This Is For The Beer Drinkers....

HAI FOLKS THIS INFO IS FOR THE BEER DRINKER WHO HAVE IT ALONG WITH THEIR
FOOD..Beer pairs very well with food. Think about that for a minute...
When was the last time that you were out to eat or on the back porch when someone said, "What would you like to drink?" Almost without thought you did what most alcohol drinking American’s do... you asked for a beer. Some people make a big show of ordering the wine that they want to go with their dinner... all of the factors to consider... the tannin levels, the acids in the food, the acids in the wine, the protein in the food... but most people don’t think twice about ordering a beer to go with dinner.

Then again, most of the time they are ordering an American beer that has been brewed on a grand scale. What about the beers from Germany, Belgium, England and other places? Are they as food friendly as the typically light, easy-drinking American brews? These are important questions because more restaurants are now offering a "beer list" as well as their wine list.

Every beer is by its very nature food friendly and more versatile in food pairings than most wine. But just like wine, the better pairing comes with a little thought behind it... and many times this extra thought is common sense. Unlike wine, there is somewhat less to consider in beer.

There are three factors of the beer that need to be considered when pairing food with your beer, 1) the color of the beer, 2) the level of hops in the beer, and 3) the level of alcohol in the beer. You also need to consider the food before making the pairing. So ask yourself: "how complex is the food?"

Color
The first thing to consider is the color of the beer. You can tell a lot about beer just by looking at it. Generally speaking (and not considering the other two factors) lighter colored beer pairs well with lighter bodied foods. The darker beers will pair well with more complex foods. Beer gains its colors by the roasting of the malt. The longer the malt is roasted, the more color it gains. As the malt gains color it also gains flavor. This is all transferred over to the beer. This is why a darker beer such as Porter pairs better with steak— but the same Porter would overpower chicken. There are other factors that need to be considered because a light colored beer might have a high hops level or a high alcohol level, which would throw off this general thought of how the color of beer should be factored into what food you pair with the beer.
REGARDS SUNKAN