Food pairing
Beer with scampi
Breaded and fried shellfish, a pub staple usually served with tartare sauce and lemon.
Breaded and fried shellfish, usually with tartare sauce and lemon — surface fat, salt and acidity.
Carbonation and bitterness against the fat, and no need for the beer to bring sharpness when the lemon already has.
Scampi 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
German Pils — excellent pairing
Breaded, fried and served with lemon, so the beer's job is carbonation and bitterness against the fat.
Dry stout — outstanding
Dry roasted bitterness against saline, savoury seafood is one of the sharpest contrasts in beer and food — the classic case being oysters with dry stout.
Irish extra stout — outstanding
Dry roasted bitterness against saline, savoury seafood is one of the sharpest contrasts in beer and food — the classic case being oysters with dry stout.
American wild ale — strong
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
Australian sparkling 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.
Gueuze — strong
Brisk carbonation lifts residue off the palate between bites.
Dubbel — strong
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
What not to drink
- Imperial stout — Something lighter will let the food lead. This pairing works only if you want the beer to be the main event.
- Sahti — Delicate food needs a beer that stays out of its way.
- Milkshake IPA — Delicate food needs a beer that stays out of its way.