Perfect Pairings: Discover the Best Beer for Italian Food

Are you looking to enhance your Italian meal with the perfect beer pairing? Look no further!In this article, we’ll explore the best beer options to complement your favorite Italian dishes.

Whether you’re enjoying a classic pasta dish or indulging in a hearty pizza, we’ve got you covered with expert recommendations on the best beer for Italian food. So, grab a cold one and let’s dive into the delicious world of Italian cuisine and beer pairings!

Best Beer Pairings For Traditional Italian Dishes

While beer may be an unconventional match for Italian cuisine, it can create a flavorful and memorable combination when paired correctly.

Classic Cheese Pizza And American Pale Ale

The classic combination of beer and cheese pizza is a favorite in Italian-American cuisine. American Pale Ale is the perfect accompaniment for this dish, whether you like pepperoni, mushroom, or plain cheese.

The hops in pale ales create flavors that complement spicy ingredients and help balance certain cheeses’ fattiness. Alter Brewing’s Popular Kid pairs great with classic cheese pizzas due to its strong hop profile, adding an earthy complexity.

Its light malt backbone helps cut through texture and provides just enough sweetness without being too overwhelming.

The craft brewery manages to achieve a delicate balance between fruity nuances brought by Simcoe hops while still allowing a solid bitter finish on the palate–a perfect contrast against fatty mozzarella slices on top of thick crusts.

Original Margherita Pizza And Dry-hopped Amber Ale

A dry-hopped amber ale is the perfect pairing for an original Margherita pizza. The depth of malt in an excellent amber ale brings out the sweetness of tomato sauce and cheese, providing an outstanding balance to the dish’s acidity.

It has a slight hop character that pairs perfectly with this classic combination, and its light body makes it the ideal choice for a crisp Margherita pizza experience without overpowering it.

For your next Margherita, try a Firestone Walker Double Barrel Ale

Spaghetti And Meatballs With Red Or Brown Ale

Red or brown ales are an ideal pairing for spaghetti and meatballs because they bring out the flavor of the savory tomato sauce while subtlety enhancing the other flavors in this traditional Italian dish.

These medium-bodied beers complement the acidity of tomatoes and enhance their sweetness, making them an excellent choice for classic dishes like spaghetti and meatballs.

George Killian’s Irish Red

Farmhouse-style ales are also suggested to pair with pasta dishes as these styles usually have a higher bitterness level, adding complexity to your plate.

When serving red or brown ale with spaghetti and meatballs, ensure you serve at a slightly cooler temperature (which will help balance out stronger flavors), experiment with different styles, brands and finishes from light lagers to robust stouts — then enjoy!

Cigar City Brewing Maduro Brown Ale

Also consider regional pairings such as Tuscan Special Bitter Ales that are explicitly brewed based on traditional classic recipes rather than foreign imports.

Black Sheep Special Ale

Chicken Parmesan With Belgian Dubbel

Belgian Dubbel is a full-bodied beer style brewed with dark roasted malts which creates a rich and robust flavor profile. The flavors of the beer include notes of caramel, toffee, chocolate, nutmeg and plums.

Westmalle Dubbel

It has moderate amounts of alcohol content which makes it an ideal pairing with chicken parmesan due its low astringency that allows it to enhance but not overpower the dish.

When paired correctly, there are many levels to explore in both the food and beverage as they synergize beautifully together adding another element to this Italian classic dish.

Barbera wines traditionally pair well with Chicken Parmesan, however Belgian Dubbel offers unparalleled flavor complexity for this savory pasta dish by helping balance out intense flavors such as cheese or tomatoes used in making chicken parmesan while still offering subtle notes from spices like nutmeg used in the preparation of this hearty meal.

Lasagna With Robust Porter

Combining rich flavors with a hearty texture, lasagna is one of the most beloved and recognizable dishes in Italian cuisine.

To best complement this classic, a robust porter should be the beer of choice, as its subtle smoked malts contrast nicely against the tomato-based sauce and savory cheeses found in lasagna.

Breckenridge Brewery Vanilla Porter

Carbonara With Cream Ale

Cream ales are an ideal pairing for Carbonara dishes due to their ability to complement the creaminess of the sauce and cut through its richness.

When matched with Carbonara, a smooth, light-bodied ale is suggested that typically has notes of caramel, malt and hops like nutty or fruity flavors.

Try a Sixpoint Sweet Action

Bolognese With Rich Amber Ale

Rich, meaty bolognese sauce is the perfect accompaniment to many classic Italian dishes such as lasagna and spaghetti.

This robust dish can be served with a variety of beer styles, yet experts often recommend pairing this hearty Italian staple with an amber ale.

When properly paired, both flavors should enhance without overpowering each other.

Try a Saint Arnold Amber

Beer has always been considered ideal for pairing with food due to its highly effervescent nature and wide range of flavor profiles, especially when it comes to bolder entrees like a traditional bolognese recipe.

Beer Pairings For Italian Seafood Dishes

Try pairing Linguine with Clams and a Belgian Tripel, Shrimp Scampi with Pilsner or Lager, and Grilled Swordfish with India Pale Ale.

Linguine With Clams And Belgian Tripel

Belgian Tripel is an ideal beer pairing for classic Italian seafood dishes such as linguine with clams. This flavorful style of beer brings out the oceanic flavors from the briny clam sauce and helps balance the overall richness of the dish.

New Belgium Trippel Belgian Style Ale

Belgian Tripels are known for their complex array of subtle spice and fruity esters, making them perfect partners to many styles of food, including seafood dishes like linguine with clams.

In addition to a Belgian-style Tripel, there are other beers that could be used to pair perfectly well with seafood pasta dishes such as American single IPA, wheat beer or Belgian-style white ale (witbier).

Try a Hoegaarden White

Shrimp Scampi With Pilsner Or Lager

Shrimp Scampi With Pilsner Or Lager make an ideal pairing due to their light and refreshing nature. Both Pilsner and Lager beers have a crisp, clean taste with low levels of bitterness.

This allows them to balance the intense garlic-butter flavor of shrimp scampi without overpowering the dish.

Many Italian beer brands such as Nastro Azzurro by Moretti produce excellent quality Pilsners or Lagers that can take your seafood experience up a notch.

Pairing Shrimp Scampi with either Pilsner or Lager is not just about great flavors – it is also about enjoying the textures together as well.

Both styles are highly effervescent which creates an exciting interplay between carbonation bubbles and flavorful sauces found in many Italian dishes such as shrimp scampi.

Grilled Swordfish With India Pale Ale

India Pale Ale (IPA) is an ideal beer pairing for grilled swordfish. The fish’s slightly sweet and smoky flavor pairs wonderfully with the hoppy, bitter notes characteristic of IPA beers.

This robust craft beer has a rotating selection of hops which amplifies amongst other elements by bringing out more hop flavors and layered aromatics as a result of natural yeast fermentation in contrast to industrial beers made with just one type of yeast strain.

Besides being full-bodied and intense, IPAs contain citrus zest, hints of tropical fruit or pine interlaced within the unfiltered depth.

Try a Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA

Beer Pairings For Italian Appetizers

– Bruschetta with Belgian Saison

Mystic Saison

– Arancini with Belgian Witbier

Belgian Moon

– Caprese Salad with American Hefeweizen

Hofbrau Hefe Weizen

Try pairing traditional Italian appetizers, such as Bruschetta and Arancini, with a variety of beer styles like Belgian Saisons or Belgium Witbiers to enjoy the perfect balance between sweet and savory flavors.

Bruschetta With Belgian Saison

I’m a huge fan of the classic Italian appetizer, Bruschetta. Its combination of fresh tomatoes, garlic and herbs makes it one of my favorite dishes to prepare.

With its light and flavorful nature, I knew that great beer pairing would bring out the best in this dish.

Enter Belgian Saison – a fruity ale with spicy notes – which is an ideal match for Bruschetta!

Vapeur Cochonne Amber Saison

The yeasty sweet character along with the carbonation compliments the tomato perfectly while enticing floral aromas help to harmonize flavors even further.

It’s also surprisingly refreshing – brightening up what can sometimes be a very heavy dish thanks to its effervescence.

Arancini With Belgian Witbier

Belgian Witbier is a light and refreshing choice of beer to pair with delicate appetizers like Arancini.

The subtle maltiness in the beer pairs well with the crispy outer shell of these delicious breaded rice balls, while the natural carbonation helps to cleanse the palate for each bite.

Belgian Witbier goes particularly well with fritto misto dishes that feature seafood alongside Italian starters and sides.

Its flavor profile brings out more sweetness from shrimp or calamari, making this beer pairing ideal for any summery platter composed mostly of fried items.

Caprese Salad With American Hefeweizen

American Hefeweizen is ideal for the classic Italian appetizer, Caprese Salad.

This wheat beer has a unique flavor profile of bananas and cloves from its yeast-based fermentation that nicely complements the salad’s fresh mozzarella and sweet basil.

The subtle sweetness of the beer highlights the delicate flavors of ingredients like ripe tomatoes, making for an amazing combination that guests will love.

Beyond providing a delicious pairing for Italian dishes like Caprese Salad, artisanal beer offers numerous benefits when compared to wine.

Beer often has fewer alcohol by volume than many types of white wines which can help keep guests relaxed while still having plenty to savor with their meals.

Best Beer Pairings For Italian Desserts

Tiramisu can be paired with Imperial Stout or Porter for a robust flavor, while Cannoli pair well with Belgian Dubbel and Gelato is best complemented by Kölsch or Blonde Ale.

Tiramisu With Imperial Stout Or Porter

Tiramisu With Imperial Stout is a classic pairing that can make any meal seem special.

Tiramisu is a traditional Italian dessert, typically comprised of espresso-soaked ladyfingers layered with creamy custard and cocoa powder.

Paired with the right beer, it can become even more decadent. Imperial stouts and porters are particularly well-suited to bring out the best in this silky sweet treat due to their deep, roasty flavors and notable bitter finish.

The coffee notes from the stout will play off nicely against the espresso’s earthy bitterness found in the layers of ladyfingers without overwhelming it.

Try a Samuel Smith Organic Chocolate Stout

Meanwhile, bold chocolate aromas will harmoniously complement those present in both components of tiramisu – zabaglione custard and cocoa powder topping.

The robust flavor profile also makes imperial stouts an excellent pairing for other cream or chocolate-based desserts like crème brûlées or panna cotta.

Try this Great Divide Yeti Imperial Stout

Cannoli With Belgian Dubbel

Pairing beer with desserts is often considered a strange thought, but the combination can in fact be surprisingly delicious and refreshing.

Belgian Dubbel makes for an ideal pairing with cannoli due to its complementary flavors; the strong, dark malt character and subtle sweetness plays off of the richer notes that come from traditional cannoli’s creamy ricotta cheese and chocolate chips perfectly.

The spicy herbal hints these beers provide bring out this dessert’s sweet richness fantastically. Furthermore, since Belgians are more carbonated than other beers, these bubbles will help further balance the richness of a classic cannoli bite.

Finally, as part of their unique flavor profiles, clove-like phenols present within Belgian Dubbels provide even more complimentary flavors to classic recipes like Tiramisu or Cannolo Siciliani they pair alongside so well.

Try this Chimay Premiere Ale

Gelato With Kölsch Or Blonde Ale

Regarding Italian desserts, gelato is a classic favorite that pairs well with many beers. For the perfect pairing of beer and gelato, consider Kölsch or Blonde Ale.

The light body and crisp flavor of these beers will balance out the richness of traditional Italian gelato while accentuating its sweetness.

Kölsch also could have an added effervescence due to being fermented at higher temperatures which helps cut through the creamy texture creating a more refreshing taste experience when paired together.

Try this Karbach Brewing Co. Love Street

The blonde ale is known for its slightly sweet malt characteristics and notes of citrus making this style well-suited for pairing with fruity flavors often found in dessert menu items like sorbet or limoncello semifreddo served alongside luxuriously creamy classic vanilla or biscotti-flavored gelatos.

You can’t really go wrong here with a Leffe Blonde

Why Beer Is The Perfect Pairing For Italian Cuisine

Beer can be an excellent accompaniment to Italian cuisine’s many flavors and textures. The carbonation in beer helps cut through the richness of dishes like lasagna, chicken parmesan, spaghetti, and meatballs.

The bitterness in hops further helps balance the sweetness often found in tomato-based sauces in Italian dishes.

Additionally, beer’s acidity provides a great contrast to higher-fat proteins like meats and cheeses that are commonly used throughout much of traditional Italian cuisine.

Beyond its taste benefits, having a wide variety of beers on hand gives diners more flavor notes to explore when pairing with food in this case with Italian cuisine!

For example, a light ale pairs well with lighter fare such as salads while an India Pale Ale would complement grilled red meats; whereas stouts bring out chocolate notes in certain desserts.

With all these options, hoppy pale ales for pizzas and bready lagers for pasta dishes, the range available is nearly limitless!

Further enhancing the flavor profile experience when dining on Italian fare is how different beers change from bottle to bottle or brewer to brewer due to their complex fermentation process, making it challenging to repeat each product precisely.

Understanding The Art Of Pairing Beer With Italian Food

From exploring popular Italian beer varieties to understanding the role of bubbles, hops and bitterness in food-beer pairings, mastering the art of pairing a perfect beer with your favorite Italian dish requires an approach that’s both informed and experimental.

The Role Of Bubbles In Pairing

Beer bubbles, scientifically known as carbonation, play an important role when pairing with Italian food. Carbonation releases beer flavors and provides a palate-cleansing effect to counterbalance greasy dishes like meatballs or spaghetti.

This helps bring out the fruity notes in hoppier beers such as IPAs without overpowering the dish it is paired with.

Additionally, fine bubbles present in Lambic-style fruit beers provide a refreshing acidity and complement cheese pairings well which are common ingredients used in many Italian dishes.

Beer from smaller-batch brewers can also be carefully chosen for pairing purposes due to their unique selection of hops and malts used not commonly found in mass breweries.

A Belgian Dubbel’s fresh spiciness makes it an excellent match for hearty Bolognese sauce or classic traditional Lasagna whereas a rich Amber Ale will make for a great companion for chicken Parmesan or creamy Carbonara pasta.

Moving Beyond Prosecco

Beer pairing with Italian cuisine is becoming increasingly popular as more foodies discover the wide array of flavors that can be derived from a good beer.

But why pair beer with traditional Italian dishes, when there’s so much to love about the suitable wines and Prosecco?

Although wine has its merits in bringing out the exclusive subtlety in certain ingredients of an Italian dish, beer brings complexity and depth which highlight the characteristics of each flavor profile, adding another dimension to our dining experience.

No longer constrained by just finding a compatible dry whites or rosé for traditional Italian dishes: now we can choose between intense robust porters and sweet stouts; crisp German lagers laced with herbal tones to hoppy IPAs also known as India Pale Ale.

Whether you enjoy bold ales or smooth lagers, light wheat beers, or dark malts, experiment with different beer styles available today, depending on your food! Not only does it help shape up decadent creamy pasta sauces (like carbonara), roasted meat platters, and cheesy pizza pieces—it also takes desserts such as tiramisu up several notches.

Clean And Crisp Lagers

When it comes to pairing beer with Italian cuisine, many people think of wine as the only option. However, a new trend on the scene is quickly gaining popularity.

Clean and crisp lagers are becoming widely embraced for their ability to bring exciting notes and tones to Italian dishes.

Brewed using high quality ingredients to create a pale golden color and light body without much bitterness or sweetness, clean and crisp lagers bridge the gap between traditional wines in both flavor profile and ABV percentage.

Pairing Beer With Pasta: Amber Ales, Pilsners, Pale Ales, Dunkels, Hefeweizens, And Witbiers

Amber Ales are great for pairing pasta dishes such as marinaras. Their mildly sweet, malty flavor complements the acidity of tomatoes found in these dishes.

Pilsners are an excellent pairing with alfredo and bolognese sauces that have cream or cheese-based ingredients, offering the perfect balance between their light sweetness and crispy carbonation.

Pale ales provide a good contrast against pesto pasta because of its bitter hop taste which cuts through the creaminess of sauce base.

Dunkels offer chocolatey malt flavors that team well with creamy carbonara sauces made from pancetta or bacon to give it complexity without overpowering it.

Hefeweizens or witbiers can be used for any Italian pasta dish you serve so long as its mild wheat character does not overpower whatever ingredients may appear in it.

Dos And Don’ts In Beer And Italian Cuisine Pairing

Do consider regional pairings for a more authentic experience; don’t select beers that are too heavy to overshadow the flavors of delicate Italian dishes.

Avoid Overpowering Flavors

When pairing beer with Italian cuisine, it’s important to avoid overpowering flavors. Certain types of beer can overpower the delicate and unique flavors of traditional Italian dishes.

For example, a robust Porter or Imperial Stout paired with Margherita Pizza could easily overshadow its simple flavor profile of tomatoes, mozzarella and basil.

An American Pale Ale would be better suited as it allows you to appreciate the subtle notes in the dish while still providing some complementary hop character.

This also applies to seafood dishes like Shrimp Scampi served with Lager or Pilsner, which is light enough not to cover up the delicacy of this dish.

Balance Intensity

When pairing beer and Italian cuisine, it’s important to consider the balance of intensity. If a specific dish is overpowering on its own, you should select a beer with subtle flavors that complement rather than overwhelm the food.

For example, a classic Margherita pizza or light pasta dish would pair nicely with a dry-hopped amber ale with moderate malt character but will not dominate the meal’s flavor profile.

On the other hand, roasted pork paired with creamy Carbonara sauce require something more robust like an American Pale Ale for contrast and complexity.

Smoked sausage topped with Bolognese can be balanced out by rich amber ales while grilled salmon pairs naturally well with India pale ales’ bitterness and hoppiness.

Consider Regional Pairings

Regarding beer pairings with Italian food, one key element that can make your food and beverage pairing experience even more special is considering the regional aspects of both the cuisine and craft beers.

Different regions of Italy showcase their own unique culinary traditions as well as particular brewing techniques and styles of beer that have been perfected over centuries.

For instance, lagers like Pilsner & Lager are a great way to complement seafood dishes from Northeastern areas such as Veneto, since many traditional Italian recipes rely on delicate sauces featuring citrus flavors or vinegar-based condiments.

Likewise, in Southern Italy where tomatoes take center stage in many dishes, popping up throughout classic recipes from Napoli like spaghetti alla puttanesca or Sicilian eggplant parmesan caponata, richer amber ales provide the perfect flavor contrast for balancing out the sweetness of the sauce.

Regionally inspired offerings brewed across different parts of Italy offer varied levels of hop intensity which lend balance to dishes packed full with spices or herbs.

For example artichokes sautéed with garlic and oregano will be delicately cut through by a hoppy IPA from Toscana standouts Theresianer brewery but further south around Puglia lighter “session” IPAs emphasize herbal rosemary buttery notes without overpowering them altogether.

Pro Tips For Pairing Beer With Italian Cuisine

– Taste the beer and food separately to understand their individual flavor profiles.

– Experiment with different styles of beers, from light lagers to bold stouts.

– Consider the ingredients in each dish in order to choose appropriate flavors.

Taste The Beer And Food Separately

Tasting the beer and food separately is an important step when considering what beer to pair with Italian cuisine.

For example, when considering which beer to pair with Traditional Italian Dishes such as Classic Cheese Pizza or Spaghetti and Meatballs, it’s essential to first taste these dishes without any accompaniment in order to pick up on subtle nuances which will help identify beers that will work well together.

Taking small sips of several different styles of beers while tasting these dishes is also useful in finding successful flavor combinations.

The same can be said for seafood-based Italian classics such as Linguine with Clams or Grilled Swordfish—tasty Italian appetizers like Bruschetta or Arancini likewise need careful consideration when choosing proper accompaniments.

It may seem obvious at this point that dessert selections would require similarly precise attention: Cannoli make beautiful partners with Belgian Dubbels while Tiramisu’s rich complexity finds its ideal partner in Imperial Stout or Porter.

Experiment With Different Styles

The key to finding the perfect beer pairings for Italian cuisine is experimentation. Different types of beers can bring out different flavors in dishes, so it’s essential to experiment with different varieties and styles when pairing.

For example, a classic cheese pizza might be best complemented by an American pale ale while lasagna could be nicely paired with a robust porter or even IPA if you want more flavor intensity.

Seafood dishes like shrimp scampi are well-paired with lighter lagers or pilsners, whereas something heavier such as linguine with clams calls for Belgian tripel.

With Italian appetizers like bruschetta and arancini, opt for something that isn’t too heavy such as saisons and witbiers, respectively.

Consider The Ingredients

When pairing beer with Italian cuisine, it’s essential to take into account the ingredients used in dishes and how they can be complemented or contrasted by various beer styles.

Take carbonara as an example – this dish is known for its rich cream sauce and bits of bacon. A creamy ale such as a Kölsch or Blonde Ale makes a great accompaniment because the maltiness tempers down the richness of the dish while also blending harmoniously with subtle smokiness of bacon.

For lighter dishes like Caprese salads, American Hefeweizen pairs well due to its light body and buttery notes that accentuate the refreshing acidity from tomatoes, basil, olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing.

It’s important to pair beers with ingredients that have similar flavor intensities as overpowering flavors tend destroy rather than enhance each other.

Therefore, when selecting more robust-flavored food items such as pasta Bolognese or lasagna, think about choosing bigger-bodied beers, particularly Amber Ales or Robust Porters which contain higher alcohol content to match flavors without overshadowing them taste wise.

Hosting A Beer And Italian Cuisine Pairing Party

For the ultimate beer-paired Italian feast, invite friends over to enjoy an array of Italian dishes complemented by carefully chosen beers.

Choose A Variety Of Italian Dishes From Appetizers To Desserts

When hosting a beer and Italian cuisine pairing party, it is important to choose a variety of dishes from appetizers to desserts in order to give guests different flavor experiences.

Selecting multiple types of dishes from each course also allows for experimentation with various beer styles. For the appetizer course, examples include Bruschetta with a Belgian Saison, Arancini with a Belgian Witbier, and Caprese Salad paired with an American Hefeweizen.

For main courses try classic cheese pizza paired with an American Pale Ale or Bolognese served alongside Rich Amber Ale. As far as Italian seafood dishes go, Linguine Clams works great alongside a Belgian Tripel while Grilled Swordfish pairs nicely with India Pale Ale.

Don’t forget about dessert either: Tiramisu goes well when matched up to Imperial Stout or Porter while Cannoli will be enhanced by sipping on something like Belgian Dubbel or Gelato which can be enjoyed better still when brought into harmony by Kölsch or Blonde ale respectively.

Serve A Selection Of Beer Types To Pair With Each Dish

When hosting a beer and Italian cuisine pairing party, it is important to serve a selection of beer types so that you can find the perfect beer for each dish. Beer can be used to bring out the flavor of different Italian dishes or offer an unexpected contrast.

For a classic cheese pizza, pair with an American Pale Ale for added hop bitterness and carbonation that pairs nicely with tomato sauce. A Margherita Pizza should be paired with Dry-hopped Amber Ale, which adds notes of citrus and fruit for a complex flavor profile.

Spaghetti and meatballs gets its own balancing act when served up with Red or Brown Ale, offering crisp maltiness without being too heavy; while Chicken Parmesan finds richness alongside Belgian Dubbel–it even highlights sweet notes in mozzarella cheese.

Lasagna fares particularly well against Robust Porter where dark chocolate aromas tie it all together perfectly! Carbonara gains complexity when served alongside Cream Ale while Bolognese benefits from Rich Amber Ale provided by its mellow malts and subtle hoppy aromas.

Encourage Guests To Try Different Pairings

When hosting a beer and Italian cuisine pairing party, it is important to encourage your guests to try different pairings.

Trying new pairings not only enhances the dining experience but it also opens up the possibility of discovering new favorite combinations.

Examples of popular Italian dishes that can be paired with unique beers include classic cheese pizza and American pale ale, original

Margherita pizza and dry-hopped amber ale, spaghetti and meatballs with red or brown ale etc. Beer has complexity of flavor which makes it ideal for food pairing according to Master Beer Sommelier Brad Thomas.

With non-alcoholic pairings such as juices and sodas being just as enthralling for Italian cuisine as beer, everyone at your gathering will find something they enjoy drinking while sampling delicious dishes from Italy’s many regions.

FAQs on The Best Beer for Italian Food

Conclusion And Final Thoughts On Perfect Beer Pairings With Italian Cuisine

Pairing beer with Italian cuisine is an art that requires patience, creativity and experimentation. There is a wide variety of beers available to pair with the vast range of flavors found in Italy’s iconic dishes from creamy carbonaras to classic margherita pizzas.

An important factor when considering beer pairings for Italian food lies in selecting the proper balance between light and fruity or robust and malty beers.

For example, lagers are perfect companions to Neapolitan pizza while Belgian tripels enhance clams linguine dishes.

Understanding regional specialties also matters for instance, light-bodied ales such as American pale ale works well with cheese pizza while dark hoppy amber ales make great accompaniments for paninis packed with pesto or marinara sauces.

With its subtle acidity, farmhouse-style ale can cut through the heavier tomatoes used in traditional pasta recipes without overpowering other ingredients present like garlic or onions.