This weekend, three of the greatest American pastimes will coincide on one night: Watching football, overindulging on garbage, and drinking beer. Unfortunately, there’s very little we can do to improve the game for you (other than suggesting that you maybe use the Coldplay halftime show to do chores or something), but what we can do is make both your beer and food better by pairing up Super Bowl party food with awesome beers. That’s how the founding fathers would’ve wanted it.
Since it wouldn’t make sense to recommend beer you can’t actually get, we erred on the side of great breweries that are relatively widely available. If there’s a local option of any of these styles that you’re looking to try out, go for it!
Try: Hefeweizen/witbier (Allagash White or Westbrook White Thai) or Kolsch
Unless there is something very, seriously wrong with the Super Bowl party you attend, there better damn well be a bowl of well-garnished tortilla chips with mounds of melted cheese on top of them. But the beautiful thing about nachos isn’t just about how hard they are to screw up, or even that they’re a crowd pleaser: It’s that it’s probably the one thing on the table you’re going to be eating all night long, or maybe even the only thing. Since most nachos are made with very mild, salty cheese, I love to pair them up alongside a hefeweizen or witbier like Westbrook White Thai. The fruity, spicy flavors are as varied in the glass as they are on the plate, with banana and clove standing up to onion and cilantro. If there’s a homemade guacamole alongside it, a well-crafted lighter beer like Captain Lawrence’s Captains Kolsch isn’t a bad option either, as it’s floral enough to make cilantro and lime taste great without butting heads against the flavors.
Try: Porter (Smuttynose Robust Porter), stout (Bells Expedition Stout), or schwarzbier (Uinta Baba)
Fights over chili recipes have torn apart families and ended friendships. As such, saying there’s one type of beer that goes perfectly with chili is as ridiculous a concept as a Pats fan rooting for the Jets. I’m a fan of a darker, roastier beer alongside my bowl, such as a Smuttynose Robust Porter or a Bell’s Expedition Stout. The coffee flavors almost perfectly compliment the flood of umami flavors in each spoonful, and usually help balance out the saltiness of the ingredients. If you’re not a fan of stouts or porters, consider a schwarzbier like Uinta Baba, which has the same roasted qualities but has a much smoother finish. (I make no secret of the fact that I usually make my chili with a splash of beer to add a different level of flavor, so if you happen to be the one wearing the apron, consider tossing a few glugs of whatever you’re sipping into the pot.)
Try: American IPA (Sierra Nevada Tropical IPA) or Pilsner (Stillwater Yacht)
The only BUFFALO that seems to get anywhere near the Super Bowl these days (haha, ZING Bills fans!) is the mighty wing, which is as uniformly delicious as it is ubiquitous. They’re also arguably the food on this list that flat out begs most for a beer alongside it. I’m a huge fan of Sierra Nevada’s Tropical IPA, which was just released as a part of their Beer Camp series. This is a seriously citrusy brew that is way more mango than pine needle, which both perfectly complement the tanginess of buffalo sauce and can stand up to the grease of a fried wing. On the other hand, if you’re looking for something to straight up cut the heat? Get an easy drinking pilsner like Stillwater Yacht, which also serves as a great catch-all cooler beer for guests who just want something simple in their hands during the game.
Try: American Amber (North Coast Red Seal) or Brown Ale (AleSmith Nut Brown)
Some hosts don’t have a knack (or will) for whipping up party food. And that’s OK! The very mention of ordering pizza is usually cause for a party in and of itself. You don’t want to overthink a pairing for something that can have condiments ranging from pepperoni to pineapple, but sticking to an American Amber like North Coast Red Seal is a great way to cover all the bases. It’s a moderately hoppy beer with a malty backbone that sits firmly in the center of the flavor spectrum, going up as nicely against tomato sauce as it does against toppings. If you’re not into hoppy, I’ve always been a firm believer in a solid brown pairing up perfectly with a pie, and AleSmith’s Nut Brown is among the best out there (and now widely available in 12 oz bottles!).
Try: Brown Ale (Avery Ellie’s Brown) or Belgian Strong Golden Ale (Duvel)
Mac & cheese is so widely adored that walking into a party and seeing it being served could even lift Browns fans’ spirits. It’s also super easy to pick the right beverage depending on the situation. If it’s a straightforward, low-key mac made with milder cheese, I’ll always reach for a brown ale like Avery’s Ellie’s Brown. The malt driven flavors complement the creaminess of the cheese beautifully without overpowering your palate (or stomach) with richness, almost like eating a piece of sharp cheddar on a cracker. If you’ve got a more intense recipe with sharper cheese, consider kicking the beer up a notch with a Belgian Golden Strong Ale like Duvel. Yes, it’s a boozy beer for a long game, but its fruity flavors and fuller body will stand up to bigger cheese, and the higher carbonation will wipe your palate clean after every sip.
Try: DIPA (Firestone Walker Double Jack), or Belgian Dubbel (Ommegang Abbey Ale or Chimay Red)
I’m not sure exactly when slow cooked pulled pork became a hallmark of tailgating and football parties, but I sure as hell glad it did. BBQ presents a whole other realm of possibilities for beer, where hearty, smoky flavors can sidle up alongside bolder styles. Belgian Dubbels practically beg to go alongside pulled pork (it’s such an easy pairing it’s almost cheating), especially classics like Chimay Red or Ommegang’s Abbey Ale. When sliders enter the picture, things can get a little less straightforward, but I’ll always be reaching for a bold Imperial IPA like Firestone Walker’s Double Jack. The intense hoppiness stands up to the grease and even the most intense condiments, especially crumbled blue cheese. If you’ve got a store with a good international selection nearby, consider grabbing a bottle of Schlenkerla Urbock, which is a smoked dark lager from Germany. Most people who try it for the first time immediately describe it as liquid bacon—if that’s not enough of reason for you to try this out as a grill pairing, I don’t know what is.
Zach Mack is a writer and the owner of Alphabet City Beer Co., a craft beer store and bar in New York.
