Whether you’re making traditional Southern-style BBQ, Kansas City-style barbecue, or something else, the right beer can change the taste of your food and make it even better.
Find out how to pick the best beer for pulled pork dishes, including tips, tricks, and suggested pairings. This way, you can find the right beer for any kind of pulled pork you’re making.
Pulled pork sandwiches are a barbecue staple. The juicy, tender pork soaked in sweet and tangy barbecue sauce is pure comfort food bliss. But what beverage adds the perfect partner in crime to your pulled pork feast? Beer, of course! With so many styles to choose from, narrowing down the best brew to complement pulled pork without overpowering all that rich flavor can be tricky.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to select beers that bring out the dynamic sweet, savory, smoky flavors of pulled pork. We’ll recommend go-to beer characteristics to look for and call out specific can’t-miss pairings. Get ready to elevate your next pulled pork and beer pairing!
Choosing Beers for Pulled Pork Bliss
When pairing beer with pulled pork, you want brews that balance and enhance the meat’s complex tangy, sweet and smoky flavor profile
Malty backbone – The rich caramel and toffee flavors play off the pork’s savory umami Moderate maltiness prevents the beer from clashing with sweet sauces
Restrained bitterness – Just enough hoppy bite cuts through the sauce’s sugar to cleanse the palate. Overly bitter IPAs overpower the pork.
Roasted notes – Hints of coffee, chocolate or smoke mirror the meat’s charred flavors.
Easy drinkability – Pulled pork has a lot going on. Choose beers around 5% ABV so you can sip without distraction through the meal.
Now let’s get into killer pairings of beer with two popular ways to prepare pulled pork.
Top Beer Matches for Classic Pulled Pork
Amber Ale – Caramel malts pair perfectly with the sweet, sticky sauce.
California Common – Crisp, lager-like with malty backbone.
Dunkel – Roasty dark malts complement the pork.
Brown Ale – Nutty, chocolate flavors balance the sweetness.
Vienna Lager – Light maltiness won’t overtake the pork.
Best Brews for Pulled Pork with Coleslaw
Pilsner – Spicy hops contrast the creamy slaw.
Witbier – Tart citrus cuts through the rich flavors.
Kölsch – Soft fruity esters brighten the heaviness.
Blonde Ale – Biscuit maltiness with crisp finish.
Hefeweizen – Hint of clove complements the slaw.
Crafting the Ultimate Pulled Pork and Beer Spread
Hosting a backyard barbecue buffet? Offer a mix of beers so guests can find their perfect pairing:
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Amber Ales – Choose one malt-forward and one hoppier to cover both bases.
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Golden Lagers – Have a crisp pilsner and fuller-bodied Oktoberfest on hand.
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Wheat Beer – Provide a classic hefeweizen and tart Berliner Weisse.
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Pale Ale – Include a session version for lighter drinkability.
Make sure to have plenty of cold water available for rinsing palates between pairings!
Tips for Enjoying Pulled Pork with Beer
Follow these serving tips to get the most flavor out of your pulled pork and brew pairing:
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Chill beers ice cold – Colder temperatures prevent bitterness from overwhelming.
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Hold the hops – Avoid IPAs and other hop-forward styles with pulled pork.
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Accentuate sweetness – Brews with caramel malts make the sauce sing.
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Cleanse between bites – Sip water to refresh your palate before the next tasty pairing.
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Take your time – Let flavors mingle and develop with slow, mindful enjoyment.
With this guide’s advice for choosing the perfect beers for pulled pork, you can take your barbecue feasts to new heights of flavor. Trust your tastebuds to lead you to that blissful sweet and malty match made in heaven. Just be sure to pass the napkins – saucy deliciousness awaits!
Choosing the Right Beer for Pulled Pork Recipes
Choose a beer that complements your recipe’s flavors. Lighter beers like lagers are suitable for milder dishes, while darker ales like Guinness add smokiness. Be mindful of the beer’s bitterness and sweetness, as this will affect the dish’s overall taste. For example, a malty beer like Sierra Nevada Pale Ale balances well with tangy, spicy recipes.
Sweet And Smoky Pulled Pork: American Pale Ale or Lager
This type of pulled pork is a combination of juicy pork, smoky spices and sweet, sugary flavours. It is slowly cooked in the oven or on a smoker to make a very tasty dish that goes well with a variety of beers.
Usually, pork shoulder, brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano, and other things like onion powder and mustard are used. Slow cooking allows those flavours to mingle while bringing out the meat’s natural sweetness.
When pairing this kind of pulled pork with a beer, you should pick something that won’t overpower the strong flavors of the pork but will instead bring them out.
American pale ales and lagers go well with this dish because they are light and don’t overpower the dish’s unique mix of sweetness.
Try an Irish Stout if you want something with a little more kick. It pairs well with these lovely ingredients because it brings out the dark roastiness.
BBQ Beer Pulled Pork
FAQ
What beer pairs well with pork?
What do you drink with pulled pork?
Why add beer to pulled pork?
What beer goes well with crock pot pulled pork?
Use dark ales or lagers brewed with roasted malt for pulled pork recipes. These beers have complex flavors that work well with crock pot pulled pork. Brown and amber ales – These have caramel and nutty tones and balance the pork well. They give shredded pork some sweetness and a richer flavor together with the barbecue sauce.
What beer goes with pork ribs?
A beer with comparable flavors would get lost in the taste of the pork and be little more than just wet. Perhaps the best pairing choice is a bright and citrusy American pale ale. The strong hops notes will likely dance with the spices of the barbecue sauce, and the malt from the beer should match up with the savory meat.
What to drink with pulled pork?
For a rum drink, the Anejo highball –mixed with ginger beer–is a perfect choice. The ginger beer makes this drink the darkest selection of the bunch. Although this is a relatively simple dish to make, pulled pork has an intense variety of flavors.
What wine goes with pulled pork?
For the wine, cocktail and beer pairing suggestions here, the inspiration was a slow-cooker pulled pork barbecue recipe that uses your preferred, favorite barbecue sauce as the base. For a tangy barbecue pork recipe, you might want to opt for a refreshing rosé wine.