinbone and Joel Humphreys from Bodega 1904 to find out why, when and how they're pairing beer with the delectable genius pouring out of their kitchens.

WHAT MAKES BEER SO IDEAL TO PAIR WITH FINE FOOD?

Pop-up aficionados Jemma Whiteman and Mike Eggert from Good Luck Pinbone say that new beer production methods and the availability of more complex beer flavours make today's beers more suited for fine dining than ever before. "You're looking at a much larger spectrum of beers, all with their own voice, their own taste and flavour profile, and that has opened the door to people using beer in food and pairing beer with fine foods," says Mike Eggert. "For example, with some beers you can get salty, creamy flavours, or deep malty tones that work so well with a range of foods — you just can't get that with wine."

Joel Humphreys from Bodega 1904.

Joel Humphreys, head chef at tapas bar Bodega 1904, says the explosion of craft beers means there are also more options for discerning diners when it comes to pairing beer and fine food. "There's such a vast array of different beers in Australia right now that you're not just looking at the imported lagers as you were in the past. There are new craft beers with diverse flavours, for example lighter, fruitier and hoppier beers that pair well with different types of food. These just weren't available before."

Adam Wolfer from mod-Hungarian diner Bar Brose adds that diners today are more open to new ideas and less concerned by rigid rules around food and beverage pairing than they were in the past. "It's exciting to see that people who thought that wine was the only thing you should pair with fine food are now more open to having a beer. There's definitely more scope for beers in fine dining today."

HOW TO APPROACH PAIRING BEER WITH FINE FOOD

While there are no hard and fast rules to pairing beer and fine food, the chefs have offered a few tips to get the most from your food and beer pairing journey.

Mike Eggert from Good Luck Pinbone.

Take the Time to Understand Beer Profiles and Flavours

Mike Eggert suggests familiarising yourself with what you like by getting a mixed pack of beers and hosting your own tasting night. With beers only a fraction of the cost of a good bottle of wine, it's a suggestion that won't break the bank either. "Beer has variations between the styles; from the pale ales to the lagers to the stouts, they all have a strong flavour profile. And with any pairing, start with what the beer tastes like and what you're getting from the beer. Is it malty? Does it taste like coffee? Does it taste like mushrooms on a forest floor? Is it fruity? Smoky? Then I'd work backwards and find the profile that I like in that beer, and work towards that in a dish." In fact Mike and Jemma employed this same process to develop the Pinbone menu for The Dining Table series. The results speak for themselves with pairings including creamy Kilkenny ale matched with a stout-roasted lamb shoulder, and the smooth flavours of XXXX GOLD teamed with a handmade burrata curd, wood roasted fennel and bottarga.

Use Wine Pairings as a Loose Guideline

According to Joel Humphreys, beer makers today are approaching the brewing process like winemakers by considering flavour profiles to create even more complex, delicious brews. So, if in doubt, stick with tried and true basics: lighter beers likes ales for light meats and seafoods, and darker, maltier stouts for meats like beef and lamb. "For seafood, I'd suggest something that's refreshing and easy to drink. Something that complements its lighter style." He's paired the crisp, clean flavours of Toohey's Extra Dry with his smoked bonito pate entree. "The creaminess of the duck eggs and the savoury notes of the smoked bonito pate are rounded out by the [freshness of the beer]," says Joel. But don't be afraid to deviate from these guidelines either. For his main, Joel pairs a crispy pork belly cooked over ironbark with James Squire Orchard Crush. "I didn't want anything too complex, just something quite refreshing," he says.

Adam Wolfers from Bar Brose.

Above All, Pick a Beer You Like

"There are no hard rules when it comes to food and beer pairing, and it's best to select a beer you like," Adam Wolfers says. "I look at the style of beer to give me steer on how it will work with food. For example, I'd serve a lighter beer like a pale ale with fish so it's not overpowering, and a heavier beer, like a malt, with meats," says Adam. Drawing on his Romanian-Hungarian heritage in developing the menu for the Bar Brose pop up, the dishes are a spin on the classics — there's a parsnip schnitzel and self-brined pastrami served with kohlrabi and muntriess (native berries) paired with James Squire The Chancer and White Rabbit Pale Ale, respectively. But it's in his dessert that Adam has gone out on a pairing limb, matching a refreshing Kirin Apple Cider with a fennel parfait, mandarin and toasted matzo.

"If you enjoy a certain type of beer, then go with that," says Mike Eggert. "Some people want opposing matchings, not everyone wants sweet with sweet, or sour with sour. The truth about matchings is that if you believe it, then it's true. If you enjoy drinking something, you'll enjoy drinking that with the food you're eating."

Try your hand at pairing beers with fine dining. Enter our competition to win a VIP dining experience at Bar Brose (including a meet and greet with Adam Wolfers), plus $500 to spend on some top-notch beers from MoCU, so you can do some pairing trials of your own at home.

Images: Letícia Almeida.