Which Beer with which food?


Fine dining and wine have become synonymous but beer, once the traditional drink at the table, is making a comeback as a dinner drink.

Countries with a long beer-drinking tradition have developed cuisines highly compatible with their favourite beverage. German sausages and smoked goods go well with pilsener, British herrings and fish and chips with ales.

Stout compliments oysters and Welsh rarebit while the French developed terrines and pates to serve with a glass of beer in the brasseries. The word itself means "brewery" – the first brasseries were eating houses attached to the great breweries of France.

Modern Australia eats an enormous diversity of foods thanks to its multicultural nature. Here is a quick guide to matching some popular Australian beers from Carlton & United Breweries matched with varying cuisine's:

Cuisine	Beer Style
Chinese and Malaysian	A flavour-packed dish like Cantonese stir fry, rich duck or Singapore fried noodles deserves a refreshing Victoria Bitter or Cascade Premium Light, a crisp Carlton Cold or even a hoppy Carlton Midstrength Bitter.
Thai and chilli dishes	When hot and spicy dishes heat up those taste buds, cool them down with a clean, thirst-quenching Victoria Bitter, a smooth Foster's Lager, an equally aromatic Redback original or a Pilsener style such as Belgium's Stella Artois.
Indian	An aromatically spicy and hot curry can be well contrasted with a Cascade Premium, refreshing Carlton Draught or a malty and creamy Crown Lager.
Japanese	This flavoursome yet refreshing cuisine requires a beer to compliment each mouthful. A perfect match would be Carlton Cold, Carlton Premium Dry or Asahi Super Dry from Japan.
Light lunches/Fish, chicken and salads	Complimenting simple light dishes with a crisp Carlton Cold or a smooth Foster's Lager makes for an enjoyable lunch or light dinner.
Creamy sauces, buttery pastries and quiches	Creamy and buttery dishes are well balanced by crisp clean lager style beers such as a fruity Carlton Premium Dry.
Paste Sauces or Sunday roast	These dishes are complimented perfectly with a rich full-flavoured Melbourne Bitter, Crown Lager or Cascade Premium.
Dessert	If you are thinking of a Lemon Tart, orange poppyseed cake or a apple crumble, try a Carlton Premium Dry. If it's a fruit sorbet with fresh berries you prefer, try a Cascade Premium Light.
Cheese and fruit platter	Redback Original would refresh your palate at the end of the meal or try a Carlton Cold.