Beer and sushi: what are the best pairings?

There's a school of thought that claims the goal of a good beer and food pairing is to highlight umami. Umami is that mysterious fifth taste we all know but don't always know how to recognize. Sometimes described as "savory" or "meaty," umami encompasses a range of flavors derived from proteins and glutamates. Foods high in umami include meat, cheese, tomatoes, and mushrooms.

When pairing these ingredients with sushi, one might be tempted to simply focus on the sinus-cleansing wasabi. However, many of the main components of sushi are excellent sources of umami, including soy sauce, seaweed, and, of course, raw fish. The best pairings highlight these flavors, thus tempering the heat of the wasabi.

Tips for agreements

The most common beers for sushi are Japanese rice lagers. While they're suitable, I recommend trying a proper pilsner. The added bitterness and hops bring out the rich, sweet, salty, and earthy flavors of the dish. Combined with wasabi, the floral character of Continental hops blossoms to fill your mouth—it's a deliciously intense and almost magical combination.

Like a milder version of the pilsner, Kölsch-style beers bring out a more subtle, salty sweetness. Kölsch softens the rough edges that sharper pilsners leave behind. The burst of floral hops is replaced by an intensification of the yeast-derived fruitiness, which is only hinted at when the beer is enjoyed on its own.

Yeast is rich in protein and therefore also in umami. It goes without saying that a yeast hefeweizen pairs well with sushi. These beers are light enough to let the dish shine through, yet have a rich mouthfeel reminiscent of the fish's texture. The slight citrus acidity enhances the saltiness of the soy sauce. The Clovey spice complements the spicy wasabi beautifully. The sweetness of the wheat and the banana flavors create a smooth base upon which everything rests.

Beers selected by Easy Sushi®

Pilsner

Sam Adams Noble Pils: All I can say is "WOW!" The combination of sushi and hops creates a floral explosion in your mouth, while allowing the umami flavors to shine. The hops and carbonation cut through the fishy oil, even when spicy mayonnaise is involved.

North Coast Scrimshaw: More moderately hopped and less bitter, Scrimshaw allows for a greater interplay between sweet and savory flavors. It remains very hoppy, however, providing a pleasant counterpoint to salty soy sauce. And it stands up well to wasabi.

Kölsch

Sünner Kölsch: This is one of the best kölsch beers available in the United States. It is delicately balanced, yet still firmly bitter. The flavorful yeasty base brings out a refreshing fruitiness when paired with sushi.

Goose Island Summertime: This one is more like a slightly fruity pilsner; brighter, crisper, with more hops and less yeast than the Sünner Kölsch. Paired with sushi, it offers something between the floral brightness of a pilsner and the fruity sweetness of a kölsch.

Hefeweizen

Sierra Nevada Kellerweis: A German-style hefeweizen that is quite balanced between banana and yeast spices. The cloves temper the wasabi, allowing the earthy and meaty flavors to shine through.

New Glarus Dancing Man Wheat: Another well-balanced hefeweizen, but this one is higher in alcohol and has a fuller mouthfeel. It pairs well with raw fish with an oily texture. The sweetness of the wheat and the subtle, lemony acidity enhance the umami. It's a great beer, yet still light and refreshing.