Pairing beer and non-alcoholic beer with Middle Eastern food

A note on law and choice

Rules on alcohol differ widely across the Middle East and North Africa. Some countries ban it. Some license it only for hotels and restaurants. Others regulate it more lightly. Local law always comes first. So does the choice of anyone at the table who does not drink.

For that reason we treat non-alcoholic beer as the main character here. Good non-alcoholic lagers, wheat beers and pale ales are now widely made. They pair on the same principles as full-strength beer. Anything we say about styles applies to both. Our guide to non-alcoholic beer styles explains what to expect from each.

Mezze: hummus, baba ghanoush and salads

A mezze spread is a set of small plates: hummus (chickpeas and tahini), baba ghanoush (smoky aubergine), tabbouleh (parsley, bulgur, lemon), fattoush and olives. The flavours are tangy, nutty and herbal, with plenty of olive oil.

A light, dry drink works best. A non-alcoholic pilsner or lager has clean malt and light bitterness that refresh between dips. A wheat beer, with its soft body and slight citrus note, suits tabbouleh and fattoush because lemon and herbs are already in charge.

Avoid anything heavily hopped or very sweet here. Mezze is meant to be picked at over a long time, so a low-intensity drink that you can sip all evening is better than one that dominates.

Olives, pickles and salty cheese such as halloumi or labneh add salt, which makes a drink taste sweeter and softer. That is another reason to keep the beer dry. Bread and olive oil are neutral, so they let the drink show its character.

Grills, kebabs and shawarma

Charred lamb, chicken and kofta share one thing: browned, savoury, fatty edges. That roasted character calls for a drink with some malt weight. An amber or Vienna-style lager, alcoholic or non-alcoholic, has a toasty, bready centre that matches grilled meat without being heavy.

Garlic sauce, tahini and pickled turnip add sharp, creamy contrasts. Carbonation helps cut through fat. If the meat has been marinated with sumac, cumin or Aleppo pepper, a gentle fruity note in a pale ale can sit well, as long as bitterness stays moderate.

Rice, grilled onion and tomato often arrive on the same plate, so a lager with moderate malt and no heavy hop character covers most of the table. If one person wants something with more flavour, a fruity non-alcoholic pale ale works for lamb marinated with sumac or cumin.

Rice, stews and slow cooked dishes

Dishes such as mansaf, kabsa and maqluba are built on spiced rice with slow cooked meat. They are rich, aromatic and often mildly sweet from dried fruit or warm spices like cardamom and cinnamon.

A malty, low-bitterness style matches best. Think amber lager, a dark lager or a non-alcoholic brown ale-style beer. The caramel and bread notes in malt work with the sweetness in the rice and spices. The carbonation clears the fat.

Specific dishes and recipes vary from country to country and from family to family, so treat these as starting points rather than fixed matches.

Falafel, fried snacks and breakfast dishes

Falafel, kibbeh and other fried food need a drink that scrubs the palate. Cold, well carbonated pilsner-style beer does that job. Shakshuka, with its tomato acidity, is better with a soft, low-bitterness drink, since acid and bitterness together taste harsh.

If you are serving several dishes at once, keep one neutral choice on the table. A clean non-alcoholic lager is rarely wrong. A jug of water with lemon and mint helps guests who prefer something simpler. Pairing is about making the meal pleasant, so offer choice rather than one fixed answer.

Sweets and desserts

Baklava, kunafa and date-based sweets are very sweet, often with honey or syrup. Matching sweetness with sweetness is hard, so many people prefer a contrast. A dry, roasty non-alcoholic stout or dark beer echoes coffee and chocolate flavours without adding more sugar. Or skip beer here and finish with tea or coffee, which suits the region well.

Dates, nuts and pistachios appear in many desserts. They are nutty and caramel-like, which a malty drink echoes well. Keep portions of both drink and dessert small, since the sweetness builds quickly.

Serving temperature and glass

In hot places, serve non-alcoholic beer at 3 to 5 °C. Cold suppresses sweetness, which matters because non-alcoholic beers often carry more residual sweetness than full-strength ones. Use a clean glass: oil from earlier food on a greasy glass flattens foam. For a deeper tasting technique see how to taste beer.

Common questions

Is it appropriate to pair beer with Middle Eastern food?

That depends on where you are and who is at the table. Alcohol is banned or restricted in many countries, so check local law first. Non-alcoholic beer follows the same pairing logic and is a good option for everyone.

Which non-alcoholic beer style suits grilled meat?

An amber or Vienna-style lager has the toasty malt character that matches charred meat. A dark non-alcoholic lager also works.

What goes with hummus and mezze?

A light, dry pilsner or wheat beer-style drink, served cold. Avoid very bitter or very sweet beers that compete with the lemon, tahini and herbs.

Do non-alcoholic beers pair differently from regular ones?

Mostly no. They are often a little sweeter and lighter in body, so cold serving and a clean, dry style help.