Food pairing
Beer with bibimbap
Rice with vegetables, egg and gochujang, mixed at the table.
Rice, vegetables and egg brought together with gochujang, so heat and fermented depth arrive at the same time as the fat from the egg and the sesame.
Moderate heat means bitterness is unhelpful but not disastrous. Carbonation handles the oil, and the fermented chilli paste is savoury enough that a beer with a little malt behind it reads better than a very light one.
Bibimbap rules a lot of beer out, but several beers do the job it needs equally well. Pick between them on preference — the reasons matter more than the order. The attribute doing most of the work is chilli heat.
What to drink
Munich Dunkel — outstanding
Deep malt character matches the savoury weight of the dish instead of sitting apart from it.
Sweet stout — outstanding
Gentle sweetness and modest strength take the edge off the chilli rather than sharpening it.
Bière de Garde — outstanding
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
Czech dark lager — outstanding
Deep malt character matches the savoury weight of the dish instead of sitting apart from it.
English porter — outstanding
Deep malt character matches the savoury weight of the dish instead of sitting apart from it.
American brown ale — strong
Deep malt character matches the savoury weight of the dish instead of sitting apart from it.
Dubbel — 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.
Oud Bruin — strong
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
What not to drink
- Grisette — Expect the beer to refresh rather than to stand up to the food.
- Lambic — A light beer against a heavy plate tends to disappear.
- Milkshake IPA — Delicate food needs a beer that stays out of its way.