Pairing French Craft Beer with Local Cuisine

The craft beer revolution in France has come to be an art, just like the country’s vaunted culinary traditions. While breweries multiply across the country and present various styles of beers, French craft beer paired with local cuisine is offering a new dimension in gastronomic delight. Name it from the creamy cheeses of France to its rich desserts, there’s a perfect beer match to complement each dining experience. This tutorial is designed to help explore better beer pairing options with classic French dishes, elevating the dining experience to that of fine wine pairing.

Why Pair Beer with French Cuisine?

Pairing beer with food goes beyond the simple enjoyment of a fine beverage. It fundamentally elevates the taste profiles of both the culinary offering and the alcoholic drink. The complex nature of craft beer, characterized by a different range of flavors, textures, and aromas, positions it as a particularly suitable partner for various dishes. Like wine, beer can enhance or juxtapose specific flavors, thereby highlighting the strengths of French cuisine. The right beer can elevate the experience of every bite, from a creamy, spicy cheese from Alsace to a hearty Provencal stew.

French craft beer, with its regional diversity, is particularly suited for this. Every region generates unique varieties of beer that incorporate the local ingredients and brewing customs, thereby establishing a harmonious pairing between beer and French cuisine.

Beer and Cheese Pairings

French cheese is famous worldwide, and it deserves an equally impressive drink to accompany it. Here’s how to pair some of the most beloved French cheeses with craft beers from their regions:

1. Alsace Lager with Munster Cheese

Munster’s creamy character, Munster pairs beautifully with a crisp lager from Alsace. The beer’s light body gives a clean finish and works against the cheese’s bold flavors without overpowering the palate.

2. Nord-Pas-de-Calais Bières de Garde with Maroilles

Maroilles is a washed-rind soft cheese with a definite assertive aroma and taste. A Bières de Garde from northern France, known for its malty sweetness and earthy notes, fits right in the profile and complements well the fatness of Maroilles.

Pairing French Beer with Classic French Dishes

French cuisine is rich in flavor and tradition, offering plenty of opportunities for perfect beer pairings.

1. Provence Pale Ale with Bouillabaisse

Classically Provençal seafood stew, bouillabaisse finds a natural marriage with a pale ale from the same region. Herbaceous and slightly citric notes present in Provence’s pale ales elevate the delicate flavors of fish and shellfish while bitterness cuts through the richness of the broth.

2. Brittany Cider-Style Beers with Galettes

Brittany is famous for crêpes made from buckwheat, called galettes. Those are filled with savory ingredients like ham, cheese, or eggs. A cider-style beer from Brittany, with its slight sweetness and fruity notes, is the perfect partner for the nutty, hearty flavors of the galette.

3. Lambic with Duck Confit

Lambic is sour and full-bodied, offering a fruity profile that cuts through the richness of the duck confit. Acid helps to cut through the fat of the duck, while subtle fruit notes amplify the savory elements of the dish.

Modern French Craft Beers with Contemporary Cuisine

The French culinary scene has embraced modern craft beer trends, offering new pairing possibilities.

1. IPA with Gourmet Burgers

With more and more hoppy beers from French craft brewers, IPAs have really become a favorite to enjoy with rich, meaty meals such as gourmet burgers. The bitterness of the hops cuts through the savory flavors in the meat and balances the richness of the toppings for a pleasing match.

2. Saison with Summer Salads

Saisons are quite light, fresh, and slightly fruity beers that can complement fresh, summer-inspired cuisine. Niçoise Salad Many vegetables, tuna, and olives make great pairings with French saison’s crisp and peppery notes.

Pairing Beer with French Desserts

While wine may traditionally dominate the dessert scene, French craft beers can hold their own when paired with sweet treats.

1. Stout with Chocolate Tart

A rich chocolate tart pairs perfectly with a French stout. The stout’s roasted malts accentuate the chocolate’s deep, bittersweet notes, while the beer’s smooth and creamy texture complements the dessert’s rich filling.

2. Wheat Beer with Tarte Tatin

The acidity and freshness from the wheat beer will be perfectly balanced with the brown apples of the Tarte Tatin. In contrast, the light body with the beer, along with the citric notes, emphasizes the sweetness of the caramel, thus forming a nice end to any meal.

How to Host a French Beer Pairing Dinner

Check out some below tips to host a French beer and food pairing dinner: 

Diversify the menu: This will include seafood, flavor meat dishes, desserts, and cheese dishes that can be paired with different styles of beer.

Serve at the Correct Temperature: Various beers are best served at their maximum temperatures to truly enhance the tasting experience. For example, lagers and pale beer are best served chilled, while stouts and strong beer can be served at warmer temperatures.

Use Proper Glassware: Beer can best be enjoyed in the right glass, like wine. Use tulip glasses for IPAs, snifters for strong ales, and goblets for stouts.

For more on the best French craft beers to use for your dinner, check out our comprehensive guide to popular French craft beers.

Conclusion

You can enjoy a new dimension to traditional French dining by pairing French craft beer with local food. You can improve the flavors of everything with the right beer, which includes savory cheeses, sweet desserts, and more. Whenever you plan a meal next time, remember to choose French craft beers, which are versatile and delightful, like the country’s world-renowned wines.
For more insights on French craft beers, be sure to explore our complete guide to popular craft beers in France.