Perfect Beer and Wine Pairings for 8 Popular Local Dishes

We tapped the experts in a battle of the boozes to find the best drink pairings.

June 12, 2015

Katrina Valcourt,

Illustrations: Emmy Reis

Forget what you’ve heard about pizza and IPAs, or pork with pinot noir. When it comes to pairing food with alcohol, you don’t have to choose between beer and wine. Turns out, anything can be expertly paired with either type of beverage. We tapped some local connoisseurs for their picks from both sides of the booze fence to bring you the prime pairings for eight popular dishes, though not without a little controversy. “As much as I enjoy beer, its flavors don’t last long enough to thread for the next taste, allowing flavors to build,” says sommelier Kevin Toyama of the Halekūlani.

On the other hand, “Honestly,” says Bill Carl, certified cicerone (the beer equivalent of a wine sommelier) of Southern Wine & Spirits Hawai‘i, “how many times have you been to the beach with delicious, hand-pattied burgers sizzling on the grill and found yourself reaching for a Cabernet?” Them’s fightin’ words.

Let the battle begin!

Our experts:

Beer

Bill Carl, certified cicerone (beer specialist) of Southern Wine & Spirits Hawai‘i, a wine, beer and liquor distributor
Donato Loperfido, president of Flavors of Italy, a wine and high-end beer wholesaler
Anthony Messina, beverage director of REAL a gastropub

Wine

Brynn Burbach, certified sommelier and general manager of Town
Jennifer Fiedler, author and former editor of Wine Spectator
Kevin Toyama, wine manager and lead sommelier of Halekūlani

Ramen

Beer: Stillwater Classique ($6)

At REAL a gastropub

“Brewed with Pilsner malts, American hops, Farmhouse ale yeast and ingredients such as corn and rice, this light and flavorful beer will pair great with a ramen such as a char siu tan tan. With its Pilsner-like characteristics, this will hold up to all three main components of ramen: It will cut the saltiness of the broth and char siu and pair perfectly with the ramen noodle.”

– Anthony Messina

Wine: Emilio Lustau “East India Solera” Sherry NV ($28.99)

At Fujioka’s Wine Times

According to Toyama, wine has a hard time fitting in with many popular styles of ramen. “This is when I yield to sherry and Madeira,” he says, because, “in a broth, flavors often dissipate quickly. I find the flavor persistence of a very cold, dry-style sherry to deftly add dimension to the heady flavors of pork and even shoyu-based broth. With a touch of fruitiness, this wine blends the dry style of an Oloroso and sweet Pedro Ximénez for a longer finish.” Fiedler agrees that sherry’s oxidative notes do well with salty foods and umami flavors found in light styles of ramen, such as shio or miso.

– Kevin Toyama

Photos: Odeelo Dayondon

Chopped Salad

Wine: Matthiasson Rosé ($25.99)

At R. Field Wine Co.

“With all the flavors going on in a chopped salad, you need something versatile, wine-wise, like a crisp, dry rosé. I’ve been really liking the Matthiasson Rosé lately.”

– Jennifer Fiedler

Beer: Duchesse de Bourgogne ($7.99)

At Whole Foods

“Depending on the type of dressing used, but, since most of the salads are dressed with zesty and highly acidic dressings, I would like to pair a very interesting beer with this particular dish,” Loperfido says. “This is a Belgian Flanders with notes of balsamic and cherry, fruity and slightly tart at the same time. A splendid pair, and a fantastic beer.”

– Donato Loperfido

Kalbi

Beer: Clown Shoes Brown Angel ($7.39)

At Tamura’s Fine Wine & Liquors

“The Clown Shoes Brown Angel is a double brown ale, so it has a little more gusto to it to hold up to the flavors that are found in kalbi. The malts in brown ales add a delicate smoke or roast notes that will match those crispy bits at the end of the ribs, while the hop bitterness will contrast the sweet nature of the sauce, and the higher-than-normal alcohol (7 percent ABV) will cut right through the fat and keep you from ever looking at kalbi the same.”

– Bill Carl

Wine: Handley Cellars Pinot Noir 2010 ($29)

Available through special order

“I find there is an affinity to lower-alcohol, rustic, moderately fruit-driven styles of pinot noir for soy-based cuisine. This is one of my favorites, from Anderson Valley, California. There is a brambly dark-berry quality that threads the soy with a forest, earthy note to the pinot noir fruit that is quite compelling for me.”

– Kevin Toyama

Cheesecake

Beer: Ballast Point Victory at Sea ($8.69)

At Tamura’s Fine Wine & Liquors

Interestingly enough, Loperfido says the best match for original New York-style cheesecake is the same beer he chose for chopped salad: Duchesse de Bourgogne, because it is nice and fruity and slightly tart.

Messina, on the other hand, suggests this Coffee Vanilla Imperial Porter, which he calls “an all-time favorite, and great with cheesecake and many other dessert dishes.” It’s a smooth brew with just the right level of sweetness, which comes from whole vanilla beans infused into the porter. “The subtle roasted notes and minimal acidity of the cold-brewed coffee balance perfectly with the sweet caramel undertones of the malt, creating a perfect pair for a cheesecake of any sort. The light notes of cheesecake should cut some of the vanilla and coffee notes, leaving you coming back for another bite matched with another sip of victory.”

– Anthony Messina

Wine: Broadbent 10 Year Malmsey Madeira ($45.99)

At Tamura’s Fine Wine & Liquors

“A slice of New York-style cheesecake is rich and dense, with a browned top that gives it caramelized sweetness and hints of vanilla. No toppings are necessary if you pair this lavish dessert with a Malmsey Madeira. Malmsey, the sweetest style of Madeira, offers notes of caramel and toffee with subtle citrus and a nutty finish.”

– Brynn Burbach

Hamburger

Beer: Occidental Altbier ($12.49 for four pints)

At Fujioka’s Wine Times

“Occidental Altbier has a unique blend of malts that will give flavors of caramel and toffee to match the great caramelized flavors of the burger patty and even caramelized onions and toasted bread. The hops in this beautiful can will add a crisp finish to the beer that can hold up to those delicious tomatoes, fresh lettuce and pickles, while also helping to cut the delightful fattiness of the burger.”

– Bill Carl

Wine: Domaine de la Tour du Bon, 2011 ($36.99)

At Fujioka’s Wine Times

“For the classic burger, rustic roots of beef draw me to the flavors of Old World reds over single varietals or modern, fruity expressions. With the caramelization of a medium-well-plus burger, I lean to darker flavor notes from grape blends. This wine, from Bandol, is laced with brambly black fruits, dried herbs, iron and minerals with drying tannins.”

– Kevin Toyama

Green Curry

Beer: Samuel Smith India Ale ($6.49)

At Whole Foods

“Curry and IPAs are a match made in, well, India,” Carl says. But IPAs also go well with Thai curries. This balanced beverage highlights a range of ingredients: “Fish, meat? The caramel and toffeelike malt will match up just fine. Thai basil, kaffir lime, chilies, turmeric? Sounds like a great match for earthy, slightly spicy, English-grown hops. Rich coconut milk? India Ale would love to clean up the richness of the sauce with its delicate carbonation and even lends flavors of toasted malts to the coconut. Take that, wine!”

– Bill Carl

Wine: Bonny Doon Vineyard Vin Gris de Cigare 2014 ($14.99)

At Fujioka’s Wine Times

“Dry, citrusy whites such as Sauvignon Blanc or a dry Muscadet are good, classic choices here, as are slightly sweet Rieslings,” Fiedler says. “But when it comes to dishes with some spice, I find nothing is drinkable like a well-made rosé.” She says her selection here is an all-purpose match.

– Jennifer Fiedler

Sushi

Beer: Breakside Eurotrash India Pale Lager ($5–$11)

On draft at REAL/Brew’d seasonally

The nose is really bright and earthy with a moderately tropical hop character. This beer will hold up perfectly with the [light texture of sushi], whereas the hop profile will cut the saltiness of the shoyu.”

– Anthony Messina

Wine: Pierre Peters “Cuvée de Réserve” Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne ($60.99)

At Fujioka’s Wine Times

This mouthwatering Champagne is always a crowd pleaser and is a great pairing for an assortment of sushi. Palate-cleansing bubbles, juicy apple, stone fruit and minerality will complement and not overpower the sushi.”

– Brynn Burbach

Uni Pasta

Beer: Logsdon Organic Farmhouse Ales Seizoen ($11.29)

At Tamura’s Fine Wine & Liquors

This delicate dish, one that Loperfido calls “one of the most precious Italian masterpieces,” poses a challenge. “It would be a sin for me to pair a beer with it,” he says, “as I strongly believe that a fine Falanghina white wine is the perfect pairing for this dish.”

Carl suggests this Logsdon Seizoen, which he says “will blow any wine out of the water.” It’s “delicate enough to allow the flavors in this dish to shine through, even matching the noodles with the use of wheat and oats in the beer. That sweet and briny flavor of uni won’t be overdone by a beer of this strength. The elevated alcohol level (7.5 percent ABV) will cut some of the fattiness, and the prickly carbonation will cleanse the palate of rich sauce.”

– Bill Carl

Wine: Sigalas Santorini Assyrtiko 2013 ($22.99)

At Fujioka’s Wine Times

“To go with the creamy texture and briny flavor of uni pasta, I’d choose a dry white wine with some body and stone flavors. [This] Greek white from the island of Santorini has good minerality and acidity.”

– Jennifer Fiedler