As an avid wine drinker, I rarely sip on a beer with my meal. I find it filling, and honestly don’t know the first thing about how to pair it with food. So when I was invited to Snake River Brewery’s recent beer dinner, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would I be eating pasta with pale ale? Or poutine with pilsner?
I walked away realizing that it’s surprisingly easy to pair a beer with dinner. Beer has so many complex flavors. While winemakers have only grapes to play with, beer makers have barley, hops, yeast, spices, nuts, fruits and more. And while many of us may only be familiar with the Brewpub’s favorite flavors, this dinner was a chance to show off some more obscure flavors. Strawberry infused beer? I’ll try it! Here’s just some of the ways chef Ryan Brogan incorporated different beers into his 9-course tasting menu.