Your Guide to Craft Beer

What is craft beer?

Craft beers are considered to be richer and more intense in comparison to a mass produced domestic beer. With an increased focus on taste, craft beers have quickly become a staple in New Zealand. Craft beer is brewed at a craft or micro brewery that produces small amounts of beer and are often independently owned. At FreshChoice we are dedicated to supporting local brewers from across New Zealand, head down to your local store to check out the carefully curated selection of craft beer today.

Follow our guide to pairing your favorite foods with a refreshing craft beer...

Cheese: Pair cheeses with crisp, fruity or sweet craft beers. Your beer choice will depend on which cheese you’re eating. The rules goes, the less bitter the beer, the softer the cheese. The more bitter the beer, the stronger the cheese. Lighter cheeses such as camembert are best suited to a fruity style beer, we suggest a Belgian wheat beer. For stronger cheeses such as blue cheese, we suggest something with a bit more complexity and sweetness such as an English Ale. 

Beef & Lamb: The richness of red meat pairs brilliantly with a sour or tart craft beer. The cooking style will depend on the beer pairing. For roasting, we suggest a strong ale or lager. If chargrilling, slow-cooking or smoking, try a porter or a stout. The combination of rich red meat and sour beer produces a savoury and earthy taste on the palate.

Pork: Opt for a hoppy and bitter Indian Pale Ale. The strong flavour and fattiness of pork is powerful enough to stand up to a stronger beer, making Indian Pale Ale a perfect pairing. 

Seafood: The elegant flavours of seafood is perfectly paired with a fruity or spicy craft beer. We suggest a wheat beer or Belgian ale. The fruity elements of these craft beers enhance the natural salts in seafood whilst helping to cleanse the palate.