Bench Dark Lager

Naramata Bench, Canada

Neighbourhood Brewing's Bench Dark Lager, representing the Naramata Bench wine country's growing craft beer culture. While the Okanagan is famous for wine, a cluster of small breweries has emerged catering to the region's sophisticated visitor base. A German-inspired dunkel-style dark lager: smooth, roasted malt character without the heaviness of a stout, clean fermentation from lager yeast, and the easy drinkability that has made the style a beer sommelier favourite for food pairing in wine country restaurant contexts.

Pairing intelligence

• main: The lager's roasted malt and clean finish cut through the fat; caraway and dark rye mirror the Munich malt base precisely.
• casual: The dark lager's roasted malt and mild bitterness are in dialogue with the sharp beer cheese, mustard's acidity, and smoked sausage's salt and spice — a self-referential lager pairing.
• casual: Dark lager with pulled pork and barbecue sauce is one of the most intuitive casual pairings: the beer's toasted grain notes complement the smoke character of the pork; its clean lager finish provides relief from the barbecue sauce's sweetness. Apple slaw's acidity and crunch refreshes the palate between bites. A straightforward, satisfying pairing with no complexity required.
• starter: The gentle roast character of the dark lager bridges the smokiness of the salmon while its carbonation lifts the richness of the crème fraîche.
• cheese: The dark lager's Munich malt character and gentle roast echo the nutty depth of aged Emmental; caraway and mustard amplify the beer's spice notes in a Central European-style cheese pairing.