Sample Exam: Beer and Food Pairing

This is an unofficial answer key for the sample Certified Cicerone Exam supplied on the Cicerone.org website.

I've supplied what I think are correct answers. I've cited sources and provided links for more in depth study, and I hope that this will aid you in preparing for the exam.

Please use the comments section below to leave questions and/or differences in opinion.

When citing sources, this answer key uses the following abbreviations:

TB         Tasting Beer by Randy Mosher

Cicerone Certification Program
Certified Cicerone Exam
April 2008

Beer and Food Pairing 

133. When planning pairings, what should the intensity of a beer be relative to the intensity of the food item it will be paired with?
 
In other words: 

How should a beer's intensity compare to the accompanying food's intensity?
The intensities should be equal.  (TB, p. 117)

134. What properties or characteristics of beer contribute to its “intensity”?

Alcohol, Malt Character, Hop Bitterness, Sweetness, Richness, Roastiness  (TB, p. 117)

135. Give a general example of “resonance” in pairing, listing a general beer flavor and corresponding food flavor.

Nutty, Roasted, Caramel  (TB, p. 118)

136. In addition to intensity and resonance, what is a third principle of flavor pairing that often plays a role in great beer and food pairings? 

Contrast/Counterpoint  (TB, p. 118)

137. Give two examples of general food flavors that the carbonation and bitterness in beer provide a counterpoint to. 

Sweetness, Richness (TB, p. 118-122)

138. List three general characteristics of beer that can contrast with food flavors. 

Carbonation, Bitterness, Dryness  (TB, p. 118-122)

139. Roasty flavors in beer provide a counterpoint to what sort of food flavors? 

Sweet, Richness  (TB, p. 118)

140. List three general flavors (for example “honey”) found in both beer and food:

Herbs, Citrus, Spicy, Peppery, Fruity, Nutty, Vanilla, Coconut, Toasted, Roasted, Caramel (TB, p. 119)

141. What is the most difficult quality of beer to deal with as a cooking ingredient? 

Bitterness  (TB, p. 129) 

 
142. Suggest a beer or beer style that you would pair with at least five of the following ten foods  

[These pairings are not the definitive answers. I list them here because they are referenced in beer literature.
Compare the pairing suggestions from different sources.] 

Gorgonzola Cheese:  American Pale Ale  (TB, p. 126)

Camembert Cheese:  Saison  (TB, p. 126)

Cheddar Cheese:  Stout (TB, p. 124)

Roasted Chicken:  English Bitter  (Brewer's Association)

Grilled Salmon:  Brown Ale  (Brewer's Association)

Cream-based pasta sauce (Alfredo): IPA

Red Curry:  IPA  (Brewer's Association)

Chocolate Chip Cookie:  Wee Heavy   
(TB, p. 123, plus extensive personal research!)

Flourless Chocolate Cake:  Imperial Stout  (TB, p. 123)
 

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing: IPA  (TB, p. 123)

[I know this sounds freaky, but you really gotta try this one]

143. Answer ONE of the following three questions (5 points):

(A) Give a dessert that might make a fine pairing with a malty barleywine that has been aged in a new oak barrel, and tell briefly why it would work.

A malty (English) barleywine will have caramel, toffee, and molasses flavors. (BJCP Style 19B)

Aging the beer in a new oak barrel will impart vanilla and perhaps baking spices (like cinnamon & cloves). 
(The Oxford Companion to Beer, p. 619)

A good dessert pairing would have these flavors as well.

Some examples are:

English toffee pudding

Flan (caramel custard)
Bread Pudding

Pecan Pie

(Serious Eats)

(B) List two cheeses that might make a fine pairing with a raspberry lambic beer and why the pairing would be likely to work. 
 

A raspbery lambic (framboise) tastes tart, bright, and fruity. Fresh goat cheese (chevre) also tastes tart and bright. Chevre also goes well with raspberries. 

The effervescence of the lambic would be a contrast to the creamy interior of a bloomy rind cheese like Brie or Camembert.

Marscapone is another soft cheese that would contrast the effervescence of Framboise. Marscapone is a little sweet, which would play off of the raspberry fruit flavor.

The opposite of tart and bright is earthy. Blue cheese is earthy, and would make a good contrasting pairing. 

Cambozola is Camembert that has been innocculated with blue cheese (Gorgonzola) mold. This pairing works by contrasting both the texture and the flavor of the beer. 


(Culture Magazine's Cheese Library)
 

(C) Describe a salad and a beer that make a good pairing, and the specifics of why they work together. 

Wheat beers can be a match for a simple green salad.
 

English IPAs, pilsners, and hoppy saisons can pair with salads, especially if bitter greens like endive, arugula, or radicchio are used in the salad.

Sour beers can replace vinegar in a salad dressing to help pair sour beers to a salad.

Here are more examples of beer/salad pairing.

(TB, p. 121)
(Serious Eats)