If there is one thing that even the most seasoned craft beer and food authorities can’t get on the same page about, it’s the interplay of hops and spice. We often say hops work with spice very well—true! But spice can mean different things in different situations, much like the presence of hops. Hops can—and do—provide a bitter taste. Also, hops can be hoppy, pertaining to a hop-like character, whether in flavor (not the same as taste) or aroma. Spice also has a dual meaning. Often we say IPAs are classically paired with curry or carrot cake. Both are “spicy,” but only one is generally thought of as being hot from the capsaicin. See where things can get confusing?
So do hops work well with dishes that include spices or dishes that are spicy–or both? Well, just in time for #IPAday, Boston Beer, makers of Sam Adams, teamed up with the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) to investigate at least one of these theories. They even offer some good ideas for pairing IPAs with your favorite pub fare!
“As a brewer and self-proclaimed foodie, one of my favorite things to do is pair our beers with food,” writes Jennifer Glanville of Boston Beer. “In fact, many brewers have a theory about pairing IPAs with food: the bitterness in hops affects the heat in spicy food.”
Glanville and the CIA team paired and described three West Coast-style IPAs in their Rebel family—Rebel IPA, Rebel Rider Session IPA and Rebel Rouser Double IPA—alongside a single recipe of medium-hot Buffalo wings.
You can read the results of their meeting by reading: Fire Up #IPAday with a Spicy Pairing! I find the results useful in deciding what type of IPA I want to pair with my wings on #IPAday (Thursday, August 6). However, I do have a couple questions about their results.
On CraftBeer.com, we say that hop bitterness emphasizes heat, but alcohol does the same. So in the case of this test, how can we be sure that the 8.4 percent ABV of the Rebel Rouser isn’t the real reason for the perceived increase in heat rather than the 85 IBUs? At what levels do these variables become significant?
I’m excited to see the Culinary Institute of America on the case, but I’m not sure the discussion has been put to bed. I know for my personal taste, I try to avoid pairing spicy (capsaicin) dishes with beers that are both high ABV and IBUs, but enjoy pairing all types of IPAs with dishes that are spiced significantly, like carrot cake and IPA.
What are your favorite pairings that combine hops and heat? What foods should we be enjoying with our favorite IPA on #IPAday?
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