Beer doctor pairs Aussie ales with food

FORGET the pies and bar snacks — an internationally renowned beer doctor is leading a charge to pair our Aussie ales with everything from orange slices to vanilla panna cotta.

International beer expert Keith Villa pours a beer with a slice of orange ahead of the Great Australian Beer Spectapular. Picture: Jake Nowakowski.

FORGET the pies and bar snacks — an internationally renowned beer doctor is leading a charge to pair our Aussie ales with everything from orange slices to vanilla panna cotta.

Keith Villa, the founder of Blue Moon, aims to create the kind of beer that can match exclusive dining menus just like a fine wine.

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“I wanted to showcase how food friendly beer could be,’’ Dr Villa said.

His most popular option is traditionally garnished with orange and is popular in the US market.

“People complain to the bar man if it doesn’t come with it,’’ he said.

His latest line of beer includes a Persian white that sits nicely with an entree and a mango wheat option that goes well with dessert.

Dr Villa, who switched from medicine to focus on a PHD in brewing biochemistry, said ordinary consumers were becoming connoisseurs as the craft beer market expanded.

He said while traditional Aussie ales weren’t dead — local brewers were following America’s lead to create lighter options with abundant flavour.

“I think the Aussie drinkers are now more open to being surprised,” he said.

“The original craft brewers started with big bold beer with a lot of alcohol and bitterness but that has rapidly changed.”

Dr Villa will be among guests at this weekend’s Great Australian Beer Spectapular.

gabsfestival.com