It’s round about time I started talking about pairing, like I promised to a couple weeks ago. I thought I’d start off by talking about wheat beers.

Hefeweizen, American Wheat Ale, and Witbier
Each of these styles has its own defining characteristics, but in general, these wheat beers are light in color and flavor, low in hop bitterness, with a distinctive yeast character.

Lighter foods go best with these beers, such as salads and delicate seafood. If you tried to pair one of these beers with full-flavored food, the beer would be completely overpowered.

Cheeses eaten alongside these beers should also be delicate in flavor, like mozzarella or mascarpone.

Most wheat beers have a fruitiness to them that’s inherent to the style. Hefeweizen has a banana element produced by the German Weizen yeast, and Belgian Witbiers are often brewed with orange peel. Therefore, these styles tend to pair well with fruity desserts. So try something like fruit trifle or strawberry short cake.

Dunkelweizen and Weizenbock
These have similar fruity, yeasty characteristics to the lighter wheat styles, but with much more dark, malty sweetness.

This sweetness matches well with the carmelized flavors in roasted meats. Try these styles with roasted chicken or pork, or a hearty sausage.

For cheese, go with a tangy goat cheese, or perhaps a nutty smoked Gouda to counteract and balance the sweetness.

Rich, fruity desserts will work well here. Try something carmelized, like banana flambé or carmelized apple.

Take home message:
Fruitiness goes well with fruitiness. Light should be paired with light. Sweet maltiness goes great with carmelization. Tangy foods balance intense maltiness.