Now that the holidays are here, it’s time to start planning your upcoming family feasts — including what beer you’re going to serve. Over the years, I’ve offered advice on tasty ways to pair beer with a variety of things, such as salads, candy, grilled meats, ice cream, cheese and even Girl Scout cookies. While I’ve been experimenting with pairing food and beer for three decades, there’s really no magic to it. Here are some basic concepts to help you successfully find the right beer for whatever you’re eating. The simplest way to approach pairing beer and food? Consider the three C’s: complement, contrast and cut.

Beer can complement food by harmonizing similar flavors, like chocolate notes in chocolate brownies with the chocolate in a dark stout. Try matching a spicy dish with a hoppy IP

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