Super Bowl Food & Drink Pairings

Super bowl parties typically call for supremely large spreads of savory foods making it hard to narrow down the alcohol you’ll be stocking your bar with. Here are some streamlined pairings (and a couple tips) with a few of the most popular super bowl party menu items that’ll help you stock your fridge with just the right stuff!

Overview:

• Spicy & Acidic Dishes: Pair with low acidity, hoppy ale or bubbly wine to cut the heat and acidity.
• Meat Dishes: Pair with lighter style beers or deep, jammy red wine to compliment the flavors.
• Fried Foods: Pair with lighter style beers and crisp, refreshing wine to cleanse palate but not overpower the dish.
• Chips & Dip/Salty Dishes: Pair with a fresh, fruit-forward wine or beer to balance the saltiness.

Spicy & Acidic Dishes

Hot wings and beer have gone down in history as a duo not to be messed with and this comes with a solid reason behind it. The extreme spice of your hot dishes paired with a low acidity, hoppy ale or bubbly wine will help coat your tongue and dull the residual heat.  

Buffalo Chicken Wings and Buffalo Chicken Dip
Beer; American Pale Ale or IPA
Wine; Rosé or Zinfandel

Nachos
Beer; Lager
Wine; Zinfandel
Cocktail; Margarita

Jalapeno Poppers
Beer; Pilsner
Wine; Cava, German Riesling or Zinfandel

Pizza
Beer; Amber Ale, Lager, or Pilsner
Wine; Rosé, Chianti or Zinfandel

Meat Dishes

It’s all about the meat. There are a number of meat-based dishes that are prevalent on the super bowl table. Here’s the thing… you can pair the majority of them with the same things, keeping your guests happy and making you look like the hostess of the year. If there’s meat on the menu, you typically can’t go wrong with these beers or wines for a plethora of meat dishes:

Beers; Pale Ale, Amber Ale, Lager, or Wheat
Wine; Cabernet Sauvignon or Zindandel

Hamburgers or Sliders
Beer; Amber Ale or Lager
Wine; Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel

Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Beer; Amber Ale or Lager
Wine; Gewurtztraminer or Zinfandel

Ribs
Beer; Lager or Wheat Ale
Wine; Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel

Barbeque
Beer; Smoked Beer, Amber Ale, Lager, or Wheat Ale
Wine; Rosé or Zinfandel

Beef
Beer; Pale Ale
Wine; Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel

Chili
Beer; Lager, Pilsner, or Wheat Ale
Wine; Shiraz or Zinfandel

Fried Foods

A rule of thumb for pairings with heavy fried foods is to keep your drink light and refreshing. Bone-dry sparkling wines make a fantastic pairing with the greasy yet delicious delicatessen. As for your beers, choose something that will cleanse your palate but not over power the flavor of the food.

Beer; Lager or Pale Ale
Wine; Champagne/Sparkling Wine

Fried Chicken or Chicken Tenders
Beer; Lager
Wine; Champagne/Sparkling Wine,  Sauvignon Blanc, or Merlot

Fried Shrimp
Beer; Pilsner
Wine; Sparkling Wine, Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc

French Fries
Beer; Lager or Pale Ale
Wine; Champagne/Sparkling Wine

Chips & Dip/Salty Snacks

What’s a party without some chips and dip? The options can spread far and wide but your drink options shouldn’t have to. For salty foods and dishes like chips, Champagne and Riesling reign as the champion pairing partners because their fresh, fruitiness helps balance the saltiness. These factors led our top picks for chips and dip to be:

Beer; Lager
Wine; Champagne/Sparkling Wine, Riesling, or Sauvignon Blanc

Guacamole
Beer; Mexican Style Beer
Wine; Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc
Cocktail; Margarita

Salsa
Beer; Lager
Wine; Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc

Chile con Queso
Beer; Pale Ale or Pilsner
Wine; Rosé or Riesling
Cocktail; Margarita

Soft Pretzels
Beer; Lager
Wine; Zinfandel