Food pairing
Beer with korma
Mild, sweet and creamy, with almond or coconut richness and almost no heat.
The mildest of the common curries: cream, almond and gentle aromatic spice, with almost no heat at all.
Which makes it a richness problem rather than a heat one. Carbonation clears the cream, and there is no reason to avoid a hoppier beer here as there would be with a vindaloo.
Korma 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 sweetness.
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.
Weizenbock — 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.
Dunkelweizen — outstanding
Peppery and clove-like notes from the yeast pick up the warm spicing in the dish — the same aromatic family on both sides.
Caution: A richer dish than this beer can clear from the palate.
Bière de Garde — strong
Enough residual sweetness to stand up to the dish rather than being flattened by it.
Tropical stout — strong
Enough residual sweetness to stand up to the dish rather than being flattened by it.
Oud Bruin — strong
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
What not to drink
- Lichtenhainer — Sweet food makes a drier drink taste harsher than it is.
- Ordinary bitter — A light beer against a heavy plate tends to disappear.
- International amber lager — A light beer against a heavy plate tends to disappear.