Learn The Essentials Of Beer And Food Pairing With This Illustrated Guide [Infographic]

We’ve shown you some of the best beer pairings before, but this handy guide explains the three foundational principles of pairing beer and food so you can come up with your own great combinations.

The graphic below, from John Peter Laloganes, the author of The Beverage Manager’s Guide to Wine, Beer and Spirits and the Principal Lead for the Beverage Management concentration at Kendall College, explains the intricacies of matching a beer’s flavour with a food’s. It all comes down to the three foundational principles:

1. Balancing the weights: Lighter and more delicate beers pair well with lighter foods, not rich foods.
2. Comparing and contrasting the components: A sweet-tasting beer will contrast well with spice and bitterness, and compliment more sweetness.
3. Bridging the flavours: An American Pale Ale’s flavour can be bridged to a chicken dish with rosemary, juniper, and pine.

Just like pairing wine, pairing the right beer to the right food can elevate a good meal to an amazing meal. Explore the graphic below to learn more.

The Three Foundational Principles of Beer and Food Pairing [Kendall College]