Pairings | Beer & cider

5 wine and beer pairings for shepherd’s pie

Posted by Fiona Beckett on November 14 2023 at 07:39

You’ll always find people argue about shepherd’s pie but in my view it should be made with lamb rather than beef (that’s cottage pie) and with very little, if any tomato - apart from maybe a dash of ketchup for sweetness.

Traditionally it was a frugal dish to finish up the Sunday roast, made with leftover lamb and gravy - and and any leftover vegetables that were going. I personally think it’s better made with fresh lamb mince but still like it kept simple and old-fashioned - a little onion, a little carrot, maybe a few peas, a touch of gravy or roast lamb pan juices and some nice creamy mash.

In terms of the ideal pairing it’s a toss-up between beer and a dry medium-bodied red wine:

* a classic English ale like Timothy Taylor’s Landlord or, if you're not drinking, an alcohol-free beer like the Butcombe Goram IPA Zero I recommended in the Guardian

* Stout or porter also works well, particularly if you’ve used a slosh in the recipe

* Red rioja is always good with lamb. I’d go for a reserva with this plain kind of dish rather than a younger, more vivid crianza. The same applies to other oak-aged Spanish reds such as Valdepeñas.

* Inexpensive red Bordeaux - what used to be called a ‘lunchtime claret’ - is a great pairing. Again I’d opt for a more traditional style rather than one with higher alcohol and a lot of ripe fruit. It won’t do any harm to a more expensive mature claret either. Simple food is best with special wines.

* A southern French red like the ever-versatile Côtes-du-Rhône Villages or a named village wine like Vacqueyras is always a good match - with shepherd’s or cottage pie.

PS Look, I'm not saying you need a totally different type of wine for cottage pie but the filling often tends to be more like a bolognese sauce - or more tomatoey, at any rate. So check out my recommendations for spag bol or, if you go for one of the above wines maybe choose a more fruity or full-bodied version.

Image © istetiana at Adobe Stock.

Tags: beer Vacqueyras claret Côtes-du-Rhône shepherds pie red Bordeaux Rioja drink:red wine best bitter pale ale drink:beer & cider cottage pie food:beef & lamb shepherd's pie
Comments: 3

Wine, beer or cocktails - what’s the best match for a 4th July barbecue?

Posted by Fiona Beckett on July 3 2023 at 07:14

If you’re celebrating July 4th this week and haven’t yet made up your mind what to drink here are some last minute suggestions.

American BBQ has much more complex flavours than the typical British affair with sweet, sticky ribs and wings, smokey slow-cooked brisket and elaborately topped ‘dogs’ (there are some amazing topping ideas on the epicurious site).

Wine

To kick off with I’d offer a zesty sauvignon blanc or a refreshing riesling both of which would work the tangy dips that generally accompany an American barbecue and any seafood that is going on the grill. After than think in terms of a young fruity red with a bit of a kick: my choices would be syrah/shiraz or GSM (grenache/syrah/mourvèdre) blends, petite sirah or an inexpensive zinfandel.

Tip: Keep your reds cool. Even full-bodied reds can do with a short dunk in an ice-bucket.

Beer

Lager may be traditional but there are so many beers with fantastic flavours these days you can do much better than that. There are some great suggestions here and here. Crowd-pleasing options would be pale ales and IPAs but if you’re feeling more adventurous try German-style hefe-weisse, particularly with dogs and wings and porter with smoked brisket.

Cocktails

A mint julep would be the traditional July 4th cocktail though with peaches in season I prefer a softer, sweeter peach julep - a great match for sweet sticky ribs.

Non-alcoholic drinks

More and more people aren't drinking these days. Homemade lemonade and iced tea are popular choices: try this easy version from BBC Good Food. Floats are another great option - this watermelon soda float looks fabulously refreshing.

Wine, beer and other pairings with Mexican food

Posted by Fiona Beckett on May 5 2023 at 09:29

The thing you need to ask yourself when you’re wondering which wine - or other drink - to pair with Mexican food is what kind of Mexican. Authentic Mexican or Tex Mex?

If it’s the former you’ll need a wine that can handle the bright citrussy flavours. If it’s the cheese-laden latter you’d be be better off with a beer or robust red wine of which there are plenty made in Mexico these days though few make it to the UK.

It’s also a question of what type of Mexican meal - a few small sharing plates or a more substantial dish like a mole. Or possibly even both.

Here’s a simple guide:

Top pairings with Mexican food

Tacos, tostadas and dips like guacamole and salsa fresca

There tend to be a lot of bright citrus flavours in these types of dishes: crisp fresh whites like Sauvignon Blanc and Albarino work particularly well as do classic margaritas, wheat beers (especially witbiers) or citrussy pale ales. Fresh fruity non-alcoholic cocktails like this citrus fizz or watermelon or hibiscus-flavoured Agua Fresca are good matches too.

Six of the best drinks to pair with tacos

Tamalas and other dishes with masa harina

Chardonnay is great with corn.

Cheesy enchiladas or burritos

With a chicken enchilada I'd go for a pale ale or light smooth dry white like a chenin blanc or unoaked chardonnay. With beef enchiladas or burritos try an amber ale or a medium-bodied red like a young Rioja or other tempranillo, a garnacha or a Côte du Rhône or a Bonarda

Moles

Moles suit dark Mexican beers like Negra Modelo or other dark beers - maybe even a stout with a chocolatey mole. Winewise I'd favour robust but not over-tannic young reds such as Petite Sirah and Zinfandel. Slightly smoky, gamey reds such as mourvèdre (or GSM blends) and barbera work too. If you feel your mole could benefit from a bit more sweetness go for a Chilean cabernet or a riper style of zinfandel

Other slow braised dishes like carnitas

Barbera, malbec or syrah. Amber and dark ales and lagers

Mexican desserts such as churros and cajeta pancakes

With cajetas (caramelised goats milk pancakes) I’d go for a sweet muscat or late harvest sauvignon blanc. With churros I’d personally skip the wine and drink a black Americano coffee.

Image © marcos - Fotolia.com

6 of the best pairings for chilli con carne

Posted by Fiona Beckett on March 15 2023 at 07:55

Like many popular dishes chilli con carne has many different versions - some mild and child-friendly, others much more spicy and assertive and often a little smokey.

Beer in many way seems the best option but a big hearty red will see you right too:

* American- or Belgian-style Brown ale - I highlighted this pairing in a past ‘match of the week’ but have since discovered that the Norwegian brewery Nøgne Ø makes a terrific imperial brown ale that I think would be a great match for an authentic chilli

* A dark lager like the Mexican Negra Modelo

* A porter which has some smokiness of its own

* Zinfandel - keeping the American vibe going . . .

* Argentine Malbec or a Malbec blend - always a good solution for beef

* Inexpensive Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon - the ideal choice for supermarket ready meals.

Vegetarian chillis suit similar wines but possibly slightly less full-bodied versions.

Image © kab-vision - Fotolia.com

Tags: Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec blends Malbec Zinfandel porter drink:red wine imperial brown ale dark lager American-style brown ale drink:beer & cider chilli chilli con carne chili con carne chili beef food:beef & lamb
Comments: 3

The best wine and beer pairings for steak pie

Posted by Fiona Beckett on October 10 2021 at 06:52

As with many other pairings the best match for steak pie depends how you cook it and whether the sauce includes beer, stock or wine

If it’s beer as in a steak and ale pie the obvious answer is beer - a robust bitter or brown ale I suggest although you could use a strong Belgian ale like Orval or Chimay and if you prefer wine I've drunk old Bandol with steak pie with great success.

Porter and stout are also good pairings for a pie with a dark meaty gravy, especially if the same beer has been used in the sauce. As in this match with steak and stilton pie.

If you use red wine to make the pie that generally makes wine the better pairing. Again no reason why you shouldn’t drink a similar wine to the one you’ve used in the pie - a Corbières, Faugères or other Languedoc red would fit the bill perfectly.

If mushrooms are a feature as in a steak and mushroom pie you could consider a robust style of pinot noir such as those from Central Otago.

If you use stock in the pie which will result in a lighter, less intense gravy you could go either way - a lighter bitter or a medium bodied red like a red Bordeaux or a rioja crianza would all hit the spot.

Some traditional steak pies also include ox kidney which again makes for a richer dish. Again I'd have a marginal preference for a strong beer here though a robust red like a Malbec would also work.