PERFECT PAIRINGS – PUNK IPA

When you sit back and think about the best kinds of food to eat alongside your favourite beer of choice, chances are classic pub staples or bar snacks come to mind. But in reality the variety that beer has leaves the door open to so many alternatives. Sure, a pint and a packet of crisps is always going to be welcomed – but the flavours beer brings can run with a diversity of different options when it comes to mealtime. And the best way to illustrate that?

By turning an entire meal over to the pairing with Punk IPA.

Our flagship beer was the very first brew created by James and Martin in Fraserburgh and has gone on to become the number one selling craft beer in the United Kingdom. It is hugely versatile when it comes to food pairing; for those looking to get to grips with the nuances of matching, a great way to begin is by creating a menu along the lines of the one below. These dishes showcase a huge range of flavours and textures, and keeping the same beer throughout really gives the subtleties a chance to shine through.

So, Step 1 - Pick up our legendary Punk IPA from our online shop.

Step 2 - Once you're fully stocked, start things off with…the starter!

Starter – Five-Spice Ribs

Few global cuisines do the introductory course quite like Chinese food. From hot and sour soups to spring rolls that crack and splinter when you bite into them – but one of the most moreish has to be spiced ribs. There isn’t a dish that makes you wish you’d ordered it as a main instead of a starter more than this one – with the hoisin, garlic, soy, ginger and five spice they pack a punch. But for rich, aromatic foods like these ribs, Punk IPA has a bitterness that amplifies and lifts this amazing umami payload. Plus the beer will clean out the palate from the finger-licking fatty meat!

Fish Course – Mackerel and Salsa Verde

We all know that IPA works with hard-hitting foods, but the reason that Punk stands up to a range of different options can be demonstrated on the fish course. So find a use for those strange little fish knives in your dinner service by knocking up a mackerel dish. This particular fish can be difficult to pair as it has a delicate flavour but also carries a fair amount of oiliness (Chinese ribs not majoring in Omega 3). Punk again has the match – the hop zing works wonders with the herbal salsa but the real keynote is how that bitterness wipes away the oiliness of the fish with every mouthful.

Main Course – Curry

Although IPA and curry has been done to death, there’s a reason why it is so fascinating. Indian Pale Ale and the food of that part of the world may be a slam-dunk, but it is worthy of a place on your Punk-athon for one particular reason. Curry heat is balanced by caramel flavours from the malt bill, but it is also emphasised by hop bitterness. Yes – IPA makes your curry hotter. Try Punk with a spicy curry, and discover how the hopload makes each mouthful hotter before the malt bill arrives to calm everything down. You don’t get that moment of transition with wine!

Dessert – Citrus Crème Brûlée

Barrel-aged beers and pudding go really well together, but for a pairing that doesn’t leave you needing to loosen your belt by a notch, whip up an orange or lemon Crème Brûlée and have at it with Punk IPA. The citrus is an obvious bedfellow for the blast of hop-led grapefruit and pineapple from the beer, but the match also works on two other levels. Firstly, the bitterness of the beer stands up to the Crème – and secondly the caramel notes from the malt complement the glaze of the Brûlée. If you never dreamed of reaching for an IPA once the main had departed – think again.

Punk IPA is the very best introduction to the philosophy we hold dear here at BrewDog – the way that the four fundamentals of beer can be brought together, balanced and leave you wanting more. But at the same time Punk is also a perfect introduction to the principles of beer and food pairing. Don’t take our word for it – pick a selection of dishes like these and try it for yourself!

And if you have any perfect pairings for Punk, let us know in the comments below!