Photo by Lindsay Nixon
Wine and cheese pairings and wine tastings are a common feature of New York City life. Just walk by any wine shop in the city and they are likely hosting a pairing that week. With all cheeses and most wines not suitable for vegans, what's a Manhattan vegan to do? Get on board with the latest trend -- pairing food with beer!
Pairing food with beer is becoming a popular feature in brewpubs and many New York restaurants. Cooking with beer is also becoming trendy thanks to many breweries, such as our local Brooklyn Brewery, who are hosting cooking demonstrations and including beer-infused recipes on their websites. Since most beer is inherently vegan, the food and beer pairing trend is good news for Manhattan vegans looking to enjoy a night of complimentary food and spirits.
While most pairings tend to be omnivourous at the moment, it won't be long until we hear of a mouth-watering beer-infused bean burger as this trend continues to grow. In the meantime, have a beer and vegan food pairing with friends or remember these simple guidelines when eating at your favorite vegan or vegen-friendly restaurant.
General Beer and Food Pairing Guidelines:
- Lighter beers are best paired with lighter foods. Likewise, heavy beers are a perfect match for rich and decadent foods. Similarly, sweet beers should be served with sweet dishes and tart beers with tart dishes.
- Beer should never be served with wine or liquor infused dishes.
- If the meal is infused with a beer, that beer should be served with the meal.
- Hoppy (bitter) beers should be paried with meals that won't be masked by the beer's intense flavor.
- Spicy foods should be paired with malty beers to help cut the heat.
- Robust beers and dark chocolate are a classic pairing.
For vegan recipes: visit happyherbivore.com and check out these vegan beer-infused recipes for as drunken beans, beer bread and oatmeal stout brownies!
Not only does Charlie Papazian, Great American Beer Festival founder, write for Examiner.com, but we have dozens of other craft beer experts covering hops and barley. Follow their coverage throughout September of one of the world's largest beer festivals. Click here for Charlie’s take on beer, GABF articles and details on how you can win tickets to the festival!
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