Food pairing
Beer with suya
West African grilled beef coated in a groundnut and spice rub, where roasted peanut is as prominent as the chilli.
The rub — yaji — is ground roasted peanut with chilli, ginger and other spices, and the peanut is what makes it distinctive: it toasts on the grill into something nutty and slightly bitter that no other spice mix produces.
Nuttiness has an obvious partner in toasted malt, and the chilli is real but moderate, so there is more room than a hot dish would allow. An amber or brown beer meets the peanut and the char together; a pale bitter beer sharpens the chilli and does nothing for the rest.
Suya 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 aromatic spice.
What to drink
American brown ale — excellent pairing
The rub is ground roasted peanut before it is chilli, and toasted nuttiness in the malt meets it directly. The heat is real but moderate, which leaves more room than a genuinely hot dish would — so this is one of the few spiced dishes where a maltier, fuller beer is the right call rather than a retreat.
Caution: Expect the beer to refresh rather than to stand up to the food.
Rauchbier — outstanding
Smoke in the beer meets smoke on the plate — the same family of compounds on both sides.
Caution: Expect the beer to refresh rather than to stand up to the food.
American porter — outstanding
Roasted malt echoes the charred, caramelised edge of the food, so the two reinforce each other.
Caution: Expect the beer to refresh rather than to stand up to the food.
Irish extra stout — outstanding
Roasted malt echoes the charred, caramelised edge of the food, so the two reinforce each other.
Caution: Expect the beer to refresh rather than to stand up to the food.
Czech dark lager — strong
Deep malt character matches the savoury weight of the dish instead of sitting apart from it.
Caution: Expect the beer to refresh rather than to stand up to the food.
Belgian dark strong ale — strong
Peppery and clove-like notes from the yeast pick up the warm spicing in the dish — the same aromatic family on both sides.
Caution: Delicate food needs a beer that stays out of its way.
Bière de Garde — strong
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
Caution: Expect the beer to refresh rather than to stand up to the food.
Oud Bruin — strong
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
Caution: Expect the beer to refresh rather than to stand up to the food.
What not to drink
- Lambic — Expect the beer to refresh rather than to stand up to the food.
- Alcohol-free pale lager — Expect the beer to refresh rather than to stand up to the food.
- Belgian table beer — Expect the beer to refresh rather than to stand up to the food.