The Perfect Ale For Balancing The Heat Of Spicy Dishes

Beer and spicy foods pair together naturally, as anybody sitting over a plate of buffalo wings and a full pint glass will happily tell you. Lighter, refreshing lagers are considered a good way to wash down spicy foods without messing up their flavors. Still, there are some craft beer fans who prefer an ale with a stronger, fuller flavor rather than the mild, golden notes of a lager. Unfortunately, ales don't always have such a great reputation for pairing with spicy foods as they don't always wash down that spice so easily. If you know what to look for, however, there are ales out there which work with spice instead of against it.

To get some expert beer pairing advice, Chowhound spoke exclusively with Stephen Alexander, the head of sales and marketing at Tall City Brewing Company in Midland, Texas, as well as a member of the Texas Craft Brewers Guild. According to Alexander, spicy dishes should be served alongside "ales with a touch of sweetness," and he includes amber ales, wheat ales, and brown ales as great examples. What makes lightly sweet ales work? As Alexander notes, "The malt sweetness in these ales helps neutralize the heat and provides a contrast to the spiciness. Additionally, fruity or low-ABV ales with less hop bitterness won't intensify the spice but will instead offer a refreshing counterbalance."

It makes plenty of sense that sweeter beers fit with spicy foods. The two flavors seem like opposites, but it's a classic pairing. Spice has this ability to trigger pain receptors in our mouths without necessarily causing pain, instead releasing endorphins. When this gets mixed with sweet sugar's ability to sooth the more intense aspects of that sensation, it makes for a pleasant chemical reaction in your mouth. If sweet ales are your go-to antidote for spice, then what should you avoid?

According to Stephen Alexander, it's those fancy yet pungent India Pale Ales (IPAs). "Avoid highly hoppy or bitter ales, like IPAs or double IPAs, as the bitterness can amplify the perception of heat," he says. IPAs may pair with citrus drinks well because of their ability to cut through citrus, but when it comes to the capsaicin — the compound that gives chili peppers their kick – the bitter alpha acids inside of beer hops will react with capsaicin and unpleasantly amplify it. Similarly, Alexander also suggests avoiding beer with a high alcohol content. "The alcohol can intensify the burn from spicy foods by increasing capsaicin's effect on your taste buds." It's one thing to want spicier foods, but these beers will only amplify the burn.