The One Type Of Brew You Really Shouldn't Use For Beer Battered Fish

Beer battered fish is a year-round tradition in America, but it's especially popular during Lent and the Midwestern smelt season in the spring. You won't get drunk off of beer battered fish, but you might fall in love with their light, crispy texture and golden brown crust – especially if you know what kinds of beer to avoid when you're making the batter. You can't just use any beer from the fridge and expect to get the iconic color and texture of a true Wisconsin fish fry. We learned which to avoid by speaking with Trevor Hubbard, executive chef at Sons of Liberty Alehouse in San Francisco. "I would not recommend using bitter beers or stouts for beer batter," he said. "They can give the batter an off-putting color and flavor."

Dark, bitter beers and light, flaky fish clash on your palate even before they're combined into a single dish. Dark beers are heavy with strong flavors that overshadow the delicate fish, and that heaviness contradicts the airy, crispy breading. The whole thing just "doesn't jive" as one Redditor said on a thread in r/cooking. Hoppy beers have the same effect, impacting both the flavor and the texture of the fish instead of creating crispy breading.

Light beers are best for battering fish because they add the extra layer of nutty, malty, brewed flavor without going overboard into bitter. There are plenty of options to choose from, according to Hubbard. "A wide range of light beers will work wonderfully, from lagers and pilsners to pale ales and wheat beers. Even the occasional IPA will do the trick," he said. "We use a local beer from Altamont Brewing called Maui Wowi IPA. Usually, I wouldn't say to use an IPA, but we found this one works well, and the bitterness doesn't carry over to the fish once it's fried."

Choose a beer with mid-range alcohol content and higher carbonation to get the perfect texture of breading for beer battered fish. To really bring out the best of both ingredients, match the flavor profile of the beer to that of the fish. Sturdier fish, like salmon and swordfish can handle a beer that's a bit darker, but white fish, like cod, walleye, and haddock need light, crisp beers to match their more delicate flavors. Blue Moon, Hefeweizen, Corona, and Coors Light can add the flavor and texture you're looking for in a batch of beer battered fish, so don't restrict yourself to expensive beer brands. Still, the flavor of the beer matters because it will transfer to the batter. So, select a beer with a taste you like for the type of fish you love.