Finding a drink that complements your favorite slice of pizza is serious business. Nothing ruins the mood more than taking a bite of cheesy, saucy goodness, only to have the experience washed away by a swig of the wrong beer. But trying to find the perfect match can be daunting. There’s dozens of different types of beer, and then hundreds of choices after that. It’s exhausting to even think about.
Lucky for you, the first steps are already done. We’ve put together a list of our top five must-know pizza-beer pairings. Not saying these are the absolute only beers you should be drinking with your pizza, but these pairings will take your tastebuds experience a whole new universe. Why would you want to miss out on something as awesome as that?
Cheese and Light Ales
There is absolutely nothing more classic than a good ‘ol cheese pizza. Tasting the ooey goodness of the melted cheese mixed with the slight tang of a good sauce is nothing short of a food-lover’s dream. Finding a good beer to pair with such a simple pizza should be easy, but it can be all too easy to overpower the taste. Lighter beers like pale ales and wheat ales are great options. Bud Light and Blue Moon lovers, the next time you’re ordering a pie, just say, “Cheese, please!”.
Pepperoni and IPA
If cheese pizza is the classic, then pepperoni is the fan favorite. It’s almost guaranteed to be an option wherever pizza is served, which means knowing a good beer to go with it is essential. While it’s not as easy as cheese to overpower the taste of pepperoni pizza, you shouldn’t go gung-ho with a full-bodied beer, either. Your best bet is an IPA. Craft beer lovers everywhere, rejoice! There’s a huge selection of IPAs these days, so finding you that goes perfectly with your favorite slice of pepperoni shouldn’t be too hard.
Meat Lovers and Darker Beers
Lighter beers aren’t for everyone. Sometimes you just want something a little more. Smoked beers and dark ales can be difficult to pair, just because you don’t want to lose the malty taste in the mix with everything else. That’s where meat lovers comes in. All the different flavors balance each other out, making it a balanced tasting experience. Both the darker beer and the mix of meats are strong enough to where one won’t be overpowered by the other. Truly a power couple in the world of pizza pubs.
Vegetarian and Kolsch
Not about that meat life? No problem. Veggie pizzas are just as standard as pepperoni these days. Nothing quite compares to the mixture of gooey cheese, fluffy crust, and a smattering of fresh, crisp vegetables. The cool juices from the peppers and crunch of the onions go perfectly with a summer beer. Whether it’s a Kolsch or a light IPA, brews made with the hot months in mind are the ideal match for a light but flavorful slice of veggie pie.
Hawaiian and Fruity Beers
Probably the easiest to guess, right? Of course a pizza with fruit on it would go best with a fruity beer. With pomegranate, raspberry, passion fruit, cherry, apricot, peach, and so many more fruits getting the star treatment in the brewing world, there’s sure to be a great match for everyone on #TeamPineapple. Just grab a slice of ham and pineapple goodness and your favorite fruity brew and you’ll start feeling like you’re relaxing on a secluded Hawaiian beach.
