Warming Winter Ale

I don't often drink beer these days, but I was given this, so I did. Local brewery (The Untapped Brewing Co., Raglan), deep rich winter beer - should be a winner. But it didn't really go with the food I was cooking, which was an uneasy combination of Indian aubergine and split pea dal, Chinese/Indonesian spiced cauliflower, and rice with mushrooms and peppers. Ember, the ale is called. It needs a good meaty stew for accompaniment, I think.