When pairing food with lager beers, you’ll need to pay attention to what kind of lager it is. Pale lagers go best with lighter foods such as crispy torillas filled with spicy Mexican foods or nachos with salsa and cheese. Darker lagers are more commonly served with meals, but can be consumed with some appetizers also.

Dark lagers are wonderful with saucy meals like beef stew, goulash and curries because they cut the heaviness of the sauces. A Vienna style lager is perfect for pork chops or beef tips in a heavy sauce like a blue cheese sauce or a hearty gravy. These dark lagers are also perfect with barbeque, beef dishes and German foods such smoked sausages.

Marinate ground beef in an American lager and then grill it as burgers. Serve it with a bottle of the same lager beer and you’ll have a great lunch at a cookout. Mexican lagers go well with spicy or Cajun food, while Japanese lagers hold up to sushi well. Amber lagers go well with fruity chocolate desserts.

Try the darker lagers with appetizers suitable for watching sports games. Bitter lagers will cut the saltiness of salty snacks. They are also excellent pairings with soft pretzels and mustard sauces or rich cheese sauces, making them an excellent football party beer choice.

Lagers are the most commonly consumed beers in the world. They are popular because they are so versatile and go well with many foods. If you aren’t sure what beer to serve with a dish, a lager is a good guess. Your guest has most likely tried it before and will probably be familiar with this kind of beer. Unlike stouts or porters, which may truly clash with a food, lagers are pretty amenable to most food items.