Food pairing
Beer with moussaka
Layered aubergine, spiced lamb and béchamel, baked until set.
Layered aubergine, spiced lamb and béchamel, baked until set. Rich, soft and gently spiced.
Toasted malt meets the baked aubergine and the lamb without adding sweetness to a béchamel that is already rich. Weight matching matters more than cutting.
Moussaka 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
Vienna lager — excellent pairing
Toasted malt against baked aubergine and spiced lamb, at matching weight and without adding sweetness to a béchamel.
Caution: Expect the beer to refresh rather than to stand up to the food.
American stout — strong
Deep malt character matches the savoury weight of the dish instead of sitting apart from it.
Bière de Garde — strong
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
Tropical stout — strong
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.
Czech dark lager — strong
Deep malt character matches the savoury weight of the dish instead of sitting apart from it.
Oud Bruin — strong
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
What not to drink
- Alcohol-free stout — A light beer against a heavy plate tends to disappear.
- Alcohol-free pale lager — A light beer against a heavy plate tends to disappear.
- Pre-Prohibition lager — A light beer against a heavy plate tends to disappear.