If, like us, you enjoy a local brew and trying your hand in the kitchen, we think you’ll love these beer and food pairing notes and easy-to-make dishes, put together by Clockwork Brewhouse brewer Megan Gemmell.
When pairing food with beer, the possibilities are endless. One can match or contrast flavours. Spicy foods work well with hoppy/bitter beers. Rich savoury foods such as roasts or braais work well with malty or smoky beers. Desserts can be paired with sweet or bitter beers, with high carbonation beers providing the acidity to cut through the sweetness.
Here you will find some suggestions, but these are just ideas so don’t be afraid to experiment and try things your own way. Sometimes, rules are meant to be broken!
The FES Dark Strong Ale paired with the Beeramisu
A rich, malty ale with indulgent notes of caramel, chocolate, and dark fruit.
Full-bodied and velvety, with warming alcohol and a gentle bitterness, it beautifully balances the creamy, coffee-infused layers of tiramisu. The beer’s sweetness complements the dessert’s richness, creating a perfect harmony of flavours.
What you’ll need: For the sponge fingers: Budoir biscuits; 3 eggs, separated; 85g castor sugar; 60g bread flour; 45g cornflour; 2ml lemon juice
For the tiramisu filling: 2 egg yolks; 90g castor sugar; 375g mascarpone cheese; 650ml brandy; 2 gelatine leaves; 125ml cream, whipped; 15ml lemon juice
For soaking mixture for sponge fingers: 120ml espresso coffee; 30ml brandy; 180ml FES beer; cocoa powder for dusting
How to make: Whisk egg yolks with one third of the sugar until light and creamy. Whisk egg whites, lemon juice and one third of the sugar until thick and creamy. Combine the remaining sugar and cornflour and gradually add to the egg white mixture. Whisk to form stiff peaks. Fold in the egg yolk mixture and lastly the flour. Place in a piping bag with a 1cm round nozzle and pipe 5cm long onto a baking tray. Bake at 200°C for about 8 minutes.
Beat the eggs together with castor sugar until light and fluffy. Add mascarpone cheese and mix well. Add the brandy. Add the softened gelatine. Fold in the whipped cream, then lemon juice. Soak finger biscuits in soaking mixture. Line the bottom of a ring mould. Place half of the filling on top of the biscuits. Layer with a second layer of soaked biscuits. Top with remaining mixture. Place in chiller to set for at least two hours.
Dust with cocoa powder for serving.
Hibiscus-Citrus Sour with Orange and Beer Braised Pork Belly, Creamy Polenta and Seasonal Veg
A refreshing kettle soured beer with hints of berries and orange zest. The bright tartness of the beer makes it the perfect summer ale and it pairs beautifully with the pork belly, cutting through the richness of the meal, creating a harmonious balance that elevates each bite.
What you’ll need: For the pork belly: 3kg pork belly, deboned and rind removed; 800g onion; 1 bunch celery; 2 leeks; 500g carrots; 1kg oranges; 500ml white wine; 500ml beer
For orange and beer glaze: 1 litre strained braising liquid; 500ml beer; 350ml orange juice; 300g brown sugar
For the polenta: 500g polenta; 150g onions, finely diced; 50g garlic; 200g butter; 1 litre cream; 200g parmesan cheese; 2 litres water; 50g Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
For the seasonal vegetables: 400g carrot ribbons; 200g roasted beetroot; 400g tender stem broccoli; 200g baby marrow ribbons; 200g green beans
How to make: In an oven dish, place pork belly on roughly chopped onions, carrots, leeks, celery. Zest and juice oranges and add liquid and zest along with about a litre of water. Cover with foil and cook for about four hours on 180°C. Top up with water if necessary. Once cooked, pour the liquid into a pot, add brown sugar and reduce until it reaches a sticky consistency.
For the polenta, add butter to a heavy based pot, add onions and garlic and gently fry until lightly golden. Once cooked, add polenta and mix thoroughly to get a slightly toasted look. Slowly start adding in your cream and water while mixing at the same time. Turn the heat down low and simmer, cover and continue to cook the polenta for 25 to 35 minutes until its thick, fluffy and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove from the heat, add seasoning, parmesan cheese and chopped Italian flat leaf parsley.
For the seasonal veg, roast beetroot until tender and steam carrot ribbons, tender stem brocolli, baby marrow ribbons and green beans until tender. Add butter and seasoning.
To serve: Spoon some polenta onto a plate, top with seasonal veg followed by a slice of pork and drizzle with sauce.
Will-o’-the-Wisp Pilsner paired with Bacon and Cheese Herb Croquettes
Crisp and lively, this pilsner offers a gentle malty sweetness with subtle herbal notes (earthy with hints of rosemary and sage) from the addition of African Wormwood and local South African hops. Refreshing and easy drinking, yet layered with flavour, this beer pairs beautifully with bacon and cheese herb croquettes. Its bright carbonation cuts through the richness, while its herbal notes complement the dish.
What you’ll need: 1kg potatoes 1kg; 400g onions, finely diced; 300g bacon, diced; 50g garlic, finely chopped; 2g thyme; 50g Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped; 100g cheddar cheese, grated; 100g mozzarella cheese, grated; salt and black pepper to taste; 150g cake flour; 3 eggs; 300g panko bread crumbs; 1 litre Sunflower oil for frying
How to make: Peel and cube potatoes, boil in salted water until tender, then put it through a potato ricer or a sieve to get a fine textured potato mash. In a hot pan, add oil, onions, garlic, thyme and bacon, and cook until golden and slightly crispy. Set aside to cool down slightly.
Combine potato mash, bacon and onion mixture, chopped Italian flat leaf Parsley, cheddar, mozzarella, salt and black pepper to taste. Mix well, but not too much, as the potato will go gluey. Put seasoned cake flour, whisked eggs and panko bread crumbs each onto their own flat trays or dishes. Shape potato croquettes into cylinders, roughly 60g per portion.
Allow to cool, then roll each into flour, then egg and finish off with the bread crumbs. Gently fry your croquettes in sunflower oil at 180°C until golden brown and serve.
Details: To uncover more beers from Clockwork Brewhouse visit clockworkbrewhouse.co.za
