Beer and food have a long and happy relationship. What really works in beer favor is the wide range of flavors it offers: bitter, sour, sweet, just to name the main ones. Compared to wine that is made out of one ingredient only, grape, beer offers great potential for an endless array of possibilities by simply combining the many varieties of malt, hops and yeast. Add to that various spices and fruit that are often used in brewing as well as aging beer in whiskey or wine barrels and it is absolutely clear that most food will find a great partner somewhere in the whole wide universe of beer flavors and aromas.
Pairing beer and food can be done in many ways. One way is to try to complement the food with a specific beer flavor. In example, fried food calls for more bitterness in beer. Sweets, especially pies and certain cakes go well with darker, maltier beers where the chocolate or nutty aromas complement various sweet spices.
Another way of approaching beer and food pairing is to contrast the flavors. If that is the case spicier food could go well with fruitier beer like a weissbier and its yeast-induced banana flavor. Speaking of weissbier, seafood is a great pairing as well. One rule of thumb is not to overpower the taste of beer or food with something to hoppy or too spicy. The true beauty of beer and food pairing is in experimenting and breaking the rules. Whatever tastes good together is worth trying.
Staropramen and food go way back. In 1871, we opened a brewery pub named Na Verandách, which started selling our first beer on July 15th of the same year. Today, Potrefena Husa restaurants can be found all over Prague where the thirsty and hungry ones can silence their craving for great beer and food by choosing something from a fine selection of traditional dishes like beef rolls, pork ribs, roast duck or beer chili goulash. For the more adventurous, there is a whole section of food that is created specifically to be paired with beer: honey pork belly, buffalo wings, tender loin medallions and marinated brie-type cheese are some of our favorites. Bon appétit! And of course - nazdravi!
