Pizza and Beer Pairing
Pizza and Beer, two of life’s simple pleasure! This pizza and beer pairing article is for all you guys out there who enjoy a good brew with your slice. Whether you’re hosting a party or just having a pizza night with friends, we’ve got you covered with a variety of pizza flavors that you can pair with the right beer style.
Pizza and Beer – a classic combo that’s savored by many. But have you ever wondered how to pair the right beer style with your pizza? We’re about to uncover some mouthwatering beer and pizza pairings that we’re sure you’ll love!
Best Beer for Pizza🍕: Our Top 3 Picks
🍺 Pepperoni Pizza and Pilsner
🍺 Cheesy Pizza and Blonde Ale
🍺 Meaty Pizza and West Coast Style IPA
The most well-known food pairing title is beer and pizza, but why are these two so good together? There are many reasons why people love to enjoy pizza and beer together:
- Enjoyment and Fun: Pizza and beer are both enjoyable and fun foods that can be shared with friends and family, making them a popular choice for gatherings or as a special treat.
- Flavor Contrast and Enhancement: Pizza and beer have complementary flavors that contrast and enhance each other when consumed together. The taste of the pizza can be enhanced by the flavors of the beer, creating a party in your mouth when they are both pair properly.
- Craft Beer Popularity: The increase in popularity of craft beers has expanded the variety of beer options available, making it easier to find a craft beer that complements and matches the flavors of your favorite type of pizza. This diversity in beer choices enhances the pizza and beer pairing experience. Highly recommended to check out our best beer for party article with the best beer selection.
Now, it’s not always easy to find the perfect craft beer that matches your favorite type of pizza — and that’s why you need our suggestions.
What Beer Style to Pair with…
Join us on a flavorful journey as we introduce you to top-notch breweries in the US that feature pizza on their menu.
Cheese Pizza and Blonde Ale
Although cheese pizza is pretty simple, it is also one of the best pizzas, and it’s hard to find a lousy one. This simple type of pizza would go perfectly with a light, crisp brew like blonde ale.
The crispy flavor would go through the fats of the cheese smoothly and clean your palate. These two don’t compete for taste but give a good balance on your tongue instead.
Recommended Brewery: Pizza Port Brewing, California.
| Pizza 🍕 | Beer🍺 |
| San Clemente | California Honey |
Mushroom Pizza and Stout
If you enjoy mushroom toppings, then stout is the best beer to go with pizza. Mushroom and spinach pizzas come with a savory and meaty flavor that flows well with the sweet taste of stout like pastry stout. Plus, the mushroom has an earthy flavor while stout is on the sturdy side, which is a good combination.
Apart from stout, mushroom pizzas also go deliciously well with English ale. English ale would give you a subtle earthy flavor, while mushroom pizzas are also earthy, but with a simple taste. The combination is sober yet delicious.
Recommended Brewery: Surly Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.
| Pizza 🍕 | Beer🍺 |
| What’s the damage | Granpa the Metal Head |
Pepperoni Pizza and Pilsner
Pepperoni is one of the most ordered toppings in America, and the beer to go with pizza and pepperoni is a pilsner.
Pepperoni pizza is known for its bold and savory flavors, and it pairs well with the clean and crisp profile of a dry hopped pilsner.
Recommended Brewery: Pinthouse, Texas
| Pizza 🍕 | Beer🍺 |
| Pepperoni | Magical Pils |
Pizza With Heavy Toppings and West Coast IPA
We can’t leave out those with heavy toppings when looking at good beer with pizza. Every pizza place has the option of having a lot of toppings like pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, sausage, peppers, olives, and more.
Recommended Brewery: Russian River Brewing, Sonoma County
| Pizza 🍕 | Beer🍺 |
| The Meat | Blind Pig IPA |
Vegetable Pizza and Lagers
Fans of veggie pizzas can enjoy each slice with a mug of lager, regardless of the vegetables you throw on it. From olives and spinach to bell peppers and onions, old-fashioned lager is usually the best beer to drink with pizza with vegetable toppings.
Lager is less bitter than other beers and has a lower IBU, so it doesn’t overshadow the diverse taste of veggie pizzas. Plus, it gives you a refreshing taste by enhancing the salts in the cheese.
Recommended Lager: Stella Artois Solstice
Hawaiian Pizza and Fruity Beers
Hawaiian Pizza gives you a delicious combination of smoky bacon and tart pineapple, and there’s no better way to enjoy this than with more fruits. Fruity beers would pair perfectly with the bacon part of the pizza and clash with the sweetness of pineapple. You can go for the flavor you prefer with your beer, but why not daring with some tropical fruits?
Recommended Fruit Beer: Sippin Pretty Beer
Margherita and Unfiltered Lager
Another beer and pizza pairing is a typical Margherita topping with unfiltered lager. Margherita offers a fantastic combination of sweet sauce, charred crust, and irresistible cheese. This combo meets the bready flavor of an unfiltered lager halfway, so you can taste both without any of the flavors being overshadowed.
Recommended Unfiltered Lager: Aight Beer
Learn more about key differences between Filtered vs Unfiltered Beer.
Meat and Dark Smoked Beer
Dark smoked beer is a perfect fit if you enjoy your pizza with meat, from chicken and beef to barbeque pizzas. Dark smoked beer gives any meat topping an authentic taste, especially when the beer has meaty aromas of roast, char, and bacon. It’s also a good beer with pizza at barbecue parties.
Recommended Smoked Beer: Cold Smoke Beer
Anchovy and Citrus Pale Ale
Anchovy pizzas have an intense flavor, and if you want to refresh the taste on your tongue after each bite, then pale citrus ale would do the trick. Citrusy pale ale combines bitterness and spiciness that goes with the flavor of anchovy.
Recommended Pale Ale: Goose Island Green Line
Seafood and Berliner Weiss
Although seafood pizza isn’t so famous, it’s moving up the ranks among pizza lovers. The best beer for pizza with seafood toppings is Berliner Weiss, as it features a heavy lemon taste and a lot of acidity.
Recommended Beer: Goat Island Blood Orange
Olives and Saison Dupont
Those getting olive pizzas can pair it with Saison Dupont beer, with its soft and earthy notes.
The Saison Dupont beer gives you a spicy and monotone flavor profile, which won’t affect the taste of your olives. Learn more about Saison Beer: What Makes It Different From Other Pale Ales
Expert Tips
Although you can easily choose one from our top beer and pizza pairs, you can use these tips to get the best out of this food if you’re making your pizza or craft beer.
Light Beers Go With Mild Pizza Flavors
If you’re having a delicious crisp pizza with cheese, veggies, mushrooms, pineapple and bacon, and other mild flavors, it’s best to go with light beers. Light beers like pale ale and sour beer would go well with simple pizzas. These would give you a fantastic combination of flavors. If you choose stronger beers, they might overshadow the sober taste of pizzas.
Robust Beers Go With Diverse Pizza Flavors
On the other hand, if you have hearty pizzas with a lot of meat or heavy toppings, you can pair them with robust and heavier beers. With rich flavors paired together, no taste overshadows the other so that you can enjoy each one. IPA beers are usually the best choice for hearty pizzas, so you can go for this if you have trouble picking. They are bitterer than other beers and bring out the savory flavors of cheese and meat.
When You Need All-Round Choices
If your pizza doesn’t fit perfectly into any of the categories we have explored in this guide; you might need a general beer choice. Lagers and pilsner beers are fantastic for many pizza types, especially homemade pizza. These types of beers go with the two main ingredients of pizzas: cheese and tomato sauce.
Frequently Ask Questions
What beer do Italians drink with pizza?
Peroni Nastro Azzurro is a popular Italian beer to pair with pizza. Its light body and crisp taste complement the rich flavors of pizza.
What is the best Mexican beer with pizza?
Mexican beer like Corona or Dos Equis can be a good choice to pair with pizza. Their light and refreshing taste can balance the heavy flavors of pizza.
What is drunk pizza?
Drunk pizza is a term used to describe the type of pizza people tend to crave after a night of drinking. It’s usually greasy, cheesy, and loaded with toppings.
Related Beer and Food Articles
Check out these articles on how to best pair your food with the right beer style.
Wrapping up
You can take this as a beginner’s guide to beer and pizza pairings and make up your pairings along the way. Remember that everyone has different palates and opinions, so some of the pairings on this guide might not fit your needs. With this as a reference, you can enjoy the best food pairing out there.
