Illustration by Brian Rea

In university, my friends and I got a good chuckle repeating ad nauseam the maxim “Beer: It’s not just for breakfast anymore.” Little did we know how cutting edge we were; while we might have been wrong about the meal, beer does belong at the table.

After decades on the culinary fringes, beer has moved out of the burger and wings ghetto to take its rightful place alongside sophisticated fare. It owes its ascendancy not just to the tight economy—although the choice between a $50 bottle of wine and a $5 beer is an easy one to make. The remarkable diversity of flavours and aromas found in beer today make it as versatile with food as wine. The trick, of course, is to pick the right beer.

Full-bodied, fruitier ales are more like red wines, whereas crisper, more austere lagers are similar to whites. Hops provide beer with both aroma and bitterness, so hoppier beers, such as Old World pilsners and India pale ales, pair well with spicy dishes, much like acidic wines. Beer should either complement the food—ale with a robust stew, for example—or offer contrast, say a crisp pilsner alongside a creamy pasta. And where desserts are concerned, as with wine, the beer should be sweeter than the dish. To get started, these are some of the most food-friendly ales and lagers at the LCBO or, in one instance, available through a wine importer. It’s a sign of the times: even wine professionals are getting on board with beer.

Westmalle Tripel Trappist Ale
$3.75/330 mL | Belgium
Don’t be fooled by its pale hue. This formidable Belgian is no lightweight, with a spicy aroma backed by notes of candied fruit, followed by flavours of sweet, vaguely spicy pear that segue to a drying bitterness and a finish that’s both quenching and warm. Nothing pairs better with chicken and aspara­gus in cream sauce. March 4.* LCBO 676577

Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier
$3.20/500 ml | Germany
A Bamberg specialty brewed from beechwood-smoked barley malt, this style of beer has been around for centuries in one form or another. Unsurprisingly, it’s the ultimate beverage for barbe­cue, with a quenching character, rich smoki­ness and dry finish. LCBO 409110

Aventinus
$3.05/500 mL | Germany
The world’s first wheat doppelbock, Aventinus is a dark delight, with plentiful peppery spice, notes of banana and burnt orange peel, and a chocolatey maltiness supporting it all. Serve it with spice cake. Keep an eye out for its stronger, more concentrated sibling, Aventinus Weizen Eisbock, a few bottles of which may still be available. LCBO 366088

Black Oak Nut Brown Ale
$11.95/Six pack | Ontario
More chocolatey than nutty in its aroma, Black Oak offers a slight sweetness up front, along with a suggestion of hazelnut, before sliding into a drier, dark chocolatey body and moderately bitter, lightly roasty finish. Partner it with beef or lamb stew. LCBO 547422

Früli Strawberry Beer
$2.35/250 mL | Belgium
Most self-professed beer geeks have little time for sugary fruit beers, but Früli is worthy of consideration—particularly if there’s chocolate cake. Rather than being fermented with fruit, this Belgian-style wheat beer is blended with juice to create a profoundly fruity brew. LCBO 698548

Fuller’s London Pride
$2.60/500 mL | England
Quality ale in a can need not be an oxymoron, as this multi-award-winner from Britain clearly proves. With a firm, slightly earthy maltiness, light peachy fruit and a solid drying rather than bittering hop, it’s not only a terrific partner for the Sunday roast, especially if cooked medium or longer, but also what the Brits would describe as a fine “session ale”—a beer to drink over the course of a session in the pub (or at home). LCBO 676767

Mill St. Original Organic Lager
$12.95/six-pack | Ontario
Finally available in standard-sized bottles, and cheaper because of it, Mill Street’s fragrant, light gold lager has crisp yet delicate character that offers a gentle hint of cereal grain, mildly sweet caramel and an off-dry, lightly citrusy finish. Served well chilled, it’s a natural partner to baked ham. LCBO 84210

Orval
$3.50/330 mL | Belgium
This unique Trappist ale combines sweet, sour and bitter with a funky barnyard quality that neatly balances the beer’s malty strength and leafy, spicy bitterness. Pair it with venison, bison or even horse. March 4. LCBO 121574

Pilsner Urquell
$2.45/500 mL | Czech Republic
All pale lagers owe their existence to this Czech original, first brewed in Pilsen in 1842. Given the pedigree, it’s no surprise that the balance of lightly butterscotchy malt and hoppy bitterness is ideal with such rib-sticking eastern European fare as schnitzel, but it also pairs well with roast pork. LCBO 255380

Rogue Brutal Bitter
$5.95/650 mL | United states
It takes a lot of hops to stand up to spicy food, and this ale has it in abundance. More balanced than brutal, it offers rounded, milk chocolatey maltiness to soothe the aggressive, grapefruity bitterness typical of American hops. It’s a natural companion to curries and mole sauces. March 4. LCBO 909770

Schloss Eggenberg Urbock 23°
$3/330 mL | Austria
This 9.6 per cent alcohol bock is brilliant gold, with a floral, faintly cotton candy–like aroma and a nectar-ish body with spiciness and caramelly malt. Served with custard or crème brûlée, it puts to rest the notion that you can’t have beer with dessert. March 4. LCBO 65763

Theresianer Vienna Lager
$66/case of 24 | Italy
The Vienna lager is arguably the world’s finest beer style for pairing with pizza or pasta, and this brew from northeastern Italy is no exception. Following an aroma of toasted malt and dried leaf, glimmers of sweetness bloom into an off-dry body with gentle notes of malt and nutty hops. Tre Amici Imports, 416-743‑8732.

* Prices for spring releases are subject to change.