Ever considered food pairing with Bourbon? No? Why not? While many wonder whether red or white wine would go best with their meal, few have an idea of which Bourbons go with what. Thankfully, there are no hard and fast rules to apply so read on to find out which of our Bourbons we’d recommend with whatever’s cooking.

Bourbon and Food Pairing Advice

Good Goes With Good

Try not to think it over too much, a really well done dish will go with an excellent Bourbon such as Makers Mark. The first step is making a meal you know you will enjoy then gradually work your way in through Bourbon cocktails then Bourbon on the rocks and end by sipping it neat.

Bring in the Smoke

Bourbon does not have to be smokey yet its charred oak barrel characteristics naturally lend themselves to working really well with a smokey dish. We’d recommend bringing a bottle of Jim Beam to a barbeque and enjoying it with a steak.

Be Bold

For every food and drink pairing there should be a star; either the dish has the wow factor or the drink takes the plaudits. Instead of finding complementary flavours, try to let bold flavours bounce off each other. For instance, an Old-Fashioned cocktail made with Jim Beam is big enough to work with a more pedestrian dish.

Mix It Up

You know the saying, ‘Beer before wine and you’ll feel fine; wine before beer and you’ll feel queer’. It’s just a saying, you should not be afraid of mixing Bourbon with other libations. If you want a beer to start don’t be afraid to then try Bourbon pairing appetisers such as smoky chicken wings and sausages later then ending with a Scotch such as Grants.

Finally, Dessert

Bourbon does not just go well with appetisers and mains, fix it up with a dessert and have fun. We’d recommend a Bourbon with rye and spice notes like Makers Mark as this will pair really well with an indulgent slice of cake and a few pieces of rich chocolate. You can also incorporate the Bourbon into the dessert such as throwing some into a Sticky Toffee Pudding or an Apple Bundt Cake.

Share Your Bourbon and Food Pairings With Us

Use our advice and try Bourbon and food pairings. Share them with us via our social channels. Just post your pairing photos and tag us @wineworldsrilanka #wineworldlk