Many diners put considerable thought into the best wines to pair with their meals. Hayley Jensen, beer sommelier at Taproom No. 307, a bar/restaurant in New York City, believes a carefully chosen beer can also enhance the flavor of a dish.

When picking beer for a meal, Ms. Jensen starts by examining the tastes and textures in the dish first. Stronger tastes often call for fuller-flavored beers, for example.

With...