It should be no surprise that beer and chocolate actually have abundant commonalities; they are both fermented foods and they are subjected to significant flavour developments during fermentation. It also takes a great amount of skill and craftsmanship to produce them.

When you are serving multiple beers, it is recommended that you start with the lightest one and then gradually move up to the stronger ones.

There are basically two types of pairings:

Congruent Pairing - A congruent pairing creates balance by amplifying shared flavour compounds.

Complementary Pairing - A complementary pairing creates balance by contrasting tastes and flavours.

Now, when you are trying out the matching of chocolate with beer, it is recommended that you first take a sip of the beverage of your choice and swirl it around inside your mouth. Next take a bite of the chocolate, let it melt inside your mouth, and consequently, allow its flavours to fully coat the innards of your mouth. Do remember to keep breathing, for this will help the air inside your mouth to bring out all the flavours.

A valuable advice: when you are pairing beer with chocolate, you would want to look out for flavours that complement each. Flavours that overpower each other will defeat the entire purpose.

Our patrons are also encouraged to experiment and find out what suits their inclination best. One way to do so would be by inviting friends and family. You could then intermingle different flavour notes of the chocolates with their beer counterparts and find out the combinations you like the most.

For example, say you tried a piece of chocolate and followed it up with a particular beer, and it left a bad taste in your mouth. You would not be wrong in inferring that that was not a right match for you. You will know when it is the right match, for the flavour will blend smoothly in your mouth and leave a wonderful trail of taste that you cannot help but relish.

Most of the recommended parings are as per the Congruent method:

Name of Chocolate (Cocoa %)	Recommended Beer for Paring	Flavour Bridges
Single Origin South American Dark Chocolate (71%)	Corona Desperado SOL Amigos Bira White Budweiser Heineken	Citric & Fruity notes with mild bitter finish
Signature Blend Dark Chocolate (55%)	Stella Artois Amstel Light Shepherd’s Name 1698 Fullers Black Cab Schneider Weisse Carlsberg Elephant Guinness	Smokey, burst of spice & bitter finish.