Coopers Brewery has launched a beer and food-matching guide that will inspire home cooks to get the most out meals.
The Coopers Ale ’n Spice promotion can be found at alenspice.com.au and is relevant to both the on-premise trade and consumers who like to spice things up in the kitchen with a cold Coopers.
“Unlike lagers, naturally conditioned ales complement spice without extinguishing flavour,” Coopers National Sales and Marketing Director Cam Pearce said.
“Generally, the higher the international bitterness unit (IBU) in the Coopers Ale, the more it will enhance the spices in the food. Based on the experience of our expert brewers, there are a few strong connections which people can try.”
Mr Pearce says Coopers Mild Ale 3.5 per cent is medium to low on the bitterness range and pairs well with chicken and fish dishes with lots of cardamom, cumin and turmeric, while Coopers Original Pale Ale, with a mid-range IBU of 24, is perfect for enhancing heat without being too hot.
Coopers Sparkling Ale pairs well with mild, Asian-inspired dishes full of ginger and garlic and Coopers Stout, with a high IBU of 40, works beautifully with sweet desserts full of apple and cinnamon.
Mr Pearce said there were no right or wrong answers when it came to matching food and beer, but the suggested links provided a base from which people could start to experiment.