Food pairing
Beer with tapas
Small salty, savoury plates spanning cured meat, seafood and fried vegetables.
Tapas is not a dish but a way of eating: several small salty plates in sequence, spanning cured meat, fried seafood, cheese and vegetables. The one thing they reliably share is salt.
That is why the beer matters less here than it would for a single plate. Anything clean, dry and refreshing enough to be drunk across a whole meal will do, which is precisely what the pale lagers of the region are for. Pick for drinkability rather than for any particular plate.
Tapas 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 — outstanding
Deep malt character matches the savoury weight of the dish instead of sitting apart from it.
Gueuze — outstanding
Bitterness, carbonation and a dry finish scrub the fat off the palate, so each mouthful of food tastes as good as the first.
Australian sparkling ale — outstanding
Bitterness, carbonation and a dry finish scrub the fat off the palate, so each mouthful of food tastes as good as the first.
Berliner Weisse — outstanding
Bitterness, carbonation and a dry finish scrub the fat off the palate, so each mouthful of food tastes as good as the first.
Czech dark lager — outstanding
Deep malt character matches the savoury weight of the dish instead of sitting apart from it.
Altbier — outstanding
Bitterness, carbonation and a dry finish scrub the fat off the palate, so each mouthful of food tastes as good as the first.
English porter — outstanding
Deep malt character matches the savoury weight of the dish instead of sitting apart from it.
California Common — 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.
- Milkshake IPA — Delicate food needs a beer that stays out of its way.