Food pairing
Beer with mushrooms
Deeply savoury and earthy, with a meaty texture when cooked hard.
Deeply savoury and earthy, especially roasted or fried, with a meatiness no other vegetable has.
Umami is the deciding attribute. Malt depth and a little roast meet it directly, which is why mushrooms pair more like meat than like vegetables.
Mushrooms 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 umami.
What to drink
English porter — excellent pairing
Earthy, savoury depth on both sides. The porter’s chocolate malt picks up the browning on the mushrooms without the bitterness turning them metallic.
Munich Dunkel — strong
Deep malt character matches the savoury weight of the dish instead of sitting apart from it.
Czech dark lager — strong
Deep malt character matches the savoury weight of the dish instead of sitting apart from it.
Dark mild — strong
Deep malt character matches the savoury weight of the dish instead of sitting apart from it.
English brown ale — strong
Deep malt character matches the savoury weight of the dish instead of sitting apart from it.
Dry stout — strong
Deep malt character matches the savoury weight of the dish instead of sitting apart from it.
Lichtenhainer — strong
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
Altbier — strong
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
What not to drink
- Double IPA — Delicate food needs a beer that stays out of its way.
- New England IPA — Delicate food needs a beer that stays out of its way.
- Tripel — Delicate food needs a beer that stays out of its way.