Expert Tips for Pairing Food With Beer

By Mathew Powers

The most interesting man in the world reminds Dos Equis fans to “stay thirsty.”

Well, that’s pretty easy for anyone sitting down to a meal. For instance, Dos Equis Ambar serves as a wonderful accompaniment to a variety of Mexican dishes. Although truth be told, Ambar is a robust classic-style Vienna lager with a full body. But, as Chef Jeff Bolton, executive chef of Kachina Southwestern Grill in suburban Denver explains, “The balanced touch of bitterness pairs so well with spicy.” That may be why 84% of Dos Equis Ambars are consumed fresh from the tap — it’s a beer that rounds out a meal exceptionally well. Indeed, Dos Equis Ambar also pairs well burritos, guac and chips, arepas, tacos and fajitas, steak dishes, and mole.

Bolton notes, “At Kachina Southwestern Grill I would suggest pairing it with our Pork Posole. It has a deep pork flavor, lots of layers of spice from the chilies that we use, and also has good acidity from the fresh lime juice.”

The combination of Dos Equis Ambar and Mexican dishes coincides with a growing appreciation and popularity of Mexican and Latin foods.

Bolton explains, “I think that the younger dining crowd appreciates the simplicity of Mexican cooking. I think that diners have come to appreciate the more ‘exquisite’ foods of Mexico and flavors that they refused to appreciate before. Everyone knows a good taco, but not everyone can appreciate an amazing black mole that takes days to create and evolve into the amazing dish that it is. I think the younger generation is more adventurous than ever before to get out and try new things that they have never tried before. They also are not afraid to pay for good food and experiences.”

However, Dos Equis Ambar isn’t just for Mexican food. Ambar is exceptionally versatile and can be paired with any number of meals. Rick Colomitz, husband and business partner to Chef Kelly Liken, discussed Dos Equis pairings as part of their new Vail, Colorado, restaurant, Harvest by Kelly Liken.

He stated, “Dos Equis Ambar is a light bodied, clean, crisp style beer. We love pairing our food with this style of beer because it’s not as rich and heavy as some other styles of beer. This lighter profile enables delicious beer pairings with our delicate food dishes.” He added, “Fried green tomatoes with creamy shrimp salad, pickled green tomato slaw, and honey and green tomato vinaigrette is the perfect pairing with Dos Equis. I also love this beer with dishes that have a little heat or spicy profile, like our grilled chicken wings or the Pot Roasted Red Bird Chicken, braised chicken thighs, sweet and hot peppers, Italian sausage, fingerling potatoes, fresh basil.”

It also pairs well with seafood. For instance, Colomitz explained,

“On our shellfish menu, it’s hard to find a better beer and food pairing than The Smoked Rocky Mountain Trout with frisée, crisp potatoes, kalamata olives, haricot vert, hard cooked egg, sherry balsamic vinaigrette, and horseradish cream. Most other beers would simply overpower this dish, but this lager is a delicious accompaniment.“

We are in the era of connoisseurship – wine, mixology, food, and beer. That trend towards appreciating good food and flavorful libations is partly why Dos Equis draft sales have grown 250% since 2009. People enjoy well-made food, and people love washing it down with a Dos Equis Ambar.

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