The Best Beer and Pizza Pairings

Pizza is the ultimate crowd-pleasing food. Versatile, accessible and satisfying, pizza runs the gamut from white-cloth-fancy to cardboard-box- convenient, and there’s a pizza style for everyone. The same can very much be said for beer – that most democratizing of drinks whose ubiquity is matched only by its diversity. But with almost limitless choice, how do you know which beer style will pair best with your favorite slice? We asked five experts to offer their professional opinions on the best beer pairings for seven popular pizzas so you’ll be prepped to pair on your next pizza night.

The principles of beer and food pairing revolve around the premise of the ‘Three C’s’ – complement, contrast and cut. These principles are designed to help get the most out of the flavor profiles of what you are eating and drinking simultaneously; the first leaning into similarity with both sharing a dominant flavor such as citrus. The second plays into how opposites attract, such as sweetness and bitterness, with the last aiming to keep your palate fresh by highlighting flavors and textures with balanced equals, such as acid and fat.

These guidelines help to maximize your pairing experience and form the basis of the analysis provided by the five experts weighing in below on their preferred pairings. However, personal preference is also a factor, and our experts have varying recommendations for many of our pizza styles, highlighting the broad sensory scope of possibility when bringing beer and pizza together and offering a mix of classic pairings and exciting, imaginative suggestions.

Margherita and a Flanders Red Ale

Master Cicerone® , beer writer, judge and sensory educator Jen Blair recommends a Flanders Red Ale to pair with pizza’s OG, citing Duchesse de Bourgogne as the best example. “The balsamic-like acidity of a Flanders Red Ale makes it the perfect complement to the pizza’s basil and mozzarella, blending into flavors reminiscent of a caprese salad. The dry, tannic finish of the beer cuts through the sweetness of the sauce and toppings, while the toasty malt notes complement the pizza dough and Maillard reactions,” she explains.

Advanced Cicerone®, beer sommelier and WSET Certified beer educator Natalya Watson chooses a different combination of complementary and cutting elements, opting for a Vienna Lager. “The toasty malt aromas complement the pizza base, while the herbal hops link up nicely with the basil on top, and the beer’s medium bitterness helps to cut through the cheesy topping,” she says. Popular examples include Devil’s Backbone and Chuckanut.

Pepperoni and and IPA

Pepperoni pizza and No-Li Brewhouses’s Born & Raised

Multi-award-winning pizzaiolo, chef, author, restauranteur and TV personality Tony Gemignani recommends a classic American Pale Ale or IPA. “. In the pizza industry pepperoni has changed over the years. “In the last 15 years or so you’ve seen a rise in a style of pepperoni called cup in char. These are small pepperonis that cup, crisp, and have a very bold flavor. Some may say they are a bit spicier than the pepperonis of the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s,” he explains, as the hop bitterness in these styles will nicely cut that heat. No-Li Brewhouse’s Born & Raised and Four Day Ray Fishin For Hopliments fit the bill.

“The pepperoni pairs well because the spiciness and the pungency of the hops balance together for that perfect beer and pizza moment,” adds author, podcaster and president and founder of the multi-award-winning Caliente Pizza & Draft House, Nick Bogacz, picks a West Coast IPA, erring further towards hop bitterness, choosing One Slice, made by Caliente’s sister company Dough Daddy Brewing.

Advanced Cicerone®, beer judge and writer and multi-award-winning cartoonist Em Sauter opts instead for a Porter. “The slightly crispy burnt pepperoni will complement the roasty notes in the beer,” she says. Bell’s or Sierra Nevada would do the job.

Sausage and mushroom and Munich Dunkel

Sausage and mushroom pizza and Ayinger Albairisch Dunkel

For this classic two-hander Jen Blair recommends a Munich Dunkel. “Most beers will work well with sausages, so you can’t really go wrong with any selection,” she says. “However, the deeply toasted and bready malt flavors of a Munich Dunkel complement the sausage’s meaty flavors, while the herbal and spicy malt flavors match its herbs and spices. The rich maltiness also balances the umami from the sausage, mushrooms, and sauce.” Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel and Hofbräuhaus Dunkel are great examples.

Em Sauter goes for a Black IPA. “It adds contrasting flavors of pine and citrus plus adding a slightly dark malt note will work well with the meat,” she says. Try Firestone Walker’s Wookey Jack or Revolution’s Jukebox-Hero.

Vegetarian and Saison

Natalya Watson chooses a Saison to best enhance the meat-free standard. “[Saison’s] peppery yeast aromas will add a pleasant contrasting element to the pizza, while the grainy, bready malt flavors complement it, as will any earthy hops. Plus, the bitterness and high carbonation in this style will help to cleanse the palate,” she says. Check out Saison Dupont or Ommegang Hennepin.

Jen Blair opts for a Doppelbock. “Doppelbock is another all-purpose pizza pairing beer, as its rich malt flavors complement a variety of toppings. However, doppelbock pairs particularly well with vegetarian pizza. Its malt sweetness balances the umami found in common vegetarian pizza toppings like mushrooms and olives, as well as the tomato sauce. The toasted malt character will also complement the dough and highlight the Maillard reactions of the cooked vegetables and browned cheese. The elevated alcohol helps balance the fats and sweetness,” she explains. Ayinger Celebrator and Tröegs Troegenator are great examples.

Meat feast and an American Light Lager

American Light Lager is the beer of choice for Nick Bogacz, who recommends Dough Daddy Brewery Grand Daddy Light Lager. “A crisp, light beer goes along with a heavier pizza, so you can taste all the bacon and sausage and pepperoni, savoring every bite. Washing it down with a light lager leaves room for another slice,” he says, explaining how the textures cut.

Em Sauter also emphasizes cutting in her beer of choice, a Black Lager. “Black Lagers are really drinkable and will complement the meat while also helping clean your palate,” she says. Sprecher Black Bavarian or Twin Leaf Corresponding Shapes are good fits.

Four cheese and Czech Pilsner

Natayla Watson chooses Czech Pilsner for this rich, indulgent style. “The bready, honeyed and caramel malt notes resonate with the pizza base while the spicy Saaz hops traditionally used here complement the peppery character from the gorgonzola. Plus, this beer’s buttery note (from the low level of diacetyl that’s characteristic for the style) will work nicely with the buttery creaminess of fontina,” she says. Pilsner Urquell is the classic, but look out for local craft examples too.

For Tony Gemignani, the answer depends on which cheeses are used. “If you had very strong cheeses, such as a Gorgonzola and you may want to look at beers that go down the route of a Porter or Belgian Ale,” he says, balancing weight with weight. Brouwerij Van Steenberge’s Piraat and Gulden Draak are great examples of Belgian Golden Strong and Dark Strong Ales respectively.

Hawaiian and Hazy IPA

Hawaiian pizza and Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA — Hawaiian and Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA

For this most divisive of pizza styles, Em Sauter recommends a Hazy IPA. “I love NEIPAs with a pineapple note so the fruity juiciness of the beer will match well while also contrasting the salty and sweet sensations,” she says. Sierra Nevada’s Hazy Little Thing is on-point and accessible, but most local craft breweries will have at least one of these, such as Wallenpaupack Brewing Company’s Largemouth Hazy IPA.

Nick Bogacz agrees. He recommends the Dough Daddy Hazy Dough Dazy, saying “Tropical hops would complement the pineapple and beachy vibes of the Hawaiian pizza.”

Jen Blair opts instead for a Rauchbier, specifically Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier. “This recommendation falls into the category of ‘just trust me,’” she says. “Rauchbier with Hawaiian pizza may seem a little offbeat at first, but the ham-like smokiness of the beer resonates with the ham or bacon and also complements the sweet and acidic pineapple. The underlying sweetness of the beer matches the sweetness of the cheese and pineapple, while the rich malty flavors cut the acidic tomato sauce and the fattiness of the cheese and meat.”