David Chang: Cheap Beer Is 'The Champagne Of Beers'

This week in GQ, Momofuku empire-builder David Chang penned a heartfelt defense of cheap beer. It contains adult language, so be forewarned.

The issue isn't that he dislikes fancy beer; Chang just feels that there is "a time and place for imperial stouts and barrel-aged saisons. But "95 percent of the time," Chang writes, "I don't want something that tastes delicious.

I want a Bud Light. I am not being falsely contrarian or ironic in a hipsterish way. This is something that I genuinely feel: I do not want a tasty beer."

Why? Chang suspects there are lots of reasons at play —affordability chief among them— that make cheap beer so great, but the most compelling one is how well it pairs well with food.

"Think about how well Champagne pairs with almost anything," Champagne is not a flavor bomb! It's bubbly and has a little hint of acid and tannin and is cool and crisp and refreshing. Cheap beer is, no joke, the Champagne of beers. And cheap beer and spicy food go together like nothing else. Think about Natty Boh and Old Bay-smothered crabs. Or Asian lagers like Orion and Singha and Tiger, which are all perfect ways to wash down your mapo tofu."

Chang's favorite cheap beer of all, however, is Bud Light. Read the full ode to cheap beer in GQ.

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Karen Lo is an associate editor at The Daily Meal. Follow her on Twitter @appleplexy.