In theory, beer plus food equals a great meal. But there are so many different beer styles, it actually takes a little know-how to find the right pairings between certain varieties and particular dishes. We’ve unpacked general guidelines for beer-and-food pairings, which you can call on in any situation, but often, it does help to have some good beers in mind for specific foods, like how a stout is a dream match with Korean hotteok. So, what about one of the most crowd-pleasing, common takeout favorites — what’s the best beer for Chinese takeout fried rice? It’s on the complex side, with savory, umami characteristics, richness from eggs, and spiciness, heat, and herbaceousness from vegetables and seasonings. So, we turned to an expert, Derek Chan, the research and development manager at Chinese-American restaurant group Mamahuhu.
“I’m a big fan of the Fort Point KSA currently on our menu,” Chan says. “It’s really light and drinkable, making it easy to pair with a wide range of dishes.” The KSA from San Francisco’s Fort Point Beer Co. is a kölsch-style ale. Kölsches are often associated with summer months because of how light, crisp, and refreshing they are, but they’re great for any meal in any season. They may have hints of spice, fruitiness, and sweet grain, but are ultimately dry and clean, so they complement fried rice without overwhelming its flavors, and their crispness and carbonation counter richness so you can keep enjoying the dish.
What’s a kölsch and why does it pair well with dishes like fried rice?
Kölsch originates in Cologne, or Köln, Germany. It’s a “hybrid” beer, combining lager and ale fermentation. Ales ferment at warmer temperatures and yield more fermentation-byproduct flavors like fruit and spice notes, while lagers ferment cooler and finish clean and crisp. Kölsches ferment with ale yeast, but at lager-like cold temperatures. Consider it the best of both worlds, which Fort Point’s KSA exemplifies — reviews on its site call it a “Goldilocks beer” because of its just-right balance. Clean lagers are already reliable winners for dishes like fried rice because the way fried rice is made calls for oils that lend it a savory richness — lagers can cut through that with thirst-quenching capability. But add those ale notes into a kölsch, and now you’ve also got flavors that brighten fried rice’s veggies or amplify its spices.
If you can’t track down Fort Point’s kölsch-style ale, look for traditional German offerings like Gaffel kölsch or American craft creations like Rogue’s honey kölsch. You can even enjoy the pairing magic of this beer and fried rice without imbibing — Best Day Brewing’s non-alcoholic kölsch is available on Amazon for $29.99 for a 12-pack. In a pinch, you can even reach for a flavored lager to nail that crisp-yet-fruity experience.
