Super Bowl Sunday is almost here. Even if you’re still under full lockdown, it’s a great day to smash your “clean eating 2021” regimen, break out the classic Super Bowl party foods, and gorge yourself for a few commercial-filled hours. And as you indulge, you’re going to want plenty of good beer on hand to wash those salty snacks down with.
The Super Bowl parties might not be big in 2021, but you can still elevate the experience of watching the game with a little thoughtful curation.
Pairing Super Bowl party foods with beer should be simple and tasty. That’s all that really matters. You don’t want to spend all day Saturday finding one bespoke bottle that’ll cost you more than a copy of Madden. Don’t get us wrong, we’re still calling out a few special beers below, but really this is about good brews that you can grab without too much effort.
Hopefully, the ten pairings below will help your Super Bowl Sunday feel fun and light. Even in a pandemic.
Chicken Wings — Deschutes Black Butte Porter
Price: $9.99, six-pack
The Dish:
As we highlighted this week, chicken wings don’t mean one thing.
They can be prepared and then dressed in many different ways. Generally speaking, you’re going to have a lot of umami, a lot of spice, and hopefully a lot of crispiness. You definitely need a beer that can stand up to those big and varied flavors.
The Beer:
This old-school icon from Oregon is just the beer for your wing-based gluttony. The brew is built upon five malts with chocolate and wheat malts forming a core. A touch of Pacific Northwest hops add a mild bitterness to cut all that umami. Plus, the ABVs are 5.5 percent, making this an easy all-day drinker.
The Pairing:
What you’re getting with Black Butter Porter is a counterpoint. There’s a clear sense of dark cacao and bitter and almost creamy espresso beans with a touch of sweet vanilla that’s all still somehow light and effervescent. And since sweet and bitter are the perfect reversal of spice and umami, this beer shines as a wing pairing.
Kielbasa — Pilsner Urquell
Price: $10.79, six-pack
The Dish:
Ah, Kielbasa. The spicy sausage from Central Europe is the grilling masterpiece. It’s thick, meaty, and should be full of herbal seeds and plenty of chili spice. They’re great on their own or sliced with some mustard powder sprinkled over the top. But throw a chunk of kielbasa in a crusty bun with some pickled onion and grain mustard … chef’s kiss.
The Beer:
Sticking with the Central European theme, why not go with a beer that was literally invented to be paired with this type of food?
Pilsner Urquell is the original Bohemian pils and is probably the most quaffable entry on this list, thanks to those bespoke Saaz hops and super soft spring water.
The Pairing:
Pilsner Urquell also has the uncanny ability to really calm down overly sharp spice on the tongue with its floral fizziness and light nature. Those hoppy florals are drawn back but present. The malts have an ever-so-slight sweetness. But the real star of the show is the ability of this beer to go down almost too easily with fatty and spicy sausages.
Nachos — Modelo Negra
Price: $17.99, 12-pack
The Dish:
A big mess of nachos is never a bad idea. It’s a textural masterpiece of crunchy, crisp, gooey, soft, and bold. It’s also a flavor bomb — hitting some serious umami and savory highs while still touching on grainy corn and smooth dips. There’s a lot going on and it all works.
The Beer:
Modelo Negra is one of those beers that’s hard not to love. It’s light but not simple. There’s a dark, almost toffee, maltiness at the base with a slight hint of cinnamon next to real rye crustiness while also being easy-to-drink. Then there’s a hint of sour creaminess that sneaks in that really rounds this beer out.
The Pairing:
That last note of sour creaminess is what ties this so well to nachos. It creates a bridge of sorts between the sour cream that is likely on your nachos and the flavors of the beer. The malty sweetness with that light body is also a nice counter to the heavier and spicier aspects of a plate of nachos.
Kebabs — New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA
Price: $11.86, six-pack
The Dish:
Meat on a stick over a fire sounds pretty simple. While it is — in theory — if you don’t marinate or season your kebabs well, they’ll be lackluster at best. You can marinate in yogurt and spices overnight, dry or wet brine for a few hours, or simply season well before they go on the outdoor fire. Just do something.
In the end, you should have a stick of juicy, crispy, and delicious meat (veg optional).
The Beer:
Since we’re talking about a fairly simple dish with kebabs, we’re going big with the beer. Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA is big while still feeling accessible. The beer is brewed to really amp up the piney hops while also providing a light counterpoint of bright citrus.
It’s not all dank. But you can’t miss the hop notes, either.
The Pairing:
All that evergreen, resinous nature really will suit standing outside under some trees while grilling up your kebabs. Then the spiciness and citrus of the hops will provide a nice check to the salty and fatty meat, kind of like spritzing the kebabs with lemon juice right after they come off the flame.
Dips — Elysian Superfuzz Blood Orange Pale Ale
Price: $11.99, six-pack
The Dish:
We wanted to branch this pairing guide out into guacamole, seven-layer dip, ranch, queso, artichoke, blue cheese, salsa rojo, pico, etc. But then we’d be here all day. So let’s just section this off. If you’re serving some sort of chip with some sort of dip or dips, you’ll need a beer that has a little something catchy to it.
A dip is either going to be an umami bomb or cheesy/funky or cut with plenty of citrus and herbs. We’ve got a beer that can work in all those scenarios.
The Beer:
Elysian’s Superfuzz Blood Orange Pale Ale is a beer that can stand up to pretty much anything. The beer is a pairing of German and Pacific Northwest hops with actual blood orange peel and blood orange flesh in the making of the beer.
The Pairing:
The lightness and brightness of this beer will balance nicely with any overly salty treat. At the same time, the beer serves as a nice companion to tart or citrusy snacks. It’s the best of both worlds.
Chili — Allagash North Sky
Price: $13.99, four-pack
The Dish:
Look, everyone has their own chili recipe. We’re not here to judge you if that includes pintos and ground beef or venison and chili paste or steak and beer with paprika. Make the chili you love and pair it with a good stout, preferably one you can use to make the chili too.
Luckily, there are a lot, lot, lot of stouts to choose from. (Here are thirty we love!)
The Beer:
Allagash’s North Sky hits that nice mark of being very drinkable while packing good flavors to counterpoint a killer chili with a clear sense of dark chocolate, roasted nuts, and an earthy dryness.
The Pairing:
All chili should pair nicely with stout. If you can’t find this one, look for a local craft stout that hits easy notes of dark chocolate and earthiness while still being somewhat creamy and light. The best bet will be to add a can to the chili with the stock to really dial in that pairing.
Sliders/Burgers — Jester King Noble King
Price: $14.71, 750ml bottle
The Dish:
Burgers are one of those dishes that can be devilishly simple (bun, meat, cheese) or overly complicated (mixed patties, bespoke sauces, ridiculous cheese, one-off buns, random greens that you have to drive an hour to get — you get it). Both have equal merit but on Super Bowl Sunday, the former is likely the play. After all, a well-executed yet simple burger is one of the best delights in the food world.
The Beer:
Do you know what’s great with burgers that are either simply made or all cheffed up? Champagne. But since this isn’t a champagne pairing list, let’s pick a beer that errs close to that with Jester King’s Noble King. This is sort of like a dry and fruity champagne that’s been hopped. There’s a bit of fruity sourness that also holds a slightly creamy yet earthy and grassy funk.
The Pairing:
This works two ways. Either it’ll be a big and bold building block for a simple yet delicious burger with few accouterments and take that humble burger to new heights or this beer will be the perfect match to a burger with funky Stilton with home-pickled chili peppers and a garlic/truffle aioli that you whisked yourself on a bun that’s been toasted in your backyard firepit.
Again, it’s kind of the best of both worlds.
Hot Dogs — Coors Banquet
Price: $12.99, 12-pack
The Dish:
There are few things better than the humble hot dog.
It’s all good: grilled, fried, water bath cooked, beer steamed, smoked… topped with ketchup, mayo, mustard, kraut, onions, pickles, cheese, bacon, relish, chili, brisket.
Hell, pile a f*cking heap of poutine on top and the hot dog will still be amazing. It’s a gift and a joy (be sure to buy good ones.)
The Beer:
Let’s keep things simple. Coors Banquet really feels like the best hot dog beer there is. That Rocky Mountain water and Moravian malt come together to make a crushable beer that’s cheap and easy to find everywhere beer is sold. You can’t beat that.
The Pairing:
Banquet also feels like the beer that’ll live up to whatever you put on your hot dog. Bonus points, the beer isn’t going to look down its nose at you for your hot dog topping choices. That’s a win-win, folks.
Brisket — Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Price: $10.74, six-pack
The Dish:
A well-made brisket is hard to beat. Still, it takes time and effort to do it well — in an oven or in a smoker. The end result should be unctuous, juicy, savory, peppery, and full of beefy goodness.
The Beer:
A classic dish needs a classic beer. Sierra Nevada’s iconic Pale Ale is just that beer. The brew has the subtlety to really pair well with fatty meats — thanks to those light hop florals next to a slight caramel maltiness. The hint of pine and grain really help keep the taste balanced while the medium body reminds you that you’re drinking a well-crafted beer.
The Pairing:
Brisket is very fatty, juicy, and savory with, hopefully, a peppery edge. There’s a boldness to Sierra’s Pale that just works if you’re stuffing your face with fatty, smoked meat. It’s light meets dark — a flavor explosion.
Pizza — Birra Moretti La Rossa
Price: $9.99, six-pack
The Dish:
Let’s face it, the majority of folks watching the Super Bowl are going to be eating pizza. This is another dish that can mean about a million different things. One person’s favorite pizza is likely loathed by someone else. In truth, there are no wrong answers. Eat the pizza you like and don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise.
The Beer:
Birra Moretti’s La Rossa is a malty treat that has a slightly sour meets caramel sweet bready crustiness. That’s counterpointed by light and almost floral hoppiness with a touch of dried fruit. Really though, it’s the maltiness next to the effervescence that makes this beer shine as a crushable brew.
The Pairing:
Birra Moretti’s La Rossa feels like it was built to be paired with pizza. That initial maltiness feels like a pizza crust with a touch of sweet tomato. It’s also light enough that it won’t take away precious space for that extra slice you know you’ll want to have.