The Perfect Pairing (or how I learned to stop analyzing and drink the damn beer)
Whether you are trying to plan a summertime barbecue or you just returned from your favorite bottle shop with a treasure trove of delicacies, you may find yourself wondering, "what would go well with this?". With so many choices of craft beer and the availability of exotic ingredient from around the globe the possibilities for a great pairing are limitless. It may seem overwhelming if you don't have a culinary background but luckily you don't need to know how to cook to plan a delicious pairing. As it happens, it's easy! All you have to do is drink beer and eat food, no tedious analysis or BJCP certification required.
Learn to design a well thought out beer pairing from scratch in two different ways. First, we'll start with the food and choose beers that complement and enhance the meal. As the host, lead your guests through each course with beer selections that create a narrative of flavor that will leave them anticipating the next artful combination. Next, we'll take a flight of beers either homebrewed or from your favorite brewery and build a menu around them. By switching the order to serve them in alone, we can create a variety of experiences with the same selection of beers. We'll consider our beers' flavors and match them with food that either compliments or contradicts on the palate. In every case steering our guests experience towards a crescendo of deliciousness they wont soon forget. Pairings are experiential, moreover the perfect pairing is a live theater performance in which you get to participate and enjoy. When one of your guests says, "I didn't think I was going to like ____, but it was my favorite course", you'll know you nailed it.
Experience level
Beginner