Lotte Peplow, the Brewers Association’s American craft beer ambassador for Europe, looks at events featuring beers and food pairing in the UK v US, and how attitudes differ
This month, two very different beer-related events are taking place either side of the Atlantic. In the UK, it’s National Curry Week from 9th to 15th October, and the ideal beverage accompaniment is, of course, beer!
Stateside, America plays host to PAIRED, a unique beer and food event that’s part of the Great American Beer Festival, held in Denver, and organised by the Brewers Association, the not-for-profit trade association representing small and independent American craft brewers.
Since the 1970s, Indian cuisine has gained in popularity among UK consumers, with curry becoming one of the nation’s favourite dishes. It is often paired with lager as the default choice, but a vast range of different flavour profiles are available for the more adventurous palate.
Beer is a good accompaniment for curry because the carbonation and hop bitterness will cut through the spicy, sometimes high fat content in a recipe. Carbonation found in beer will cleanse the palate and scythe through a rich, creamy sauce, so that your mouth is refreshed and ready for the next bite.
A low level of hop bitterness will both complement and cut the spicy flavours of a curry and calm the heat of fiery, hot ones. Dark beers, such as brown ales, porters, and stouts are good partners because their malty sweetness balances the hot spices found in intensely-flavoured curries to create a rounded, harmonious pairing. Note the alcohol level of a beer — a general rule of thumb is to pair a high level of heat with a beer that’s low in bitterness and alcohol content.
For teetotallers and anyone abstaining from alcohol, alcohol-free beers work just as well as their alcoholic counterparts, particularly those with a hop forward flavour profile such as Athletic Brewing Co’s Free Run Wild IPA.
More pairing ideas
- Chicken Tikka Masala
Pale ale or IPA works well with this dish due to the rich, creamy, high fat content of the sauce. A beer like Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is ideal, and also pairs well with chicken korma or butter chicken - Prawn Dhansak
A classic Belgian-style witbier with spicy notes of coriander and orange peel will complement the succulent, minerality of the prawns and refresh the palate after the hearty, earthy note of the lentils. Try Allagash White. - Lamb Madras
A hot, flavoursome curry calls for a beer with low bitterness and a kiss of malty sweetness, such as a Vienna lager to help calm the heat of the spices and reset the palate. Try Samuel Adams Boston Lager - Vindaloo
Works with a dark beer with a high level of malty sweetness to balance the tangy, spicy heat of this classic, fiery curry. Ensure the alcohol content is low or the pairing will be too intense!
PAIRED is a foodie paradise where acclaimed chefs unite with independent craft brewers from across the country to design unique small bites. perfectly paired with craft beers. Curated by the Brewers Association’s executive chef, Adam Dulye, PAIRED has grown into one of the premier destinations where chefs and brewers collaborate. Each year, Adam brings together top talent from across the globe.
Photographs: Brewers Association
This year’s roster features some of the nation’s most celebrated culinary voices — including multiple James Beard Award winners, Michelin-starred restaurateurs, and nationally recognised tastemakers — making 2025 one of the most exciting PAIRED line-ups to date.
Organising this event is not easy. Chefs are paired with an American craft brewery at least two months in advance. They are matched based on the chef’s cuisine, the brewer’s range, and, in some cases, intentionally put together for challenging pairings.
They work together over the two months to select two beers, sending samples to the chef team to analyse the pairings. There are 25 acclaimed chefs and brewery partnerships producing approximately 50 exquisite pairings. Tickets are all-in, allowing unlimited tastings of small plates and American craft beer to surprise and delight adventurous palates.
We lags behind the US attitude to pairing beer and food, and events such as PAIRED are next level compared to the UK. In America, beer and food pairing is arguably more advanced than anywhere else in the world. Should you wish to experience PAIRED first hand, tickets are available here.
In the UK, American craft beer is available from Athletic Brewing, Cave Direct Brew Export, Beer Merchants, Hop the Pond, and Cask International. Find it in selected bottle shops, supermarkets, bars and pubs.
Free downloadable resources about American craft beer are available at brewersassociation.org or craftbeer.com
About the author
Lotte Peplow is the American Craft Beer Ambassador for Europe for the Brewers Association and is based in London. She is a certified cicerone, BDI-accredited beer sommelier, beer writer, author, beer communicator, international beer judge, homebrewer, and beer lover.
