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Father’s Day is creeping up on us, which means you probably have a celebration in store. While your plans may vary, you can never go wrong with a barbecue or family get together at the house. Why not make it a beer pairing while you’re at it? Here are our beer and food pairs for the perfect Father’s Day celebration!

Lighter Lagers

Ideal with: Burgers, spicy foods, salads

Light lagers tend to be more refreshing and neutral, which makes them great with savory and spicy foods. They create a nice balance with spiciness and are terrific with grilled foods such as brats, hot dogs and burgers.

Wheat Beer

Ideal with: Spicy foods and fruit

Wheat beers are quite versatile and pair well with a wide variety of foods due to their neutral yeastiness and easy drinkability. We recommend pairing them with wings, fruit pies, pastries and spicy entrees for the best experience. 

IPAs (Indian Pale Ales)

Ideal with: Steak, barbecue, and Mexican food

IPAs are full of bold hoppiness, making them a great pair for foods with similarly strong flavors. They bring a nice balance to a meal that could easily be overpowered by the food.
Pair with fatty, rich foods such as steak, burritos, barbecue ribs and fried appetizers. 

Amber Ales

Ideal with: Fried foods, pizza, smoked pork

Amber ales are crisp and toasty with a hint of breadiness, making them a great match for richer, more savory foods without overpowering them. They pair well with jerk chicken, pizza and pulled pork. 

Dark lagers

Ideal with: Pizza, burgers, meat stews

Dark lagers typically carry a light caramel flavor, with dark roasted undertones. Fuller-bodied and a bit bready, dark lagers are pretty versatile. Beers such as these are terrific when paired with European offerings such as brats, pretzels and potatoes. 

Brown Ales 

Ideal with: Barbecue, sushi, fish

Brown ales tend to err a bit heavier with rich flavors and a mocha roastiness. With a drier finish and nuttiness, these beers pair well with many things, but we recommend sushi, fish, sausage and barbecue as our favorites. 

Porters 

Ideal with: Seafood, game meat, coffee-flavored desserts

Porters contain roasted brown malts that lend strong notes of coffee, chocolate and caramel throughout the beer. They’re rich and a bit on the dry side, pairing perfectly with richer seafood such as lobster and crab, barbecue and gamier meats. 

Stouts 

Ideal with: Chocolate desserts, shellfish, Mexican food

Stouts are easier recognized for their dark hue and even darker, roasted flavor. They usually contain strong hints of coffee and chocolate with a creamy finish and pair well with lobster tail, chocolate mousse, and shellfish. 

Pay Us a Visit

If you need advice on beers we recommend for the perfect pairing, or simply need to stock up, come see us at 3rd Street Beverage! Our team of experts are here with all the information, recommendations and pairings you need to make your Father’s Day celebration perfect!