Beer has been around for quite a long time. It dates back to sometime around 4000 BCE, it is one of mankind’s oldest drinks and one of the most consumed alcoholic beverages in the world.
It is made majorly with yeast-fermented malt and flavored with hops.
Although brewing started in Iran sometime around 3500 BCE, history has it that beer started with the ancient Chinese in a small village of Jiahu. According to history beer was first brewed by the ancient Chinese in 7000 BCE.
India has a very rich cuisine, although Indian dishes originated in India and are native to Indians, made with locally sourced ingredients like herbs, fruits, vegetables and spices, these foods have captured the hearts of food lovers all over the world, these foods vary depending on climatic conditions, occupation soil, ethnicity, etc.
Indians a greatly influenced by religion and so is their food, they prioritize a healthy lifestyle and it is seen in their food.
Some popular Indian dishes are Chicken Makhani made with Butter and Chicken, Samosas made with Potato/Veggie Dumpling, Aloo Gobi made with Potato and Cauliflower, Matar Paneer made with Peas and Cooked Cottage Cheese, Tandoori Chicken made with Chicken Marinated In Yogurt and Spices.
If you are an Indian food lover like myself you would be interested in this list of the best Indian food and beer combo. Beer and food taste great when consumed alone, but a combination of both gives a distinct and satisfying experience. Let’s go, shall we?
Blonde Ales
Blonde Ales is one of the simplest and most popular beers today with an average alcohol content of between 3.5% to 5.0%. It is light crips, It combines a slightly malty taste and sweetness with mild bitterness, Its simplicity makes it a good choice for those who are tasting beer for the first time they are also known for being delicious.
They are easy to drink and refreshing too. A combination of this simple drink goes well with simple food, nothing too heavy, food with less spiciness like salads and vegetables, for example, appetizers and seafood.
Indian Food that Blends well with Blonde Ale are;
- Saag Paneer which is mostly leafy greens
- Butter chicken which is a gently spiced curry dish always goes best with blonde Ales.
Blonde Ales are a very popular brand of beer, every beer store would have them and you can easily find them.
Top Blonde Ale Brands are;
- Citra from Tree House Brewing Company
- Keller Kolsch from McKenzie Brewing Company Kirby by the Echo Brewing Company
- German Blonde Ale by Bemidji Brewing Company The Sweetwater 420 by Sweetwater Brewing Company
India Pale Ales
These beers are Hoppy and known for having a bitter taste and fruity flavor, it is brewed with malt, yeast, and hops which is the dominant flavor. Even though they have a rich flavor they are not heavy beer, it’s average alcohol content is between 5.5% to 7.5%.
The IPA focuses more on hops and extra hops are used in the brewing process hence giving the extra bitter taste than a pale ale. Its IBU (international bittering unit) is between 30-50. The Indian pale ale is quite popular.
Top India Pale Ales brands are;
- Port Brewing Wipeout IPA
- Magnolia Brewing Co.
- Proving Ground IPA
- Interboro Premiere IPA
- Kern River Citra Double IPA
The unique bitter taste of this beer makes it go well with oil-rich Indian food, mostly fried foods, if you like spices this is a combination you would want to try. India is home to exotic fried foods.
Indian Dish that Blends Well with Indian Pale Ales are;
- Pakoras which are made with egg, coarse onions or cauliflower, and vegetables,
- Medhu vada which is made with Ural dal which is deep fried after preparation,
- Samosas is a wrapper made of flour and layered with different fillings before being wrapped and then fried in oil.
Wheat Beers
Wheat beer is a beer with wheat as its major content, mostly malted barley, at least 30% of wheat is used in the brewing process. These types of drink are hazy with a creamy texture, some brands make them without hops, and it isn’t bitter, unlike the Hoppy drinks which makes them easy to consume.
4 Popular Wheat Beer Brands are;
- Väsen Brewing Company Hefeweizen
- Moonraker Brewing Co. Bone Frog
- Mikerphone Brewing Bass Cannon
- King Harbor Brewing Co Permanent Vacation.
Its ABV is 3.5% – 5.6% and its international bittering unit is 10-35. These categories of beer can be combined with spicy dishes and you would get excellent results.
It is a light beer that can be matched with seafood,
Indian Dishes That Goes Well With Wheat Beer are;
- Prawn Koliwada is a prawn dish garnished with yogurt, corn flour, lemon juice, and more chili peppers.
- Karimeen pollichathu is made with pearl fish in banana leaves and garnished with onions, ginger, tomatoes, green chili peppers, chili powder, garlic, turmeric, vinegar, and curry, also Bombil Fry which is made with lizardfish, lemon juice, salt, and turmeric.
Amber Ale Brown Ales
Amber ale is named after the color of amber of the beer, the beer is made with additions of caramel and crystal malt which give its amber color. The caramel and crystal malt is roasted which gives it its unique flavor.
The American ale has American hops which give it bitterness with a blend of citrus and pine. Its ABV (alcohol by volume percent) is between 5.5% – 7.0%, and different brewers add their unique flavors to it.
Examples of Brown Ale Brand are;
- Tommyknocker Brewery Small Patch Pumpkin Harvest Ale
- Anderson Valley Brewing Company Brother David’s Double Abbey-Style Ale and Jackie O’s Brewery Evelyn (85).
The amber ale and a combo of heavy dishes are the best. It has a rich malt content which means it would do well with spicy food and dishes as well as rich sweet and creamy dishes. A dish with grilled meat and vegetable root would also complement the Brown ales.
Indian Dishes That Blends Well with Brown Ale are;
- Shashlik Chicken Tikka which is grilled with vegetables,
- Afghani Chicken Kebab
- Beef Chapli Kebab.
Stouts And Porters
Stouts are brewed with unmalted barley, and they are known for being dark and roasted, stouts may come in creamy, sweet, bitter, dry, nutty, or fruity forms, the difference in form is a result of the ingredients used in the brewery process.
There are different types of stout, there is dry Irish stout, Imperial Stout, Pastry Stout, Coffee Stout, Oatmeal Stout, Milk Stout, and Barrel-Aged Stout.
Porters on the other hand are made with malted barley. Porters have a lighter color than barley, just like stouts, porters also have different forms; there are brown porters, Robust Porter and Baltic Porter.
These brews are heavy and will do great when combined with a meaty meal. If you like spicy food you can pair them with one of these heavy beers, dry stouts taste best with a rich sauce.
Examples of Food That Blends Well With Stouts and Porters are;
- Andhra Chilli Chicken. It is made with deep-fried chicken garnished with green chili
- Rista is lamb meat garnished with tomato, garlic, and red chili
- Chicken Chettinad is chicken cooked in black peppercorn, fresh coconut, cumin seeds, coriander, and other spice.
Kolsch and Lagers
Kolsch comes from Germany and it is fermented with ale yeast, it is a light beer and easy to consume.
Lagers are light-colored and carbonated beer and bubbly. They are easy to drink and very popular beers, you can find these brands of beer at every party.
The popularity of lager beer brands varies from country to country,
Some Lager Beer Brands are;
- Pilsner Urquell (Czech Republic)
- Eliot Ness (USA)
- Augustiner Bräu Lagerbier Hell (Germany)
- Dos Equis Amber (Mexico)
- Budweiser (Nigeria)
Because these types of beers are light and have a refreshing taste they can go well in a combo with light to mild Indian foods like salads, butter chicken, vegetables, coconut and cashew curries, etc. These light meals would need a light beer that would help enhance the taste of the light dish.
Examples of Indian Food That Goes With Kolsches are;
- Spicy Indian Cucumber Salad. This is a cucumber salad garnished with pepper flakes, peanuts, coconut oil, sugar, lime juice, and salt.
- Beetroot Salad Recipe (Poriyal) The main ingredient of this is beetroot seasoned with garlic, ginger, cumin, and a little citrus.
- Indian Tomato Salad with Mint Dressing. This is a mixture of tomato and red onion sliced with citrus
- Fruit Custard Recipe. It is made with fruit and creamy custard.
- Avocado Salad. Avocado salad is a blend of avocado onion and tomato.
English Bitter Ale
This drink has different colors depending on the ingredients used and the brewing process it could vary from gold to amber. Its typical alcohol content is 3.5% to 5.5%, it is slightly bitter but has a moderate flavor.
It is made from fermented ale yeast and hops which gives it a bitter taste to balance the malt.
The Top 6 Brands of English Bitter Ale are;
- Belhaven Brewery Belhaven Best
- Bath Ales Gem
- Doorset Brewery Company Jurassic
- Fallen Acorn Brewery Pompey Royal
- Wye Valley Butty Bach
- Allendale Brewery Wagtail
Most rich dishes would go perfectly with this, the fact that it isn’t carbonated makes it great for rich flavor dishes, heavy in meat, chicken, lentils, and fish.
The Top 5 Dish That Combine Well With English Bitter Ale are;
- Galouti kebab. The dish is a ground lamb seasoned with ginger, cloves, garlic, papaya, poppy seeds, peppercorns, black cardamom, cinnamon, mace, coconut, cardamom, nutmeg, and chili powder.
- Pasanda. It is made with yogurt-marinated lamb seasoned with tomato, ginger, onion, turmeric, and currianda.
- Nihari. It is made with slowly prepared meat like chicken or beef combined with cumin, Masala, and other spices
- Chicken 65 Is a poultry-rich dish combined with ginger, lemon, and other spices.
- Keema Is a stew rich in goat meat, green peas, potato ginger, garlic, and other spices.
Barley Wine
Barley Wines are beer. They are made from sugar gotten from grain, it is a strong ale with an alcohol volume of 6.5% to 12%, it has an IBU of 35 to 70 it has caramel and yeast flavors. It is made with a lot of malts and it has a rich copper color.
The Top 5 Barley Wines are
- Copper Kettle Brewing Well Bred Barleywine
- Verboten Brewing Grow Old With You: Grand Reserve (85)
- Tampa Bay Brewing Co-Production Brewery Moosekiller (85)
- Reuben’s Brews Barnacles (86)
- Pontoon Brewing Company Business Time (86)
Berley wine is a good dessert beer its bitter taste is a great combination with dessert giving you a whole new taste experience.
The Top 5 Popular Indian Dessert That Blends With Berley Wine are;
- Gajar Ka Halwa. It is a pudding of carrots, dried fruit, sugar, and milk.
- Ras Malai. The ingredients for this are milk, Channa, Kesar, and sugar
- Khaja. Made with flour, ghee, and sugar
- Kheer. The ingredients for this are rice, nuts, raisins, milk, and sugar.
- Indian Carrot Pudding. It is a combination of carrots, ghee, sugar, nuts, and milk.
Conclusion
Indians are known for numerous dishes, desserts, appetizers, main courses, veggies, etc. No matter the type of Indian dish you favor there is a beer to go with it.
Not all beer would go with every Indian dish, it is important to know this in order not to get burned in the mouth or ruin your meal and appetite.
However just as is contained in this article the right combination of beer and Indian food can give you a great taste and enhance the flavor of the meal.
There are a lot of other beers and many many Indian meals which would still blend.
We hope you try these handpicked selections we made in this article, and we hope this article has enlightened you and made you want to give some of these blends a try. Enjoy!
