Kelowna Pub Tips: How to Pair Beer with Food Like a Pro

Not sure what pairs well with your favourite brew? Your friendly neighbourhood Kelowna pub can help with that. 

After a day exploring the city, there’s nothing better than a chilled pint of your favourite beer and a big plate of some delicious food while recapping the day’s events with good friends. Whether you’re heading to your favourite Kelowna pub, a new pub, or a buddy’s place, we can show you the ins and outs of pairing brew with grub.

The Vocab

One thing that’s very important to take note of when pairing beer with food is understanding the different flavours that accompany each type of beer. To get you better acquainted with the flavours, we’d like to introduce you to a little bit of pairing jargon.

Complement – This term is often used to describe a beer and a piece of food that work well together. To make sure your beer compliments your meal, find similarities between the two that complement each other.

Contrast – This term is used to describe the differences between pairings. For example, sweet and sour are two contrasting flavours that come together to create a delicious dish that balances each taste. Beer and food can be used in the same manner.

Cut – Cutting is a more extreme version of contrast. To really experience the benefits of a good match, pair a beer with an extreme food to help cut down on some of that extra flavour.

Perfect Pairs

If you’re still unsure on which foods to pair with which beers, we’ve compiled a little guide to take away some of the guesswork. Here are a few of the more tried and true pairings that we see most often at our Kelowna pub:

Cheesy Food – Although the most notorious of pairings is wine and cheese, beer is actually another excellent beverage to pair with cheese. The carbonation found in beer can actually enhance the flavours of your favourite cheeses. Whether you’re indulging in pizza, a sandwich, or a salad that features cheese, grab any beer you’d like to get the perfect pair.

Seafood, Pasta, and Chicken – When treating yourself to one of these delicious dishes, stick with a lighter beer. Blonde ales and Hefeweizens pair really well with seafood, pasta, and chicken plates.

Fried Food – To keep things light when filling up on a plate of French fries or dry ribs, order a lager or ale at your Kelowna restaurant or pub. These types of beer will cleanse your palate between bites without washing away all the salty flavours. 

Red Meats – If you’re a big fan of steaks and burgers, a darker beer will complement your meal perfectly. We recommend stouts and amber ales that are big and bold enough to stand up to your robust meal.

Spicy – To contrast against the heat of your dish, reach for a light lager full of hops, which will help cut down the spice.

Desserts – When indulging in a sweet treat, try a fruit-based lager to help cut down the richness of the dish. Although beer and dessert may not sound like a match made in food-pairing heaven, this pair can introduce you to a whole new world of flavours.

If you’re in the mood to test out some of these highly recommended combos at a Kelowna pub, come and check out the 97 Street Pub. We have a great selection of beer on tap, including local B.C. craft beer, and an amazing menu.