Are you looking for a good beer to pair up with delicious corned beef? Then you’ve come to the right place, because we have prepared the best brands of beer to pair up with tasty corned beef. Corned beef – Especially fresh corned beef – Is an Irish pub and delicatessen staple that you can eat either with bread as a sandwich, or with rice and a fried egg for breakfast. Canned corned beef is delicious, but nothing beats the fresh kind you can purchase in delicatessen – And of course, with most meats, it goes well with a glass or bottle of cool, refreshing beer.
To make this list, we have sought the help of delicatessen owners, breweries owners, people who work in breweries, and anybody who enjoys the flavorful taste of corned beef no matter which beverage or side dish you pair it with. All of the choices on this list are sure to pair nicely with both canned instant corned beef, as well as the fresh ones. Without further ado, here is choice number 1:
What Type of Beers are Better for Corned Beef
- Guinness Foreign Extra Stout
Guinness, along with other kinds of Irish stout, are known for having a somewhat bitter flavor to it, similar to coffee or dark chocolate. This is definitely a full-flavored beverage, and can remove the cloying taste of corned beef, if it gets a bit too overwhelming. It is a beer that is brewed with some roasted barley and a generous amount of hops, providing the beverage with an all-natural bite and a bittersweet balance. Its main flavors are fruit and caramel, with a somehow vibrant bitterness.
- Bell’s Best Brown Ale
This beverage is a well-balanced drink and is a mixture of malt-flavored stout beers and light-bodied beers. The taste is smooth and toasty, and just perfect for the fall season thanks to the hints of cocoa and caramel in it. These same flavors are the reason why it goes perfectly with corned beef, and both the meat and the beer can definitely fill your stomach up. The American hops in this beverage also provide the ale with some depth, which warms your body just in time for the cooler months ahead.
- Blue Moon Belgian White Wheat Beer
This is a Belgian-style wheat ale with a somewhat crisp citrus sweetness, and a bit of tang. It is definitely a beverage that is filled with so much fruitiness, with a rather spicy wheat aroma. Feel free to share this beverage with your friends, or all by yourself. Ingredients include a Valencia orange peel, some oats, a touch of coriander, and wheat – Providing the product with a well-balanced and super-refreshing taste. It goes well with seafood, grilled chicken, and salads, but it’s nice with a corned beef sandwich as well.
- Allagash Interlude
A type of Belgian ale with a strong and complex flavor profile, this makes a perfect choice of beverage not just for pairing it with a corned beef sandwich or meal – It’s also great for a corned beef marinade. This beer has some spicy and fruity notes, which are sure to seep into the meat while it’s soaking in the beverage. Belgian ale can contrast the saltiness of the corned beef with its delicious fruity flavor, while the carbonation can help keep the meat soft as it cooks or grills.
What Beers to Avoid for Corned Beef
- Funky Buddha Morning Wood
This is a rather strong brand of porter beer with flavors of maple syrup, smokey bacon, a bit of saltiness, and even hints of coffee. Despite it’s somewhat naughty name, it’s a beer that is a lot more refined that you would expect – The product has been aged in oak barrels like certain types of whiskey or bourbon, before being stored in cans or bottles. The product’s unique flavor aside, though, it does not seem like a good match with a corned beef at all, because pairing a meat sandwich with a meat-flavored beer is just weird.
- Amsterdam Sweetwater Squeeze Radler
The product is a medium-light Radler brew but it’s got that signature tangy grapefruit flavor that is ever-present in plenty of Radlers and shandy beverages. The overall taste will remind you of citrus oranges, as well as delicious lemons that can clean your palate. This may work as the perfect refreshment for wolfing down a corned beef sandwich, but it’s probably not a good idea to marinate corned beef in this. There’s too much acid, and it might cause your corned beef to taste like grapefruit. It’s also not a heavy beverage, but still refreshing and crisp.
FAQs About the Best Beers for Corned Beef
Can Beer Tenderize Corned Beef While It’s Cooking?
It does. Beer usually includes acids and tannins which are known to have a tenderizing effect on meat, all the while adding in loads of flavor as it cooks. The acids work by breaking down the tissues of thinner or cheaper cuts of meat, while the tannins convert the collagen into a softer, almost jelly-like texture. This is just like using vinegar, wine, or citrus as a way to marinade certain ribs or steaks. For your corned beef to become almost fork-tender, be sure to marinate it in beer for an hour.
Aside From Beer, What Alcohols Go Well with Corned Beef?
Wine, with its fruity and acidic flavors, are the other alcohol that goes well with corned beef aside from beer. This applies to both marinading it and consuming it with a delicious sandwich. In particular, red wine tastes amazing with a combination of cooked corned beef with cabbage, as it tones down the saltiness and greasy taste of the food.
Best Beers for Corned Beef – A Summary
As mentioned, these beers are all excellent to pair with corned beef, no matter if it’s for drinking, or for marinating. But out of all these beverages, we’re going to have to go with the classic Guinness Foreign Extra Stout. The boldness of the stout’s flavors is strong enough to go toe-to-toe with the richness of a corned beef sandwich, and it can tenderize the meat as well if you soak the beef long enough.
David is a well-known news writer, investigative journalist, and author, featured on CNN, MSNBC, and ABC News. His work focuses on truth and justice, tackling societal issues directly. Through clear investigations and compelling storytelling, he challenges the norms of journalism.
