Most likely when people think about pairing food with a beverage, wine takes the stage. Well, it’s been for far too long that wine has got all the credit and notoriety for its ability to pair well with food. Beer is gaining a lot of momentum in the culinary world as not only a contender to wine but, in many instances, something better. There is much greater variety among beers than wines, given the number of ingredients it takes to brew a batch. Because of that, there are many more dimensions to complement or contrast when pairing beer with food.

Our goal at Barleydine is to educate and show each of you the fantastic world of food and beer. Perhaps you’re a beer drinker who only knows the big three brewers and drinks adjunct lagers on a daily basis. You may be a beer connoisseur, knowing all too well the variety of beers available to you. Yet it drives you crazy knowing you’ll never taste them all. No matter where you stand as a beer drinker, there will be something here for you to learn about.

The world of beer is much larger than most people realize. From English ales to German lagers, kolschs to stouts, barrel-aged and wild, American to Belgian. The quest to learn and know could absolutely consume you. Now, throw in food and you’ve taken things a couple steps further. The infinite contrast or complementary pairing combinations will boggle your mind. Spicy food with an IPA, Stilton cheese with a Gueuze, or a Framboise Lambic with plain cheesecake. It will blow your mind to experience the flavors produced in a well-paired beer and food combination.

We want you to enjoy the wonderful combinations we tell you about. We will work hard to bring you beer and food pairing recommendations with beers you can find right here in the valley. You’ll see restaurants highlighting their foods with well-paired beers. There will be chef recommendations and tips on cooking and pairing well. We’ll also take some time to educate you on beer itself, from styles to ingredients and processes. You’ll see our travels as we search for great beer, so you know exactly where to look for malted excellence. Also, we’ll educate you on glassware: why it’s important to use the right glass. Barleydine is all things beer.

Can’t wait to begin? Stop by our website for more information. Head on over to Barleydine.com to see what we’re eating, what we’re drinking, and what we’re talking about. You can check out the Guidelines section for pairing recommendations by beer style. There are recipes to try and merchandise to buy. Barleydine has lots of information, so be sure to stop by often to see all the latest we have to offer. As always, remember:

“beer + food = Barleydine.”

Williamsport native Joshua Lepley, a self-proclaimed beer geek, is the founder of www.Barleydine.com and will be providing more of his ideas about beer and food pairings to future issues.