Beer with Vietnamese pho and fresh herb dishes

Vietnamese food runs on fresh herbs

Vietnamese cooking is built on freshness. Plates of herbs come with almost everything: Thai basil, coriander, mint, perilla and sawtooth coriander (culantro). Lime wedges, sliced chilli and bean sprouts sit alongside. Fish sauce gives salt and savoury depth, while nuoc cham, a dipping sauce of fish sauce, lime, sugar, garlic and chilli, balances sweet, sour and salty.

That suits beers with fresh, bright aromas and low to moderate bitterness. Hop aroma, citrus and herbal yeast character all sit well beside Vietnamese herbs. The one thing to avoid is stale beer. Faded hops lose exactly the bright notes that make the match work.

Pho wants a crisp, clean lager

Pho is a noodle soup with a clear broth made by simmering beef bones for hours with charred onion and ginger plus star anise, cinnamon, cloves and coriander seed. It is served with flat rice noodles, thin slices of beef (pho bo) or chicken (pho ga) and a plate of herbs.

The broth is delicate but aromatic. A German Pilsner at 4.5 to 5% ABV, or a Helles, is our first choice. Both are clean and crisp, refreshing after hot soup without covering the anise. Vietnam's own beers are mostly pale lagers, which tells you something. Serve at 4 to 6 °C: hot soup and a cold, light beer make a great contrast.

Banh mi and the fresh rolls

Banh mi is a crisp baguette, from the French colonial period, filled with pâté, grilled or cold meats, pickled carrot and daikon, cucumber, coriander, chilli and mayonnaise. Goi cuon, fresh spring rolls, wrap prawns, pork, vermicelli and herbs in rice paper, served with peanut or hoisin sauce.

Banh mi has a lot going on: rich pâté, sour pickles, fresh herbs and heat. A pale ale at 30 to 40 IBU, with citrus or herbal hops, handles it well. Fresh rolls are lighter and suit a Kölsch or a witbier, whose coriander note matches the herbs.

Bun cha and grilled lemongrass dishes

Bun cha, a Hanoi favourite, serves grilled pork patties and slices in a sweet and sour nuoc cham with rice vermicelli and herbs. Lemongrass chicken and grilled pork chops (com suon) bring char and caramelised sweetness.

Char and sweetness suit a little more malt. A Vienna lager at 18 to 25 IBU picks up the grill. A Belgian witbier is our other favourite here, its citrus and coriander mirroring the lemongrass. If you like hoppy beer, a fresh pale ale with tropical or citrus hops matches the herbs and lime.

Where a hoppy beer fits

A fresh IPA or pale ale has aromas of citrus, tropical fruit, pine or herbs. Beside Vietnamese herbs, those aromas can feel like part of the dish. The catch is bitterness: with lots of chilli, high bitterness turns harsh. A pale ale at 30 to 45 IBU is usually a better partner than a 70 IBU IPA.

Freshness matters as much as style. Hop aroma fades within weeks if beer is stored warm, which is a real risk in Indian summers and long supply chains. A tired IPA tastes of caramel and cardboard rather than citrus. Our guide to fresh versus stale IPA explains how to tell. Our guide to serving beer at a house party covers keeping it fresh at home.

Spicy dishes and the chilli on the side

Vietnamese food lets each diner add heat, with sliced bird's eye chilli and chilli sauce on the table. If you load up, adjust the beer. Low bitterness and moderate alcohol help with chilli. A hefeweizen, at 8 to 15 IBU, or a witbier is the safe choice for anyone who likes it very hot. For the hottest dishes in our wider series, such as gongura mutton, see our guide to beer with fiery Andhra food.

Bun bo Hue, the spicy beef and lemongrass noodle soup from central Vietnam, is the main exception to Vietnamese restraint. It is hot, rich and fragrant with shrimp paste. Treat it like a curry: a wheat beer or a Vienna lager, not a bitter IPA. Fish sauce also deserves a mention. Its salt and savoury depth soften bitterness, so dishes dressed with nuoc cham can carry a little more hop than you might expect.

Match the herb to the beer

Try a small aroma test. Rub a few leaves of Thai basil, mint and coriander between your fingers and smell each. Then smell a Pilsner, a witbier and a pale ale. You will notice the witbier sits closest to coriander, the pale ale to mint and citrus and the Pilsner to the grassy, floral side. That link between herb aroma and beer aroma is what makes a pairing feel natural.

Your first step: next time you have pho, ask for a Pilsner or Helles and add your herbs one at a time. Notice which herb changes the beer most.

Common questions

What beer goes best with pho?

A crisp German Pilsner or Helles. They refresh after hot broth without covering the star anise and herbs.

What beer suits banh mi?

A pale ale at 30 to 40 IBU. Its citrus or herbal hops handle the pâté, pickles and fresh herbs.

Is IPA a good match for Vietnamese food?

A fresh pale ale or IPA with moderate bitterness can be excellent with herbs and lime. Very bitter or stale IPAs are less successful, especially with chilli.