News

Camembert or brie with beer? Carrot cake and a creamy ale? It might be surprising that a food pairing with a premium brew can extend way beyond the burger and pizza categories. The truth is… beer and food are not only a match made in heaven, but together, open up infinite possibilities for chefs and home cooks alike, adding flavour as well as leavening and tenderising to dishes.  To celebrate this happy food and beverage marriage, the Belgian Beer Company – South African importers of premium Belgian beer -- is hosting a pairing competition for restaurants which kicks off in June, in the lead up to August’s International Beer Day.

The competition challenges chefs and ‘cicerones’ – the term for beer sommeliers – to come up with a winning combination of Belgian beer with food: either as an ingredient in a dish or a pairing. The five participating restaurants highlight how exceptionally well diverse cuisines can work with beer: Den Anker (V&A Waterfront), Jason Bakery (Green Point), Thaiyashi (Newlands), Salt & Sage (Blouberg) and Sonamu (Rondebosch). Judging criteria will include flavour pairing, creativity and presentation.

“We’re encouraging South Africans to move beyond the traditional wine and food pairing, and do a big rethink about beer, which has such an untapped, easy-going and interesting synergy with food,” explains Belgian Beer Company Director Rejeanne Vlietman. “For example, few cooks probably know that many of the flavours found in food are also found in beer: the sweet notes from malt, the fruity notes in ales. Beer’s low acidity actually makes it easier to pair with food than wine.”

Vlietman adds: “Premium Belgian beer, which is low in bitterness, is just so versatile: for example Belgian ales are brewed with herbs, fruits and spices like orange peel and coriander, which make for insanely delicious combinations with food. Take Cherry Chouffe – a cherry-infused Belgian ale -- and gorgonzola for instance. Beer wins hands-down against wine when it comes to standing up to and cooling the fire of spicy dishes. And did I mention that beer is often called ‘liquid bread’?  It’s that yeastiness that makes it the perfect match with cheese!”

Beer in the Kitchen

Besides its strong kinship with many dishes, beer is also a friend in the kitchen. With its heady carbonation, it is a powerful leavening ingredient, as anyone who has ever made beer bread or even whipped up a beer batter for fried fish would know. It also makes an ideal marinade for any kind of protein, with its complex flavour profile and tenderising abilities. The alpha acids and tannins in beer work to denature fibres in meat, while simultaneously adding flavour.

Over the past decade, a number of high-profile chefs and restaurants across the globe have championed beer as both an important culinary ingredient and a formidable pairing partner to food, such as American chef and brewmaster Jared Rouben, whose Moody Tongue in Chicago was awarded one Michelin star. Jeppe Jarnit Bjergsø, a pioneering Danish beer brewer now in New York once curated the beer list for famed Copenhagen restaurant NOMA and is an international authority and author on the pairing of beer and food.

Closer to home, Jason Lilley, chef and owner of Jason Bakery, couldn’t agree more that beer and food are made to go together. “Beer with everything, I say: I love a lager or stout beef and cheddar pie, beer battered hake and we do a stout dark chocolate cake as well.”

The winning restaurant will receive a six-month supply of the beer paired with or used in the recipe. The dishes will be available in the participating restaurants in June and July, and the winner will be announced on International Beer Day, on Friday 1 August. Diners can vote for their favourite food and beer pairing at any of the participating restaurants.

Competition Entries

• Den Anker: Kingklip marinated in Maredsous Tripel
• Jason Bakery: 1) Smash Burger paired with Vedett Pilsner 2) Blueberry Cinnabun Danish paired with Liefmans Fruitesse
• Thaiyashi: Angry Duck paired with La Chouffe
• Salt & Sage: 1) Chicken Roulade paired with La Chouffe, and 2) Cheesecake paired with Liefmans Fruitesse
• Sonamu: Korean Bibimpap paired with La Chouffe

SIDE BAR - A few solid beer and food combos to try:

If you're interested in exploring some classic beer and food pairings, here are a few suggestions:

Camembert and brie with Belgian Chouffe Lite
Stilton and gorgonzola with Belgian Cherry Chouffe or Liefmans Fruitesse
Sushi with Belgian Vedett Extra White
Fish and chips with Belgian Vedett Pilsner
Indian curry with Belgian Maredsous Bruin
Carrot cake with Belgian Vedett IPA