​Although the number one rule of beer pairing is “There are no rules”, there are still some general guidelines to follow if you want to find your perfect pairing. The first decision to make is whether you want to pull out complementary or contrasting flavors. For example, do you want to find a beer that cuts through the richness of your favorite dish (contrasting)? Or would you like to find a beer that highlights the complex spices of your dish (complementary)?
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Whether you want to offset certain distinguishable flavor elements in a dish, or you want to focus on similar flavors in the beer and food to form one easily identifiable flavor profile, the choice is yours. And you’ll find as you begin to pair beers with food that the options are plentiful. There really is no one right answer. Soon, we’ll visit the next step in the beer pairing process.