Beer and pizza is considered to be a natural combination. Does it really matter which beer you choose to eat with your pizza? Yes, people do choose certain beers to drink with their pizza. I found this article on the Food & Wine Blog very interesting and it answers many of these questions right down to a science. There are many recommended pairings of specific brews for different types of pizza that may fit your taste. When deciding which beer will go best with your pizza, you need to consider the geographical area you’re in and how pizza is traditionally made there. For example, Chicago style pizza is thick and cheesy; New York’s pizza is traditionally thinner and not as heavy. In Italy, Italians use a very small amount of mozzarella cheese placed randomly over their delicious red sauce topping. Italians make the bread dough homemade as well, and they usually drink table wine with their pizza. This homemade pizza is truly my favorite.

A pizza pie with heavy cheese and multiple toppings would be a good pairing with a lighter beer. Plain pizza with the typical ingredients of dough, tomato sauce and cheese will tend to be greasy and full of carbohydrates. Therefore a hoppy beer, like an IPA, or a lager may go better with this type of pizza. I would definitely go for a tasty draft beer with my pepperoni and pineapple cheese pizza. I like my pizza light on the cheese with a crunchy crust and of course, always served hot. Pizza is delicious right out of the oven; after it’s been cut and cooled for around three minutes.

Some suggested beer and pizza pairings include:

• Plain pizza with a hoppy beer, like an IPA
• Hawaiian pizza and Budweiser
• Pepperoni and cheese pizza with a dark beer, like a porter
• Vegetarian pizza and a light beer, like a Belgian White
• White pizza with a pilsner style beer
• Red table wine, instead of beer, with pizza

Check out some of our beer reviews to come up with pairings of your own!

Bon Appetit!

TAGS [ PIZZA | BEER | PAIRINGS | BEERS ]