Photo: steele2123 (Getty Images)
While we don’t need an excuse to eat pizza, we’re still pretty stoked to see that February 9 is National Pizza Day. And, if we love anything more than cheesy, crispy, pepperoni-covered pizza, it’s beer. That’s why this year, instead of just writing about our favorite pizza toppings, we decided to pair them with complimentary beers.
But how exactly do you do that? Well, there are three ideas when pairing beer and foods. Either you select a beer that compliments or adds to the flavors, you pick one that amps up the bold flavors even more, or one that tempers potentially spicy or over-the-top flavors. Keep scrolling to see all of our beer and flavor combinations and prepare yourself for the greatest National Pizza Day of all time.
Pizza Topping Beers
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Jalapeno Peppers and Bacon: Ballast Point Sculpin IPA
There are few pizza topping combinations better than jalapeno peppers and bacon. The spicy flavor of the jalapenos pairs perfect with the smoky, savory bacon flavor. But, what beer do you pair with this spicy pizza? We suggest amping it up and adding more over-the-top flavor. That’s why we pair hot, spicy pizza with a bold, resinous, bitter IPA like Ballast Point Sculpin IPA.
Photo: Ballast Point
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Mushrooms and Peppers: Allagash White
If you’re all about the veggies and you get your pie covered in peppers, mushrooms, or various other vegetables, you’ll want to pair it with a complementary beer. We suggest a wheat beer like Allagash White. The orange peel and coriander, along with the sweet, yeasty flavor pair well with the vegetal sweet and salty flavor of the pizza.
Photo: Allagash
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Pineapple and Ham: Founders Rübæus
Pineapple and ham is a surprisingly popular pizza topping even if the Prime Minister of Iceland tried to get it banned from the country. If this is your go-to, you’ll want to pair the overly sweet, slightly salty nature of this pie with even more fruit-flavor. That’s why we go for a fruity beer like Founders Brewing Co. Rübæus. This sweet, raspberry-centric beer complements this pizza’s flavors perfectly.
Photo: Founders
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Anchovies: Pilsner Urquell
Everyone has heard about people who order anchovies on pizza, but few of us have ever actually tried it. These tiny fish, if you can get past how gross they look, are salty and savory, and beloved by many pizza fans. Pair this pizza with a classic Czech or German-style pilsner. We like Pilsner Urquell with its crisp, dry, refreshing flavor profile.
Photo: Pilsner Urquell
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Pepperoni: Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale
The best complimentary beer for a pizza covered in spicy, savory pepperoni is a slightly bitter, dank IPA or a hoppy pale ale. The hops are known to add to the spiciness of the pepperoni while tempering some of the other flavors. We prefer Dale’s Pale Ale because, while it’s a hoppy, slightly bitter IPA, it’s a little lighter than some palate-wrecking West Coast IPAs.
Photo: Oskar Blues
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Plain Cheese: Firestone Walker Pivo
If you’re a fan of plain cheese pizza, you won’t have any random ingredients to take away from the salty, savory, cheesy goodness that covers the pie. A great beer style to pair with the mild flavor of mozzarella cheese would be a crisp, dry beer like a classic pilsner that can complement the cheesy flavors. We suggest Firestone Walker Pivo Pils because of its light, sweet flavor, and slight hoppy finish.
Photo: Firestone Walker
