Food pairing
Beer with manchego
A firm Spanish sheep cheese, nutty and faintly sharp with a lanolin richness.
A firm sheep cheese, nutty and faintly sharp with a lanolin richness that distinguishes it from cow's-milk cheeses.
Nuttiness and toasted malt sit at the same level of intensity, which is the whole requirement. Salt means a little malt sweetness helps.
Manchego does not constrain the beer much: nothing clashes and nothing is clearly best. Drink what you like, or choose for the sauce, the seasoning or the sides, which will decide more than the dish itself.
What to drink
Munich Dunkel — outstanding
Deep malt character matches the savoury weight of the dish instead of sitting apart from it.
American brown ale — outstanding
Deep malt character matches the savoury weight of the dish instead of sitting apart from it.
American porter — outstanding
Deep malt character matches the savoury weight of the dish instead of sitting apart from 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.
American wild ale — strong
Tartness resets the palate between mouthfuls, the way a squeeze of lemon does.
Dubbel — strong
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
English porter — strong
Deep malt character matches the savoury weight of the dish instead of sitting apart from it.
What not to drink
- American lager — A light beer against a heavy plate tends to disappear.
- Milkshake IPA — Delicate food needs a beer that stays out of its way.
- Belgian table beer — A light beer against a heavy plate tends to disappear.