From hot Thai curries to burning chili con carne. You find spicy recipes all over the world and no matter what burning meal you’re having for dinner, there will be a beer to match it. Here we’ve collected some of our favourite tips to successfully pair spicy food and beer.  

To make the perfect food and beer pairing you need to take a closer look at the dish you’re about to serve. Think about the flavours hiding in it and see if you can find a beer that contains elements of those flavours. If you’re cooking up a fragrant, spicy Thai curry with coriander and lime then look towards fruity New England style IPAs that share the citrusy aromatics of the dish. But be careful of IPAs with high ABV and extra bitter punch if your dish is already bordering on “too spicy”. Alcohol will enhance the burning sensation and the same goes for bittering hops.

If you are making a hot goulash or chili con or sin carne, then head for a not too hoppy brown ale. And if you don’t know what you’re making, but just need it to be spicy then stock up on dark lagers, schwarzbiers, and amber ales. If your beer is brown, not too hoppy and not too boozy chances are it will work with almost any spicy dish you end up pairing it with. Bon appetit.