Garlic Lemon Thyme Chicken and English Pale Ale

I had a pretty decent pairing at dinner the other night that I thought I would share with you.

Samuel Smith Old Brewery Pale Ale
1 Pt 2.7 Fl Oz

This English pale ale was quite different from my idea of what pale ales taste like, based mostly on American beer. Rather than being hoppy, this pale ale was dominated by caramel-like malt flavors. However, the flavors were not overpowering, as should be expected with any pale ale, and were thus well suited to go with less outspoken foods such as chicken. At the end of the flavor profile of this beer you experience a subtle hint of hops and carbonation bite. Incorporating the American, English, and Belgian pale ales that I've now had, I think I am starting to see that pale ale may have a wide range of flavor profiles (hoppy, malty, funky, grassy), but they all tend to be lighter in flavor than their full-bodied relatives such as IPA or Abbey Ales.

I made chicken seasoned with garlic, thyme, and lemon with crispy skin. The chicken had a good flavor, but would have been overshadowed by a bigger beer. The malty richness of the pale ale provided a nice counterpoint to the saltiness and acidity of the chicken. Other beers with moderate flavors (other pale ales, hefeweizen, brown ale) would also be a good match for a conservatively flavored chicken dish.