Sponsored by Mason’s Grill
A juicy burger is best completed with a cold beer. The craft beer experience was founded on experimentation, and food has played a big part in the growth of the craft beer movement. The grain-based nature of beer makes it a perfect match for nearly any kind of food. Choosing beer and food that enhance one another means paying a little extra attention to the flavor qualities of both.
With beer and food pairings, consider a few things. It goes without saying that delicate dishes pair best with a more lightly flavored beer. It is also true that bold-flavored foods pair well with more bold-flavored beers. The intensity of flavor depends on things like malt character, hop bitterness, residual sweetness, richness, and roastiness.
Mason’s Grill has grown to become a brunch destination, a happy hour favorite, and a staple for Baton Rouge family celebrations. Its rotating menu of craft beers and specialty burgers makes it the perfect place to talk pairings. Famous for his Bloody Masons, Champagne Brunch, and award-winning burger creations, Mike Alfandre is the owner and head chef at Mason’s Grill. Mike began his culinary career in the early 1980s in New Orleans and Baton Rouge and kept it local. With the help of his wife Shirlee and their family, Mike has always remained focused on serving the best quality food with the freshest ingredients from local Louisiana distributors. Mason’s’Grill is so local that around there, they spell it “Leauxcal”.
Perfect Pairings
Mike shares a handy beer and burger pairing guide. The ‘leauxcal’ craft beers do rotate, so get them while they’re available on tap.
A big, fully-loaded burger is the right time to bring out a lager, and Mason’s has some “leauxcal” lagers that pair well with just about any burgers like Catahoula Common and Paradise Park.
The funny thing about this pairing is that all of those big burger flavors can also be nicely complemented by something that is extremely light like Pilsners, blonde ales, and saisons. Those three styles of beer are crisp and notably dry, meaning they’ll clear all that grease from your palate and prepare you for another big, juicy bite.
Mike suggests a “leauxcal” wheat beer to pair with spicy foods like Canebrake and Abita Strawberry. The citrusy and often sweet haze is a wonderful counterpoint to a spicy food’s exciting flavor profile like Mason’s Bangin Shrimp.
For a smokier flavor like the BBQ Burger or Smokehouse Burger, try Mason’s “leauxcal” IPAs like Ghost in the Machine, Jucifer or Holy Roller. For less hoppy flavor, make it a “leauxcal” amber ale like an Abita Amber.
GIVE IT A TRY
Stop by Mason’s Wednesdays from 5 to close for beer flights and burger specials. Stay in the know on daily specials, fresh menu items and more: visit masonsgrill.com and follow them on social media @masonsgrill.
