Beer 199 - Ayinger Ur-Weiss with Pasta Shells

This is an authentic dark wheat ale - Bavarian Dunkel Weissen - brewed and bottled by Privatbrauerei Franz Inselkammer in Aying, Germany in accordance with the "Rheinheitsgebot" purity law of 1516.  The beer was bought at Spec's Downtown liquor store and drunk at home in Katy as part of a meal with Nutri-System spinach and cheese stuffed pasta shells in a chunky tomato, basil sauce and lightly steamed asparagus shoots.  (I know that sounds oxymoronic, having beer with Nutri-System, but!!)

Ayinger's web site (in English): http://en.ayinger-bier.de/

The web site says "“The union of wheaty freshness and dark malt often produces a fullness of taste and complexity”, explains the world-famous English beer commentator Michael Jackson. This also applies to the Ayinger Ur-Weisse, which is a strong amber-colored, yeast cloudy wheat beer. The beer is strong with the first taste and malty in aroma. The top-fermented, yeasty taste sensation is unmistakable. This beer is rich in sparkle and has just a touch of a special bitter quality. The fruity, malty mild aroma will have you won you over immediately! 5.8% alc/volume."

One of the nice things about drinking beer with food is the 'fizz'.  But that also means that the beer has to work well with the food.  The effervescent beer needs a food that matches well in taste or contrasts so sharply that both tastes stand out.  In this case the fizz and the slight yeasty taste went remarkably well with the lightly flavored basil tomato sauce and ricotta cheese and spinach in the shells.  An excellent marriage of tastes, a sip of Ayinger after a forkful of pasta and sauce made for a pleasant interplay of flavors in the mouth.