Beer and food matching was the order of the day when new London restaurant BRAT hosted an event for the Brewers Association this week.

Brewers Association executive chef, Adam Dulye, in collaboration with BRAT head chef, Tomos Parry, devised an exploration of flavour matches that show what beer and food can do together.

The one-off dining experience showcased the natural affinity between the full flavours of American craft beer and seasonal British produce, cooked on an open-fire wood grill.

Adam said: “One of the goals with beer and food pairing is to broaden the conversation about quality, about a sense of community and a sense of place, ie the ethos of small and independent American brewers.

“Collaborating with a restaurant like BRAT, that has the same independence and ethos, strengthens the relationship between the brewery and the culinary side, and it helps the consumer understand about what goes into the glass and what goes onto the plate.

“The beer and food landscape is shifting and we’re seeing more and more consumers seeking out an experience when they go out. They’re looking at where they want to go and what they’re going to eat, drink and do when they get there.

“In a lot of cases, this involves American craft beer, and consumers are seeking out places that stock these types of beers.”

American breweries represented included: Fifty Fifty Brewing Co, West Sixth Brewing Co, Samuel Adams Boston Brewery, Maui Brewing Co, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery, and Three Weavers Brewing Co.

Brewers Association BRAT

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Behind the scenes: some of the people who made the lunch happen. Left to right are: Jesse Brasher, employee owner, West Sixth; Stan Phillips, agricultural counsellor at the US Embassy; Andy Barr, co-founder/CEO Fifty Fifty Brewing; Richard Miller, VP sales and marketing, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery; Adam Dulye, Brewers Association; Lynne Garrett, founder/CEO Three Weavers; Jennifer Garrett, brewer/director Samuel Adams Boston Brewery; Lew Lukens, Deputy Chief of Mission, US Embassy; Lisa Pumphrey, co-founder/CEO Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery; Garrett Marrero, founder/CEO Maui Brewing; and Lotte Peplow, Brewers Association