Food pairing
Beer with falafel
Deep-fried spiced chickpeas — crisp, earthy and herbal.
Fried chickpea with a great deal of herb and spice, usually served with tahini and pickles. Earthy and dry rather than rich, which surprises people expecting a fried food to be fatty.
The dryness means a very drying beer can make it harder work. Something with a little malt sweetness and enough carbonation to handle the fried surface suits it better than a bone-dry pils.
Falafel 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 fat.
What to drink
Belgian golden strong ale — outstanding
Peppery and clove-like notes from the yeast pick up the warm spicing in the dish — the same aromatic family on both sides.
Tripel — outstanding
Peppery and clove-like notes from the yeast pick up the warm spicing in the dish — the same aromatic family on both sides.
Saison — outstanding
Peppery and clove-like notes from the yeast pick up the warm spicing in the dish — the same aromatic family on both sides.
Belgian IPA — outstanding
Peppery and clove-like notes from the yeast pick up the warm spicing in the dish — the same aromatic family on both sides.
Gueuze — outstanding
Brisk carbonation lifts residue off the palate between bites.
Weissbier — outstanding
Peppery and clove-like notes from the yeast pick up the warm spicing in the dish — the same aromatic family on both sides.
American wild ale — strong
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
White IPA — strong
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
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.
- English barley wine — Delicate food needs a beer that stays out of its way.