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Artisinal beers and micro brews are reclaiming their spots at the American table later this month at a series of beer pairing dinners at the restaurant Daniel.

"People seem to think that wine goes better with food, when actually beer is definitely a good, viable drink with food as well," says beer expert Samuel Merritt.

Merritt and sommelier Colin Alevras have joined Executive Chef Daniel Boulud to host the beer and food series.

For those who cannot make the event, Merrit offered up some tips for how to pair food and beer in your own home.

"There are a few basic rules I teach about beer and food pairing and they're pretty simple. Rule one is instinct," he says. "Rule two, for beer pairing, is intensity, and rule three is compliment and contrast."

To distill some of the carbonation, experts say get the beer out of the bottle and into a glass. Wine glasses work well. Alevras recommends the bigger the beer, the bigger the glass.

Experts say beer offers some benefits that wine does not.

"One of the things beer has wine doesn't is carbonation," says Merritt. "Beer will scrub fats from the palate and rinse your palate in between bites of food. It's a working part of the meal."

Alevras says beer cuisine runs the gamut from beef stews to tempura.

For meats and braised dishes, Alevras recommends dark beer for a savory taste or Munich lagers for a palate cleanser. However, he warns to stay away from heavy beers with spicy foods.

"You may want to shy away from bigger, heavier beers because the high alcohol content has a tendency to exacerbate the bitterness and heat from the food," he says.

As for dessert pairings, you can blend beers together to make a beer cocktail.

"There is a classic combination of beers where you have a Chocolate stout with actual chocolate in it," says Merritt. "Then a beautiful fruit beer, it's a Lambic from Belgium and basically chocolate and fruit, it's a no-brainer."

The four-course beer pairing dinner events are January 27th and 28th.

According to the Zagat Restaurant Guide, Daniel is an "incomparable" New French "masterpiece" that exudes "true class."

As for the ratings, out of a possible 30, Daniel gets a 28 for food, a 28 for décor and a 28 for service. The average cost of dinner is $137.

Daniel
60 East 65th Street
212-288-0033
DanielNYC.com