Fall food and beer pairings

Kendra Wills<willsk@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension -

Harvest and pumpkin ales are now on tap. Learn more about pairing them with Michigan Fresh foods.

It’s fall in Michigan and our world class craft brewers have been hard a work brewing our favorite harvest and pumpkin ales. The Michigan Brewers Guild has several resources to help craft beer lovers pair their favorite brews with complimentary foods.

Harvest ales often have a strong hops taste which pairs well with fresh greens and herbs. Michigan State University Extension has a number of resources to help people grow and use fresh herbs in their recipes. Check out this MSU Extension article with links to several other resources listed at the bottom.

Its not surprising that pumpkin ales pair well with pumpkin and squash soups. They also pair well with roasted root vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, potatoes and beets, all which are in season and plentiful in Michigan during the fall and winter.

Brown ales are also a popular fall beer choice. Brown ales are malty and pair well with roasted vegetables and poultry. Cured meats also are well-suited for this type of beer. Have you tried cooking with beer? Brown ales are a rich addition to stews, stocks and sauces.  

There are several websites with more ideas on beer and food pairings including www.craftbeer.com and www.DrinkMichigan.com. Michigan State University’s Michigan Fresh web site has some great ideas for fall foods as well. 

Michigan State University Extension’s Community Food Systems team encourages people to incorporate Michigan foods and beverages into their daily lives. Purchasing local food supports our agricultural industry, which helps our entire state.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

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