These are the most delicious things to eat with your IPA
Do you ever approach it this way: you have a bottle of wine and then plan the menu around it instead of the other way around? For example, you happen to stumble upon a bottle of Riesling (which thankfully doesn’t break) and think, ‘hmmmm, choucroute!’ We certainly do. And the same thing can happen when you have a few bottles of IPA in your hands and use these clever pairing tips to create the most delicious combinations…
India Pale Ale (IPA) is beer with extra hops, and therefore often extra bitterness. Originally brewed in England, there are now breweries all over the world producing beautiful IPAs, and its popularity doesn’t seem to be waning anytime soon. The Netherlands now also has a thriving IPA brewing scene, and from mega to micro brewery, they all bottle spicy IPAs in often characteristically eye-catching bottles. The flavor layers of IPA can be described as follows: bitter, hoppy (spicy, earthy and with a tang) and slightly sweet. And what do you eat with that, we naturally wanted to know… Well, according to beer expert Michael Agnew: this!
Bring on the salty and fried food
The bitterness in IPA can sometimes be difficult to pair with food, because it can leave your mouth feeling puckered. Salt and fat, however, are good candidates for pairing with it, because the bitterness can be pleasantly masked. And you don’t necessarily have to open a bag of Doritos; you can also take it a step further and make these delicious arancini (deep-fried risotto balls) to go with it.
Indian curries
Yes, that may seem super logical… and it is. The spiciness of hops tastes great with spices used in Indian cuisine, such as coriander seeds and cardamom. And what about the richness and sometimes even heaviness that curries or sauces based on ghee can have (such as chhonk for soup, so delicious!)? An IPA won’t be easily overpowered by that. So go all out and make the perfect curry!
The Mexican kitchen
Of course, we must continue to support the Corona brewery through thick and thin, but if you want a different cerveza with your tacos for once, an IPA is an excellent choice. Or vice versa, of course, because we started with which foods taste good with an IPA. Tacos, then, and all the richer and more complex dishes from Mexican or Tex-Mex cuisine. Such as a rich chicken nacho bake or delicious chilaquiles (even though chilaquiles are often eaten for breakfast—you do you). With a fresh, light dish such as fish tostadas, however, we would choose a lighter beer such as a weizen or a crisp white wine.
Fire up the grill and get going
The barbecue or grill pan: both are perfect for searing meat, after which that deliciously charred Maillard layer finds the perfect balance with a robust IPA. Burgers and beer—what more could you want?! And grilled chicken drumsticks, preferably in a spicy marinade, also go very well with the bitterness, sweetness and spiciness of this Pale Ale.
Something sweet to finish
Maybe it’s not something you immediately think of, but according to experts, an IPA with dessert or something sweet on the side can sometimes be a great idea. This is where a slightly sweeter IPA comes into its own, for example paired with chocolate and candied ginger. The malt emphasizes the sweetness of the chocolate and the hops the spiciness of the ginger. Or how about an IPA with a spiced carrot cake? You’ll also have a deliciously spicy counterpoint to the sweetness of the frosting… Yum!
Also read:
- We asked beer sommeliers about their favorite beer-and-food pairings
- Long shelf life? Drink IPA as fresh as possible
- How to organize a beer tasting at home
Source: Michael Agnew for Serious Eats
