What Would You Drink at a Knotty Brewery?
One of the rare San Diego craft breweries that didn’t start with a bevy of IPA recipes, East Village beer maker Knotty Brewing tends to favor old world styles out of Germany, England, Ireland, and Belgium. You can expect to find a host of these — plus a few creative pale ale variations — in its dedicated tasting room. However, most of Knotty’s beers pair well with the food found next door. Knotty Brewing grew out of longtime gastropub The Knotty Barrel, and its crisp, malty, and/or phenolic styles pair well with the burgers and other fare on its menu.
Burger and Beer Pairings
When pairing with a burger, you might want to start with the caramel malts of Knotty’s TransFixed Irish red ale, which ideally complement the caramelized char of a grilled burger patty. If you like a bolder beer, the burly Kama Kame Chameleon Baltic porter fits the bill nicely, but if you really like a large beer with a fair amount of complexity to cut through the heaviness of a hamburger, try Knotty’s Le Pirt Belgian strong golden ale. Though it tastes lighter than its 9-percent alcohol suggests, the beer hails from a brewing tradition made to taste great with rich meat dishes.