Ahh, pizza. What’s not to love about it! An endless number of combinations, a different topping for every tastebud, and just the thought of that beautiful cheese melting off when pulling the slices apart. We’re just drooling thinking about it!
So, when a day comes along (Sunday, October 9th to be precise) where you can celebrate both pizza AND beer, our ears pricked up and we just HAD to find the best combinations using brews made right here in our backyard.
Way back in 2016, International Beer and Pizza Day came into fruition after web designer, Nick Saulino, believed that the combination deserved its own day. He became a big advocate for the celebration, and then International Beer and Pizza Day was born! And while it has mostly been celebrated in the USA, the word “International” is too much of an invitation for us to celebrate as well!
So, to help you find the best pairings for your celebration, we’ve crunched the numbers, tested the combinations and became extremely bloated in the process. Here are some of the best beers around the Nation’s Capital and their pizza partners.
PERI PERI CHICKEN PIZZA
A favourite amongst chicken lovers, the Peri Peri Chicken pizza is a classic! A simple pizza, but one that provides a fun alternative to the traditional. The spicy kick from the Peri Peri sauce is one that is never overpowering, topped with your favourite cheese and an array of veggies, you can’t go wrong!
To enhance your Peri Peri pizza, combine it with an IPA (Indian Pale Ale). The kick from the peri peri sauce is complemented by the punch of tropical hops. Alternatively, having a meatball / Italian sausage pizza will also work well.
Bentspoke’s Crankshaft is your go-to. Topping the table in this year’s GABS Hottest 100 Craft Beers, the Crankshaft is a beautiful brew. Somewhat sweet and filled with citrussy hops, every flavour you want in an IPA is found here. Tropical and elegant, two words to describe both this beer and this pairing.
Alternative beers include Bentspoke’s Sprocket, Capital Brewing’s Rock Hopper IPA and Wild Polly’s IPA too – which is made with ancient grains and is naturally gluten-free!
View this post on Instagram
PEPPERONI PIZZA
Ahh! The old faithful. You can never go wrong with a pepperoni pizza! And in saying that, there really isn’t much else to say about it. It’s salty, it’s cheesy, and to quote Bruce Almighty – it’s “B-E-A-UTIFUL!”
You want to compliment the saltiness of the pepperoni, and to do that, you need a beer with a little sweetness! A darker ale is the place to go.
Non better than the American Trail Pale Ale from Capital Brewing. An extremely well-balanced beer, smooth to taste and not too over-powering, the pine & citrus flavours allow you to have a “balanced meal” (and by balanced, we mean lil salty, lil sweet).
Alternative beers to pair with the pepperoni are the Red Nut IPA from Bentspoke, and the Zierholz Amber Ale from the Zierholz Premium Brewery.
MARGHERITA PIZZA
From one classic to another, the margherita pizza is one that is weirdly different depending on where you go. Ranging from diced tomato and onion topped with mozzarella and basil, all the way to the traditional tomato sauce base, paired with mozzarella, basil and olive oil. Regardless of how you make it, and which way is correct, you can never disappoint with a margherita.
And in saying that, you also don’t want to take away from the flavours either. You need a beer that will act as a ‘palette cleanser’ between slices. Something that won’t overpower the pizza.
*The Pale Ale has now entered the chat.*
Capital Brewing’s Coast Ale, as well as Bentspoke’s Barley Griffin, are two staples on the ACT beer scene – and why wouldn’t they be! The herby and hoppy treat of BentSpoke’s Barley Griffin Pale Ale is extremely delightful and easily makes for a ‘sessional’ beer, while the Coast Ale is crisp and clean. Rich, zingy and with a smooth rounded-off finish, it’s perfect in every way – but not TOO perfect to distract you from the stringy mozzarella cheese that’s hanging off your pizza.
Other beers to try include are, Capital Brewing’s Summit Session Ale, Bentspoke’s Easy Ale, Wild Polly’s Pale Ale (just like their IPA, it too is gluten-free) and Zierholz’ German Ale.
View this post on Instagram
So there you have it! The perfect combinations for you to celebrate International Beer and Pizza day this Sunday, October 9th.
Don’t see your favourite type of pizza or your go-to type of brew? Don’t panic! The team over at Bottleneck Management have REALLY done their research, with 30 combinations in total! Click the link here to check it out yourself.
B + P = 4EVA.
