Food pairing
Beer with salad
Fresh leaves and vegetables with a vinaigrette — light, acidic and green.
Light, cold and usually dressed with something acidic. The dressing decides the pairing far more than the leaves.
There is very little to match, so the beer should stay out of the way. The vinaigrette acidity means a sharp beer stacks rather than balances.
Salad 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 acidity.
What to drink
Saison — good pairing
Dry, peppery and acidic enough to meet a vinaigrette rather than being made to taste sweet by it.
Berliner Weisse — strong
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
Fruit lambic — strong
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
Caution: Something lighter will let the food lead. This pairing works only if you want the beer to be the main event.
Alcohol-free pale lager — good
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
Alcohol-free wheat beer — good
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
Dark mild — good
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
Caution: Something lighter will let the food lead. This pairing works only if you want the beer to be the main event.
Lichtenhainer — good
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
Caution: Something lighter will let the food lead. This pairing works only if you want the beer to be the main event.
American lager — good
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
What not to drink
- English porter — Something lighter will let the food lead. This pairing works only if you want the beer to be the main event.
- British strong ale — Something lighter will let the food lead. This pairing works only if you want the beer to be the main event.
- Helles Bock — Something lighter will let the food lead. This pairing works only if you want the beer to be the main event.