Wedged between the blonde and the stout ales lie the amber and reds. The name refers primarily to the copper-coloured tones that signify light sweetness, spice or nuts, hints of caramel and a balance between malt and hops. Ambers and reds tend to be easy drinking, flavourful, but not overpowering and are generally brewed to be a session beers – ones that you can drink all night. Is there a better kind?
One to Try
Sam Adams Octoberfest Ale, Boston USA
Deep amber colour with a full-body and toasted-caramel flavour. Well balanced between sweetness, malt and hops. Great for pairing with fall soups, roasted vegetables and braised meats.
Stouts and Porters
These beers are rich, dark and full-bodied and can range from sweet to dry but are usually bitter with intense malt flavours and caramel aromas. There are several different types of stout including dry or Irish (think Guinness) and Imperial (a high alcohol stout first shipped to the Czars of Russia). Then there are others that use a wide range of foodstuffs in the brewing process such as milk, oatmeal, chocolate, coffee and even oysters.
Irish stew, venison, pheasant or other hearty dishes compliment stouts and porters exceptionally well, but you might also want to try one with raw oysters or other shellfish for a truly unique flavour pairing.
Despite their heavy feel stouts can be surprisingly low in alcohol and calories. A pint of Guinness weighs in at 210 calories (pint of orange juice has 220) and just 4.2% alcohol.
One to try
McAuslan St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout, Quebec
Serve this dark, chocolate and coffee flavoured stout with steak frites, kidney pie or a hearty stew.
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Ryan and Dave are the authors of Cooking with Booze. For more beer-related pairings and advise visit www.cookingwithbooze.com.
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