The world is awash with craft beer. New microbreweries are popping up every week, each with a more astonishing name and design than the one before. But now this boom has moved one step further – are you ready to try “beer cuisine”?
Some say beer has gone bananas; sometimes it’s flavoured that way, too. New, mysterious brews, with tropical fruits, gold*, or whatever the brewer has at his disposal, are being presented every day. Still, the kids love it, and people who just enjoy drinking have a splendid reason to do so, while seriously tasting and tweeting about every new brew that appears on the market. Thank God we have the Germans and their Reinheitsgebot, a law limiting the ingredients, to the joy of the conservatives. There, beer is made from old recipes and further refined, thanks to the wonders of the industrialisation of the late 19th century: cooling devices that allow exact temperature and, most importantly, control of the yeast. Almost every central European master brewer will tell you, “Anyone can make a spaced-out IPA in their own bathtub, but let them try making a perfectly balanced pils – over and over again!”
Belgium is, of course, another major beer-producing country. It is also home of Lambic beer: brews that have been fermented spontaneously by being exposed to wild yeasts and bacteria, often in (according to legend and branding) monasteries and remote caves. In Belgium, beer is truly part of the culture, even though the old fields where hops and barley used to grow majestically are long gone. So maybe it’s no coincidence that it’s here that “beer cuisine” – the tradition of preparing food with beer, and needless to say, drinking beer while eating it – is becoming a thing.
For as long as there has been an international gastronomy worth the name, wine has been the main alcoholic liquid in the kitchen for all basic dishes, stocks and sauces. Any chef knows that it is the fat in the butter and alcohol that really bring out the flavours. If the prophet of classic gastronomy, the legendary Auguste Escoffier, had come from a beer-drinking country instead of France, maybe the whole world would have long been using it in cooking, too.
It is, however, a mistake to think that one type of beer will be like white wine and the other like a claret. Beer has its own requirements. You should, for instance, not use the same proportions. When you start to cook it, you get a lot of bitterness, so when it comes to cooking with beer, take it easy. This new field of top-class gastronomy is yet to be fully explored. New restaurants are being opened and cookbooks are being written as you read. In Belgium the godfather of beer cuisine, Stefaan Couttenye, has been working with beer in the kitchen for more than 30 years, and many around the world are following in his footsteps.
In the beer-making countries of Europe, beer that had lost its freshness used to be the natural choice to put in a stew or soup. In Ireland there are countless recipes and in Sweden there’s a classic dish for which beer is vital: sjömansbiff, or “sailors stew”, which was traditionally made with beer, since fresh water was not to be wasted in cooking on board a ship. If prepared correctly, it’s a true delight. According to connoisseurs, dark beer should be used.
So basically, there’s absolutely nothing revolutionary about using beer in cooking. What is new about “beer cuisine” is that it has turned up in haute cuisine.
So much for cooking, but what about combinations where beer is the obvious choice? Well, every gourmet knows that porter, or stout, is the thing with oysters. Porter is also a classic for any kind of chocolate dessert. In Sweden a cold lager is the natural pairing with herring – wine is absolutely forbidden! Moules are mostly enjoyed with ale in Belgium, where moules frites is a national treasure. White asparagus spears and beer is the orthodox choice in countries where asparagus is treasured – the type of beer depends on the way you serve them. Spicy Asian food is another obvious combo, not to mention barbecue or any piece of Bavarian pork. Or to make it easier: do as they do in Belgium – drink beer with everything.
This beer boom is, of course, not a new thing. We know from archaeological evidence and even ancient recipes that beer was being made as far back as 5000 BC in Mesopotamia, today’s Iraq. Some historians even think that the mysterious “manna” that God provided for the Israelites during their travels in the desert, was, in fact, something to do with beer.
In the old days, some kind of ale was the natural drink for all the family, often due to the fact that the water tasted horrible and was unhygienic. In England, beer drinking was also promoted by the government, since binge drinking of gin didn’t quite help to build up worker loyalty and create the work ethic that was desired in the early industrial society. The famous prints Beer Street and Gin Lane (1751) by William Hogarth contrast the sickly, hopeless inhabitants of Gin Lane with the happy people of Beer Street, who sparkle with robust health and great motivation – “Here all is joyous and thriving. Industry and jollity go hand in hand,” wrote Hogarth some years later.
So continue to enjoy beer and food. It’s not exactly just hype.
It might even be – as the old Guinness slogan says – good for you.
* Yes, a small Swedish brewery used gold in tiny amounts as an ingredient recently.
Tasting Notes
Nothing in this world should be too easy. As all beer fans know, there is actually a striking difference between a quality beer that has been poured correctly and one that has not. There are also different ways to pour in order to get a different experience. Here, Pilsner Urquell, usually described as the original pilsner beer, guide us in how to complete the perfect Pilsner meal! It’s the Czech way.
NA DVAKRÁT / crispy
This pour offers the traditional amount of foam, which will help keep the carbonation and make your beer stay fresh longer. This makes it the perfect choice if you want to sit down and enjoy a meal with friends and want your beer to last longer. The carbonation will keep things light and intensify the flavours, so it’s basically the ideal choice any time food is in the picture and your main focus.
HLADÍNKA / smooth
This pour will result in a bit more foam and less carbon dioxide, which gives your beer a smooth and creamy taste. This is exactly what you need when you are in the bar and ready to drink, or perhaps together with a lighter meal, such as starters or seafood.
MLÍKO / milky
This pour will be served in a tall glass, and almost looks like it’s a glass of creamy white milk. No need to worry – it’s not just foam, the beer is in there! The great thing about this style of pouring is the smooth mouthfeel you get, without the bubbles, which gives it an even sweeter taste that is balanced with a bitterness towards the end. Yes, it’s the ideal pour to combine with desserts.
Credits:
Words by Tor Bergman
Tasting Notes by Anna Åhrén
Special thanks to Pilsner Urquell & there Food & Beer on youtube
Eat Beer illustration: Edoardo de Falchi
Main photograph: Beer Street (1751) by William Hogarth. All other photos courtesy of Pilsner Urquell.