Food pairing
Beer with pasta with tomato sauce
Sharp, savoury tomato with herbs over neutral pasta.
Tomato acidity dominates, and it is the thing most pairings ignore. It makes a low-acid beer taste flabby.
A beer with a firm finish and some bitterness holds up. Soft malty ales disappoint here for a structural reason rather than a matter of taste.
Pasta with tomato sauce 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 — 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.
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.
Oud Bruin — strong
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
Strong bitter — strong
Deep malt character matches the savoury weight of the dish instead of sitting apart from it.
American amber ale — strong
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
Bière de Garde — strong
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
What not to drink
- Lichtenhainer — A light beer against a heavy plate tends to disappear.
- Milkshake IPA — Delicate food needs a beer that stays out of its way.
- Pastry stout — Delicate food needs a beer that stays out of its way.