Beer and Cake

I like Beer

I like Cake

Why is this combination so often ignored?  Not anymore -

Beer and Cake Pairings

Red Velvet & Shmaltz Coney Island Mermaid Pilsner: Though it bears a reddish hue, most of this cake’s flavor comes from cocoa powder; when topped with rich buttercream, it’s dangerously sweet. Bring some bite to each mouthful with this rye pilsner: The beer’s mellow graininess infuses the cake’s fluffy texture while the spicy rye ratchets down some of the sweetness.

Coconut & Maui Coconut Porter: While this beer’s coconut notes connect it to the coconut-flecked cake, the porter’s gentle roast is what really shines: The dark bristles counter the cake’s supersweetness.

Carrot & Verhaeghe Duchesse de Bourgogne: Sweet, earthy carrots set the stage for pretty spices like nutmeg and cinnamon; a Flanders red brings complementary raisin flavor and lighthearted tartness to the bite, cutting through the übersweet frosting and allowing the other cake flavors to express completely.

Lemon Chiffon & New Glarus Dancing Man Wheat: Sharp lemon flavors are the hallmark of this ethereal treat topped with white whipped frosting. A sunny summer wheat beer easily adopts the cake’s lemon zest (like a lemon on the glass), while its effervescence tidies up each sugary mouthful.

Cheesecake & Van Steenberge Cherish Raspberry Lambic: Put a new twist on this creamy dessert by replacing a sugary fruit drizzle with a tart, fruit-forward beer like Cherish Raspberry Lambic. Together, the flavors are a dead ringer for the sweet-and-sour sumptuousness of the traditional cake-plus-fruit.

Strawberry Shortcake & Huyghe Früli: Have an all-out fruit frenzy with strawberry shortcake and this popular Belgian strawberry beer. While the strawberry flavors amp each other up, the beer’s solid bready backbone keeps the white cake flavor in the game.

Vanilla Cake with White Frosting & Lakefront IBA: Tote this black IPA to your next kiddie birthday party; that staid white-on-white cake could use a little darkness. A Black IPA brings fun stuff to the sugarfest, like sharp grapefruit flavor, chocolate and a roasted kick that cleans up the party.

Black Forest & Spezial Rauchbier: This rich chocolate cake gets its heavenly flavor from layers of gooey cherry and whipped cream. A rauchbier’s smoky wisps add an intriguing fourth dimension to the bite, while its light woody tannins draw out the sour-sweet cherry.

Tres Leches & North Coast PranQster: Spongy, vanilla-laden Tres Leches cake gets a triple soak in condensed milk, evaporated milk and heavy cream; this Belgian-style golden ale has enough malt heft to match the milky sweetness, while its bright lemon and lively carbonation bring lightness to the cake.

Chocolate & Left Hand Milk Stout Nitro: Milk Stout Nitro’s sweet lactic tang and deep roast works wonders in concert with the identically sweet and bitter chocolate cake. Plus, the beer’s uncommonly silky (that’s the nitro part), which means this treat will linger on your tongue practically forever.