It would take us a year to do the work that Epicurious.com has done to pair beer with food choices. These rules of thumb are hang-on-the-fridge-worthy — especially if you’re doing the Super Bowl thing. The attendant recipes are little highfalutin for our skill set, so we’ll likely take them down a notch. Or two. Or turn to this wonderful array of eats from Better Homes & Garden.
Pair with: Burgers; wings; Asian; Mexican; spicy food; nutty food; fried food; pizza; steaks; Cheddar, Parmesan, or Romano cheeses.
Recipes to try: Burgers with Mozzarella and Spinach-Arugula Pesto
Pair with: Gruyère, Emmental, and Swiss cheeses; Cajun food; jerk chicken; beef; sausage; seared foods.
Recipe to try: Jerk Chicken
Pair with: Mascarpone cheese; light white meat; foods driven by herbs and spices; duck and pork dishes with sweet components (avoid very tart lambics); pickled dishes (great with tart lambics); salads with fruity dressings; fruity desserts.
Recipe to try: Mussels with Garlic Butter
Pair with: Shellfish; light seafood; sushi; grilled pork and chicken; not-too-heavy pasta dishes (without cream or meat sauces); Southeast Asian food; Latin food; Mexican food; spicy food.
Recipes to try:Bratwurst in Beer; Fried Fish Tacos
Pair with: American cheese; Muenster, Havarti, and Monterey Jack cheeses; salads; light seafood; salmon; tuna; trout; asparagus; Asian food; Mexican food; spicy food.
Recipe to try: Sweet-Onion Quesadillas
Pair with: Smoked foods; barbecue; sausage; rich stews; meats; bacon; chili; braised dishes.
Recipe to try: Cantabrian Meat Stew with Chickpeas
Pair with: Roasted foods; smoked foods; barbecued/grilled foods; salty foods; oysters; rich stews; braised dishes; chocolate; desserts (ideally the beer is sweeter than the dish).
Recipe to try: Gramercy Tavern Gingerbread
Pair with: Light soups and salads; vegetarian dishes; sushi; Gruyère cheese and Feta/goat cheese; sweet and fruity Asian dishes; citrus-flavored dishes, including dessert and salad dressings.
Recipes to try: Crab Cakes with Herb Salad; Penne with Grilled Portabellas and Pecorino