Beer with Diwali snacks and sweets

Two kinds of Diwali food, two kinds of beer

A Diwali spread splits neatly in two. On one side are the savoury fried snacks: chakli, namak para, mathri, sev and chivda. On the other is the mithai: kaju katli, besan and motichoor ladoo, barfi, gulab jamun, gujiya or karanji, soan papdi and, in Bengali homes, sandesh and rasgulla.

Each side needs a different kind of beer. Salt and frying oil want carbonation and crispness. Sugar wants a beer that is at least as sweet and rich as the sweet itself. Put a dry, bitter beer next to a gulab jamun and the beer turns thin and harsh. That one rule from our beer and dessert pairing guide saves most Diwali pairings.

Namkeen: crisp beers for salt and oil

Chakli is made from rice flour with sesame and ajwain. Namak para is crisp fried dough with a little salt. These are the beer snacks India already knows. A cold pilsner or a helles is ideal. The carbonation lifts the oil and the light bitterness keeps you reaching for the next piece.

Chivda is more interesting. The poha version brings curry leaves, turmeric, peanuts, green chilli and often a pinch of sugar. A Belgian witbier suits it, with coriander and orange peel meeting the curry leaf and a soft body for the peanuts. Mathri, flaky and peppery, does well with a saison.

Spicy sev and bhujia have real heat, so stay with low-bitterness lagers there. A hoppy IPA will only turn up the chilli.

Mithai: match sweetness with sweetness

The sweets are where beer surprises people.

Gulab jamun. Fried khoya dumplings soaked in a cardamom and rose syrup are about as sweet as dessert gets. A milk stout or a sweet oatmeal stout is the classic match. A milk stout keeps its body and sweetness from lactose, a milk sugar that brewer's yeast cannot ferment, so it stays in the beer after fermentation. The roast meets the browned khoya and the sweetness holds up against the syrup.

Besan ladoo. Roasted gram flour, ghee and sugar taste nutty and toasty. A brown ale or an English porter echoes the roast.

Kaju katli and barfi. These are rich, milky and less syrupy. A Belgian dubbel, with dark fruit and caramel from its yeast and sugar, works well in a small glass.

Gujiya and karanji. The khoya, coconut and dry fruit filling suits a dubbel or a malty bock.

Rasgulla and sandesh are delicate. They are often better with a fruited wheat beer or simply a glass of water.

Hosting a Diwali tasting responsibly

A tasting is the best way to share these pairings. It is also the easiest way to keep the evening sensible. Pour small measures, 60 to 100 ml per guest per beer, rather than full bottles. Three or four beers across an evening is plenty. Serve water throughout.

Plan for guests who do not drink as seriously as for those who do. Many people skip alcohol at festivals for religious, family or health reasons. Nobody should have to explain. Put out non-alcoholic beer, hop water, nimbu soda or a good jaljeera alongside the beer, served in the same glasses so nobody feels singled out.

Two firm rules. Nobody drives after drinking. Arrange cabs or a designated driver before the evening starts. And keep drinks well away from the fireworks. Anyone lighting crackers should be sober.

Beer is for adults only. Keep it out of reach at a family gathering full of children.

Running the tasting itself

Lay the table in order: namkeen with the lightest lager first, then the wit, then the darker beers with the sweets. Light to dark and dry to sweet keeps each beer from flattening the next. Ask guests to try the snack, then the beer, then the snack again. Then ask them what changed.

You will notice people struggle to put words to it. "Nice" and "too sweet" carry most conversations. Building a shared vocabulary for aroma and flavour takes guided practice, which is exactly where a structured sensory course pays off. Treat these pairings as suggestions, not rules. Your own favourite combination is the right one for your table.