Updated for 2022

Do you ever daydream about a time when all meat was grilled over an open flame and beer was a considered a major food group? Yeah, us too. You may already know that, here at Hoppiness Delivered, we have a close, personal relationship with beer and food pairings. Perhaps nearest and dearest to our hearts is the iconic combo of beer and meat. When it comes to grilled meat, we know that it can be tough to guess which flavors to pair with the beers you love and so we set out to build this guide. Keep reading for a list of our tried and true favorite beer and grilled meat pairings… and then go get grilling!

Pale Ale + Grilled Burger

While it’s kind of hard to go wrong when it comes to beer and burgers (match made in heaven, anyone?), we recommend trying your next burger with a pale ale. The hearty dose of bitter hops in a pale ale will help cut through some of the burger’s rich meatiness and will hold its own against any char that may be on the burger.
Try it with: SweetWater 420 Extra Pale Ale 

Blonde Ale + Grilled Chicken

We’re big fans of grilled chicken in the summer, especially when we’re feeding a big pack of friends or family. With added spices or citrus marinade, grilled chicken is a killer match for a Blonde ale. The blonde brew’s maltiness and hops play nicely with this light meat without resulting in either drowning out the other’s flavors.
Try it with: Community Honey Citrus Blonde 

Pilsner + Grilled Seafood

Anytime you eat seafood, it’s best to pair it with a beer with a more delicate flavor profile. Even with the added goodness of a smoky grill, we recommend sticking to a lighter beer like a Pilsner that will draw out the tasty seafood flavors without overpowering them.
Try it with: Alaskan Pilsner 

Brown Ale + Grilled Steak

While there are a number of options when it comes to throwing a steak on the grill, we have one go-to when we’re cooking steaks – brown ales! There’s nothing quite like a dry, roasty brown ale with a delicate hop profile to offset the fattiness of the beef and bring out that savory umami you crave.
Try it with: Avery Ellie’s Brown Ale 

Gose + Grilled Sausage

Sausages are an essential at any cook out and one of our favorite go-to crowd pleasers. There’s nothing like a rich, savory sausage that’s a little charred – that is, except one that’s paired with a crisp, sour Gose. The refreshing, sour Gose will cut the richness of the sausage and its salty profile will amp up the meat’s seasonings and flavors. Win win!
Try it with: Real Ale Vámonos

IPA + Grilled Beef Ribs

Things are about to get saucy! We love a good batch of grilled beef ribs and it should come as no great surprise that we like to pair them with a hefty dose of hops. IPAs are wickedly good with beef ribs because the big hop profile works double duty. The fizzy bitterness of the IPA will help cut through that deliciously fatty meat while the malts bring out deeper more complex flavors in the meat. Need we say more?
Try it with: Stone IPA 

Hefeweizen + Grilled Pork

As far as we’re concerned, grilled pork is an essential summer BBQ staple. Any time we put pork on the menu, we always make sure to stock up on a tasty hefeweizen. Delightfully malty and just a little sweet, the German style wheat beers help temper the maltiness of the meat while bringing forward some of its best savory flavors. While being able to stand on its own, a hefeweizen is still delicate enough to not overpower the other white meat.
Try it with: Schöfferhofer Hefeweizen

Now that you’ve read ours, what’s your go-to grilled meat and brew combo?