Jofa Guy wrote:So, do you folks believe that Saison's are the best food pairing beers? Obviously it depends on the food, IPA's being good for fried seafood for example, however on an overall basis? If so, what foods pair well with Saison's?
Like I said, I think it's a perfect beer to have with almost any meal because it is extremely dry and usually fairly highly carbonated. That makes it especially good for boldly flavored food, fatty foods, and spicy foods. I just love its ability to quench and cleanse when I'm eating something big on flavor, fat, or spice. And many good examples of the style do this while possessing a medium body, so it feels good in your mouth too.
On a more nuanced level, I think the key is to make use of the peppery spiciness. I love Saison Dupont and scallops. Same is really true for SD or any other classic style saison and other seafood dishes. You can probably get even more complex with all the great domestic options available that push the traditional flavor profile in a lot of different directions--all the way from fruity, even bubblegummy, to herbal and grassy. 21st Amendment Sneak Attack has a lemon/dill component that would probably be nice to pair with something that could use those flavors. Brooklyn Sorachi Ace is another saison with a strong lemon/citrus presence. Then you have all of the "wild" saisons that use brettanomyces--great with cheeses that play well with the funk and the ultimate beer for pairing with super fatty meals, imo. Something like a fatty seafood mac and cheese heavy on truffle oil makes for an incredible counterpoint to the acridity of the sour and funky brett flavor, while also sharing some similar earthy components.
