Wines and beers with dinner

Beer and wine are the perfect alcoholic beverages to pair your dinner with. They complement the food and bring out distinct flavours in your mouth. However, you need to be careful when you order wine and beer with your dinner. Here is a list of guidelines to help you in this. Take a look.

 

I am a big foodie always exploring different cuisines. Some of my favourite restaurants are Toscana, one of the best Dublin restaurants and Continental Treat Fine Bistro, famous for European dishes in Edmonton. These restaurants have an amazing array of food and drinks. You can try out the recipes here and team them up with beer and wine. 

Wine

Choose what type of wine you want to drink. Apertifs are popular wine types, usually served before the meal.

Popular examples of aperitifs – light wines and champagne

If confused about the best aperitif brands, ask the waiter to guide you. Most restaurants serve wine by glass system. Therefore, you do not have to necessarily order a full bottle.

You can order different wines throughout the dinner. Just make sure that you tell the waiter about this.

There is no set rule on how to order wine with dinner. However, wine connoisseurs recommend starting with light wines and then move to dark wine through the meal course.

Similarly, if you plan to order white and red wines, wine addicts prefer to start with white and end with red.

This is because:

• White wines are light and go well with light salads and appetizers

• Popular white wine choices are Chardonnays, Riesling and Grigio.

Order wine based on the dishes you wish to have. For example,

• Choose white wine or light red wine with fish and egg dishes

• Choose dark red wine with beef and lamb dishes

If you have a limited budget, consult the waiter about the best wine choices within your price range.

If you plan a surprise dinner for your fiancé, contact the restaurant manager beforehand. Ask for their wine collection and choose. You can also look into their websites for the current wine collection they have.

Popular red and white wine varieties to pair with dinner

1. Pinot Noir

Good for heavy meal

Tastes like raspberry and herbal elements

2. Malbec

Good for winters

Tastes like vanilla and blackberry

Used in cooking different sauces and gravies

3. Zifandel

Tastes like blackberry, cedar and raisin

Choose zinfandel with low alcohol content

4. Riesling

Tastes like citrus and apple

It has different varieties like – off-dry, dry and trocken

5. Gewürztraminer

Tastes like guava, ginger and cloves

Best with pumpkin pies

Beer

Often same ingredients are present in food items and beer. So, choose beer that complements your food flavour.

Golden rule of ordering beer with food is:

Pair light dishes with light beer and heavy dishes with dark beer.

For example, choose cream stout with chocolate desserts or maybe heavy porter with red meat.

You can also make some unconventional choices if you want to try something different, like pairing smoked fish with pale ale. Here the tastes are contrasting which will help in bringing out the flavours.

You can balance the flavours of the dishes through beers. For example, pairing Mexican spicy dishes with sweet beer is an excellent idea. It will lower the spiciness of the food and make the whole food slightly sweet.

Consider the beer origin when you order. For example, you can order Japanese beers with sushi or Mexican beers with Mexican dishes.

Be creative when you order beer with your dinner. If this is your first time, start with light beer and then move to dark beer with desserts.

Popular beer varieties to pair with dinner

1. Pale Ales

Best with seafood and salads

2. Wheat beers

Best with fruit dishes, grain salads and desserts

3. Amber Ales

Best with grilled cheese, soups, burgers, chicken and stews

4. Stouts and porters

Best with barbecue and any meat and fish dishes

Also good with desserts

5. India Pale Ales

Best with pork, chicken and pizza

Also good with seafood and salads