Summer cooking is all about showcasing fresh produce, grilled meats and bright, refreshing flavors—and, preferably, doing so outdoors. Whether you’ve got a green thumb or a red nose from seasonal allergies, fresh herbs are an easy, low-calorie way to bring a bright pop of flavor and color to virtually any warm-weather dish. Not coincidentally, beers that display herbal and floral flavors pair beautifully alongside dishes with an herbal accompaniment. Which beers should you focus on? Let’s first define what an herb is.
Both herbs and spices come from plants prized for the flavors that their aromatic, essential oils add to food. Herbs are the leaves of said plants while spices are a broader category that includes other parts of the plant—including seeds, roots, bark, flowers, pods, etc. In short, if it looks like a leaf, it’s probably an herb.
So, what kinds of beers pair well with herb-centric dishes? Bright hops, brewing spices and yeast-driven flavors all tend to resonate with fresh herbs. In general, it’s easy to create a complementary flavor relationship by focusing on beers that have bright, fresh flavors that could be described as herbal, floral and/or fruity.
Need more inspiration? Here are eight common herbs found fresh in your grocery store’s produce department along with beer pairing suggestions that are sure to lend some seasonal freshness to your next picnic or barbecue.
Cilantro + Blue Moon Belgian White Belgian-Style Wheat Ale
This pairing makes perfect sense because the Blue Moon Belgian White is brewed with a spice called coriander seed—traditionally used in Belgian Witbiers. If you plant coriander seed, you’ll grow cilantro. The leaves and seeds may taste quite different, but they both lend a decidedly floral, almost perfumy quality to dishes. Blue Moon Belgian White’s subtle sweetness deals very well with heat from chiles, and its coriander and orange peel aromas meld beautifully with many Latin American and Southeast Asian dishes in which cilantro is commonly found.
Rosemary + Terrapin Hopsecutioner IPA
Rosemary is woody and fragrant with almost resinous, pine-like aromas that complement hearty, savory dishes like roasted beef, pork, lamb and potatoes. Because it can be an aggressively flavored herb, it’s advisable to partner rosemary with a fairly assertive beer like Terrapin Hopsecutioner IPA. Hop-derived notes of grapefruit in the beer create a combination that resembles the classic blend of rosemary and citrus, and toasty malt flavors approximate the deep, roasted characters in rosemary-friendly dishes.
Mint + Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy Weiss Beer with Natural Lemonade Flavor
Lemon and mint: what more do you need to know? This refreshing flavor partnership is popular in everything from cocktails to summer desserts. The refreshing nature of mint is contrasted beautifully by the bright acidity and floral aromas of lemon. The spritzy carbonation of Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy is the unsung hero of this pairing—elevating the aromatics of mint to another level. Try adding mint to a salad of ripe melon, feta and toasted nuts, then crack open some Summer Shandy and watch the compliments roll in.
Lemongrass + Saint Archer Blonde Ale
If there’s an herb on this list that folks may not be very familiar with, it’s likely lemongrass. Traditionally used in Indian and Southeast Asian cuisines, its bright, floral and (not surprisingly) lemony aroma lends itself to a wide array of applications. To showcase this herb’s potential, stick with a flavorful beer that’s not too intense. Saint Archer Blonde Ale is a Kölsch-style ale, reminiscent of a Pilsner but fermented with ale yeast (as opposed to lager yeast). The authentic German ale strain lends complementary notes of fruit and white wine, while German hops provide some soft notes of dried flowers.
Parsley + Peroni Nastro Azzurro
Although basil may be the most predictable partner for an Italian beer, parsley is the ideal herb to pair with this firmly bitter, dry lager. The slightly earthy, peppery nature of parsley elevates the hop bitterness of Peroni (which is already slightly more pronounced compared to many other well-known European imports). Look to serve this combo with dishes that include generous amounts of fruity olive oil and meaty, salty cheeses, like Parmesan and Romano. The combo’s soft but pronounced bitterness—combined with a brisk carbonation level—helps to cut through palate-coating flavors and will help to make the fourth bite just as impactful as the first. Salute!
Chives + Hop Valley Citrus Mistress IPA
This is an intriguing and, perhaps for some, counterintuitive pairing. It’s not entirely uncommon for a more aggressively hopped American IPA to display aromas that are described as onion, garlic or chive-like. Although these characteristics can be considered desirable at low levels, they aren’t necessarily something you want to accentuate in every occasion. Citrus Mistress’s addition of grapefruit peel brightens up the hop aromatics and takes them in a fruitier direction; this prevents the earthy, slightly sulfury notes of chive from overpowering. Additionally, the generous amount of Munich malt used in the beer lends a toastiness that complements the savory nature of chives in a delicious way.
Thyme + Pilsner Urquell
A versatile and underutilized herb, thyme can play as well with hearty meat-and-potatoes fare as it can with light salads, delicate seafood and even the occasional dessert. Pilsner Urquell, the original Czech pilsner, works wonderfully with this adaptable herb because it too can play on both sides of the flavor spectrum (bright/fresh vs. dark/rich). The herbal, almost cedar-like aroma of Saaz hops resonate in a big way with thyme’s perfumy earthiness. Try finishing your next grilled pork chop or chicken breast with a squeeze of lemon juice and chopped, fresh thyme.
Dill + Revolver Bock
Dill isn’t just for pickles, folks! This distinct herb lends savory but fresh notes to seafood, eggs and dairy alike. German and Nordic dishes often feature this flavorful yet perishable herb, and it’s no coincidence that these cultures also celebrate rich, malty beers. The green, slightly anise-like aroma of dill provides a pleasing contrast to a deep, toasty, dark lager like German-inspired Revolver Bock. Moderate smoky, savory flavors pleasantly contrast the bready malt sweetness of the beer while Revolver’s rendition of the Bock style displays some slightly elevated hop aromatics that complement the fresh herbal notes from the dill.
Check out our simple to-go pairing guide.
