Food pairing
Beer with bangers and mash
Sausages, mashed potato and onion gravy: fatty, salty and comforting rather than complex.
Sausage fat, mashed potato and onion gravy — soft, salty and heavy, with nothing crisp anywhere on the plate.
That means cutting is less useful than matching. A bitter has the malt to meet the gravy and enough bitterness to keep the fat from accumulating, which is why it is the default in every pub that serves both.
Bangers and mash narrows the field sharply, and one answer stands clear of the rest. Most beer falls down on at least one thing this dish demands. The attribute doing most of the work is fat.
What to drink
Best bitter — classic pairing
The default pub pairing, and it works for structural reasons rather than habit: bitterness cuts sausage fat, and the beer's light caramel meets the onion gravy exactly.
American wild ale — strong
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
Gueuze — strong
Brisk carbonation lifts residue off the palate between bites.
Australian sparkling ale — strong
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
Belgian golden strong ale — strong
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
Tripel — strong
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
Belgian IPA — strong
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
Saison — strong
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
Caution: Expect the beer to refresh rather than to stand up to the food.
What not to drink
- Bock — Delicate food needs a beer that stays out of its way.
- American barley wine — Delicate food needs a beer that stays out of its way.
- Baltic porter — Delicate food needs a beer that stays out of its way.