Always serve beer in a glass - the aromas are enhanced and the flavour is brighter.

Talk to beer lovers and you’ll find that they’re adamant that beer is way more food friendly than wine, while grape devotees are sure to stomp all over that argument. Some of us see a case for both.

Brooklyn Brewing’s respected brewmaster (and author of The Brewmaster’s Table) Garrett Oliver loves wine too and knows it well, but says, “Beer has a much, much wider range of flavours than wine does.” He feels that beer does a better job at matching many foods usually thought of as wine territory, especially shellfish, cheeses and chocolate.

Beer ranges from the light, slightly tart, fruity flavours of wheat beer, to the roasted coffee notes of stout, with plenty of variations in between. Like sparkling wines, beer’s carbonation is a great palate cleanser.

A hearty pub lunch can clearly demonstrate beer’s affinity for food. Smoked salmon and spicy appetizers such as cheesy nachos, make a great match with lager, a mild dark beer is ideal as a fish and chip quaff or with steaks; and porter will wow with chocolate cake.

There are dozens of Belgian brews that make memorable matches like Belle Vue Kriek with a cherry compote sidedpork chop; Chimay Blue, a dark beer, with prosciutto-wrapped red snapper (recipe page 127) and strong cheeses; and spicy Hoegaarden is magical with mussels.

Here are a few starter guidelines for pairing beer with food:

• Think of ale as red wine and lager as white. Experiment. Anything you’d eat with red wine, try with ale; ditto subbing lager for white. Ale, fermented at warmer temperatures, is usually more aromatic. Lager, fermented at cooler temperatures, has clean and crisp flavours and lighter aromas.
• Hoppiness in beer is like acidity in wine. Try hoppy, bitter beers with spicy or oily food.
• The darker the beer, the darker the food. Dark beers are made from dark malts and their slightly sweet, roasted flavours complement beef and game.
• Spicy foods and bitter beer are naturals. Think IPA (India Pale Ale) with Indian or Thai food.
• The foods of a region go with the beers of the region. Example: Japanese food and Japanese beer.
• Complement or contrast the beer and the food. Complement a big, flavourful stew with a full-bodied ale; contrast a creamy soup with crisp, fresh lager.
• Keep an open mind and experiment. Great pairings are everywhere. You’ll know you’ve got it when the food tastes better with the beer and the beer tastes better with the food.
• Glassware is important, and we’re not talking bottles. Always serve beer in a glass – the aromas are enhanced, the flavour is brighter, and you’ll lessen the amount of CO² that gives beer-bloat.

Here are a few matches that work well together, but what really counts is what makes your tastebuds sing. Experiment and find your perfect pairings.

• Malty lagers with pork, veal and poultry
• Pilsner and wheat beers with fish
• Stout/porter with shellfish, grilled steaks, burgers and anything chocolate
• Crisp, full-bodied ales with red meat and game
• Malty, amber beers with pasta and pizza
• Nut-brown ale with crunchy salads
• Lager with noodle dishes
• Guinness and oysters
• Belgian framboise with dark chocolate mousse
• India Pale Ale with well-aged cheddar
• Imperial stout with Roquefort or stilton