Beyond some prawns and a beer

We ask Raúl Fernández, production director of Cervezas La Virgen and one of the greatest experts in beers in Spain, to select some emblematic dishes cooked with seafood and the perfect type of beer to accompany them.

Rice with lobster – Oude Geuze

This pairing is not so sensorial, it is simply sublime: the best seafood with the best beer, the most intense, complex, difficult to get … but still, sensory works. The Geuze brings acidity, wood, complexity, carbonation, helps to continue eating.

Lobster Roll – NEIPA

Geographical pairing: New England at the table. Maybe it’s unconventional, but it works and is very cool. The most “instagramable” of all. The butter of the roll, the smoothness of the lobster, is not contrasted or cut or attenuated by the beer, if not quite the opposite, more unctuousness, more body, texture and silkiness, very fruity beer and very powerful aroma. Hedonist and excessive. Millenial.

Fried squid – Pils

Authentic. If it works, why invent strange things. Fried and crispy/tender squid with bitter, crispy and the ease of drinking a good Pils, the most delicate beer and until recently more belittled by the assumed connoisseurs.

Oysters – Dry Stout

An irish classic, we couldn’t leave it out. There is even a festival dedicated only to this wonderful pairing. The saline and iodine touch of the oysters goes perfectly with the roast and creaminess of a traditional, drinkable, creamy, silky and dry Stout. Light stouts are easier to pair than it seems.

Octopus “a feira” – West Coast IPA

Spicy with bitter, a basic classic taken to Cambados from San Diego. Spicy and smoked paprika that is tempered by the pine, resin and caramel touch of a classic American IPA to continue eating.

Marmitako – Belgian Triple

A filling dish requires a filling beer, but drinkable, with spicy nuances, peppers, which stand out over the complexity of the sauté and the complex of a good tuna, but also balance it and give it nuances.

Grilled prawns – Saison

Simple but effective, to pick at like there is no tomorrow, but with class.

Steamed mussels – Witbier

Also very classic: a whole pot of mussels boiled with herbs and for that a beer with that herbal touch, but very refreshing, low graduation, fruity, high carbonation but not exaggerated.

Fish tacos – Mexican Lager

Again a geographical pairing: tacos with coriander and lime, a light beer to drink fresh, without complexities, in a beach bar overlooking the sea, there can not be better plan. And there is not much else to explain, if it is not understood, it is because it is not known.

Sushi – Belgian Blonde

Considering Belgian Blonde one of the modern Belgians (De la Senne, Ranke), a little bit bitter than what is traditional for them, but with the complexity of their yeast stumps, perfect with umami and iodine.

Grilled turbot – Oud Bruin

Amazing. The texture of the turbot with the bipolarity of the Oud Bruin, the cooling touch on one side and the wood on the other, vanilla and cherries. The oily touch of the turbot is cut with acetic acidity. Extreme contrast, perfect for each drink to cut, clean and invite to continue drinking. And vice versa.