Celebrate National Beer Day with these food pairings

The Midlands is part of South Africa’s craft beer revolution – think Nottingham Road Brewery (the oldest microbrewery in KZN), Lions River Craft Brewery, Happy Days Brewery, Clockwise Brewers and more.

Since 2012, the hip and trendy have been ditching the mass produced, bottled variety and gone for tipple that is brewed with plenty of personality as well as natural ingredients, no chemicals and additives, using old school traditional methods.

The end result is a plethora of fascinating brews that are well worth the much higher prices than their commercially replicated counterparts.

Craft beers have taken a few leaves out of the wine book and you can now enjoy beer tastings and food pairings.

Just because you aren’t a traditional wino doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the fun of combining a flavourful beverage with a delectable meal, according to Granny Mouse Country House and Spa’s culinary artist, Theo Mannie.

Every now and again, he sneaks away from our resort’s amazing wine cellar and enjoys a cold one….To the point where he is now coming up with his own beer and food pairings and raising a glass to guests who appreciate a well brewed beer that complements and enhances flavours whilst refreshing the palate.

Braai and Beer – This is a standard for locals who are happy to toast a good game of rugby with a frosty glass. Theo Mannie suggests trying an icy pale ale while manning the flames, as they go well with steak and boerewors. For a nice big, juicy beef roast on the spit or a thick T-bone, you’re going to want a nice big beer to stand up to it – try a stout as the roasted malt flavours work perfectly with the carbonized chargrilled tang on meat.

If you’ve ditched braaing for the cooler months, try a comforting potjie. Here richer brews do best and, as a special tip from the Granny Mouse Kitchen, add two bottles of milk stout with your beef stock when creating your slow cooked masterpiece.

Pork Chops or Pork Sausages – Sausages or chops, are some of the most versatile dishes to pair with beer. An ice cold draft lager or light beer goes really well with the fatty, meaty flavours of the sausages and pork.

Burgers – Classic hearty meal – especially for the start of the weekend – can be washed down with a decent beer. As a rough guide, strong blue cheeses work well with dark beers such as stouts. Spicy cheeses like Cheddar work well with IPA which is bitter and hoppy.  Soft white cheeses, such as Brie or Camembert, work well with Blonde Ales 

Chicken – As a rule, we pair our beers with the marinades or sauces in which we cook our chicken. The general rule when it comes to poultry, is to go with lighter beers such as pilsners and lagers that won’t overpower the more delicate flavours. With bready, malty sweet flavours and earthy hop tastes, they bounce off the subtle taste of the chicken.

Seafood – Again, pair the delicate taste of seafood with a delicate beer. Beer batter is great for fresh fish and Theo Mannie’s favourite with shrimps and shellfish is a pale ale with fresh, zingy hops.

Light Salads, Chicken and Fresh Fish – Cutting down on heavier food, or heading for a light lunch? Light food works really well with subtler, somewhat zingy beers. Pale Ales are a good choice, with the fantastic hop aroma bringing out the flavours of your meal. For something a little more neutral, lager, blondes and pilsners are both light and refreshing.

Spicy Curries – If you’re a lover of curries and a spice monster and want to crank up the heat a bit, try an IPA. The intense bitterness and hop aroma will really raise the temperature!

Rich Red Meat, Stews, Soups and Braised Dishes – Generally, heavier meals work well with brown ales, porters and stouts. These stand up to the rich flavours of such meals, with malty sweetness and roasted notes breaking through the richness of the food.

Dessert – Rich, chocolate or coffee desserts are crying out to be paired with a pint of something dark. Stout is the perfect choice with the roasted malt taste offering a certain bitterness that works perfectly with the bitterness of the dark chocolate or coffee.

Our Chefs Favourite: The Granny Mouse Culinary Artists favourite meals, that incorporates beer, is a compressed belly of pork, broccoli florets, apple and maple puree, baby heirloom carrots, cider and apple jus served with Flying Fish apple beer. (Okay, that’s not strictly a craft beer but it is still a little off the beaten track!)

So, don’t just order the usual, enjoy a beer that really works with your next meal and see the difference it makes! Remember, variety is the spice of life, and as time goes by you’ll discover the styles you really love with certain foods. Cheers and bon appetite!