For alcohol lovers out there, it’s possible that you’ve faced a severe dilemma about what drink to pair seafood with. Some prefer wine while others love some chilled beer and you’re left confused. Fret not, as here we will tell you exactly what you should pair with your favorite seafood.
What seafood you’re having and how it’s cooked plays a key role in determining what alcohol goes well with it!
Fried fish
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Fried fish is best paired with beer. The moment there’s some oil and deep frying involved, the bite-sized delights are best suited alongside some chilled beer. Calamari, deep-fried, is a favorite that many enjoy on the beach shacks of Goa. If you ask us, we think all Goa trips, like what was depicted in Dil Chahta Hai, is incomplete without some cheap beer and local fried fish. The fish here is generally cooked with a lot of spices and the beer helps as a much-needed refresher alongside it. Wines completely lose their flavor when paired with such heavy ingredients and dominant spices. Thick hot beer batter fried fish is also best enjoyed with some light beer as it lets the food speak for itself and enhances the taste!
Grilled or smoked fish
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Tender flavors of grilled fish are best paired with some white wine. Chenin Blanc is a great option to pair with some fine grilled salmon and veggies. When a fish is cooked simply, with fewer spicy ingredients, the wine really helps one emphasize on those. Salmons, basa and other white fish, taste great with white wine.
Lobsters
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Lobsters have a strong taste of their own and it can be a whole meal just by itself. Beer help cleanse the palette without taking away anything from the trademark lobster flavor. All the oil, butter or cheese in the lobster is washed down with the beer, so pair these up!
Tangy and Hot Preparations
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Fuller white wines are the preferred option by many people, for most Asian spicy preparations. They offer an alternate taste which is a welcome change from the typical palettes of certain Asian dishes. Prawns in a curry, tangy Vietnamese seafood or Oysters go really well with white wine.
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Overall, it’s a tough call to pick one winner between beer and wine when it comes to seafood. But as Joey’s love for beer in FRIENDS speaks for itself, we think the more versatile drink is a beer. Everyone loves it, while wine is an acquired taste. Beer, which is never too overbearing, complements the subtle seafood flavors or accentuates the spicy undertones, as the preparation might be. For best results though, ask your guest what they like with their seafood.
Read Also: The Art Of Adding Beer And Wine In Food While Cooking
