Tips for Pairing Wagyu Beef with Craft Cocktails
Few experiences match sitting down with a steak cooked precisely to your preferences and sipping a glass of fine wine or a craft beer. The flavors bounce off and complement each other with every bite, allowing you to analyze and savor their intricacies.
Utilizing authentic A5 Japanese Wagyu beef subtly shakes up this scenario. As culinary afficionados know, Wagyu isn't an ordinary beef: It's recognized throughout the world for its buttery texture, light umami flavor and unparalleled tenderness resulting from a high number of intramuscular fat deposits.
These qualities don't occur by chance. Instead, Japanese farmers raise their cattle in a stress-free environment and feed them a diet of corn, grain and other wholesome foods, varying ratios based on life stage. In the process, the farmers adhere to the same techniques used for generations and strive to maintain the cattle's bloodline.
These attributes result in a more elegant, upgraded dining experience of delicate umami notes and a luscious, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Any cocktail or drink selected either needs to reflect these characteristics or contrast to a point.
As you plan to prepare this meal for yourself or to enjoy with loved ones, we've put together tips for selecting a complementary drink or cocktail, as well as reliable pairings for authentic Wagyu beef.
How to Pair Drinks and Authentic Wagyu Beef
Traditionally, diners pair their steaks with red wine, beer, cider or bourbon. However, the surge in craft beers and artisanal spirits has resulted in more refined and complex beverage options. Achieving an optimal balance with authentic A5 Japanese Wagyu beef takes into account the following:
- Umami: All steaks bring umami flavors, known for distinctively caramelized and subtly sweet notes. Umami ultimately comes down to the presence of glutamic acid, and for Wagyu, these qualities are more pronounced compared to other varieties of beef.
- Pairing type: With any drink and steak, pairings are either balanced - also called "congruent" - or contrasting. Balanced pairings pull from a group of similar flavors, with no overly strong or overpowering notes. Contrasting pairings, however, are structured based on differences. Here, too, the flavors stand opposite each other without one consuming too much of the palate.
Wines, Artisanal Spirits and Craft Cocktails for Authentic Wagyu Beef
Wines
Light acidity and bitterness, created from the tannins present in red wines, create an equally proportional pairing for the juicy tenderness of a Wagyu steak.
Within this general framework:
- You can't go wrong with a wine with a higher concentration of tannins, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Sangiovese, Nebbiolo or Monastrell.
- Smokier notes from the beef call for a bolder flavor profile - for example, a Shiraz.
- Cuts with more marbling are complemented by something more subtle, like Pinot Noir or Merlot.
Craft Beers and IPAs
Similar to wine, the bitter and citrus notes imparted by India Pale Ales contrast against the luscious tenderness of Wagyu steaks.
With beer, a more substantial drink with richer, almost chocolate-like undertones - for example, a porter or stout - matches yet also plays against Wagyu's deep yet intricate flavors.
Artisanal Spirits
Other potential pairings include:
- Sake: This is the most traditional approach for A5 Japanese Wagyu beef. This full-bodied wine delivers a light, refreshing immediate impression, and its moderate acid notes precisely intertwine with Wagyu's umami elements.
- Bourbon: A higher alcohol content and more rounded flavors translate to a more intense experience. Yet, with notes of caramel and vanilla, aged bourbon goes toe to toe with the stronger umami qualities of both Japanese and American Wagyu beef.
- Scotch: Delivering a similar flavor profile and intensity as bourbon, scotch infuses your meal with an overall smoky effect and is ideal for more marbled cuts.
- Whiskey: While certain whiskeys can overpower all that makes Wagyu beef a distinctive experience, lighter, more refined varieties - for example, Japanese or Irish whiskey with more fragrant aspects - let its flavor profile breathe.
For spirits and more, we've rounded up the best cocktails to pair with steak.