A hearty steak with an ice-cold beer is what’s for dinner. But, with so many options for each, how do you know what beers go well with steak (yes, it’s possible to go wrong here)?
Chicago Steak Company is here to make your choices easier with some of the best beer and steak pairings to please your palate.
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Why Does Steak and Beer Work So Well Together?
Steak and beer are two of man’s best friends, so it’s not much of a surprise that the two pair so well together. But why, exactly, do they work as well as they do? There are a few reasons why beer and steak are the perfect match for each other:
Beer is cold and refreshing. You have a hot steak and a cold beer. When you’re eating hot food, you don’t typically feel refreshed after drinking something hot, like tea or coffee. A cold brew cools off your mouth and gives you that “Aaahh” feeling you need to keep digging right in.
The tastes complement each other. When you choose the right beer for your steak, the flavors work together to complement each other. Beer can bring out the flavors of steak without overpowering them, and vice versa.
Beer can cleanse your palate. Who knew beer could wipe the palate clean so that you can enjoy every flavor of your steak dinner? It’s all thanks to the natural carbonation.
Now that we’ve got your attention, let’s check out some of the best steak and beer pairings:
Steakburgers are the ultimate backyard barbecue food. Ours are made from the top 2% of beef and are super thick, just like you and your guests expect from a juicy burger. Steakburgers on the grill have that delicious smoky, bold flavor you know and love, so what better way to bring that out than with a smoky beer?
Smoked porter does an awesome job of emphasizing the flavors of steakburgers without overpowering them, making for one incredibly savory meal.
Pale Ale with Top Sirloin
Choose a pale ale with top sirloin, a muscular steak that’s not as tender as other cuts, but it’s full of flavor, making it a perfect choice for the grill. Pale ale is a light-colored beer with strong flavors and a dry finish, and its fruity undertones pair well with the manly top sirloin.
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Amber Ale with Prime Rib
Amber ale is a beer that people often use to cook with to flavor prime rib or short ribs. It’s an excellent choice for marinades or homemade barbecue sauces because it’s sweet and rich in flavor. Drinking amber ale with prime rib can have a similar effect on your taste buds as eating a sauce or marinade using the beer.
India Pale Ale with Ribeye
India pale ale, more commonly referred to as IPA, is one of the best options for the ribeye, one of the most popular cuts of steak. Although ribeye can find a match in almost any beer, IPA and ribeye just have something special together.
In fact, some steak enthusiasts make IPA marinades for ribeyes, much like amber ale marinades and sauces for the prime rib. IPA has fruity undertones that counteract their bitterness, while its malts help counteract the fattiness ribeye is known for.
Light Lager with Filet Mignon
Most people reach for wine with filet mignon, but there’s no reason to skip the beer. Filet mignon has more subtle flavors than other steaks, so the key is to grab a drink that enhances the cut’s flavor rather than outshines it.
Light lagers can do just that. They typically have less alcohol content than others so that they won’t cut right through your steak’s flavor.
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Conclusion: Find a Beer for Every Steak (and a Steak for Every Beer!)
You always want your beef to shine, so finding a beer that works with it instead of against it is the key to an amazing steak dinner. Use the above suggestions as a guide, but of course, your favorite beer can always work with steak when you’re in the mood for some comfort food. For more ideas for pairings, recipes, and inspiration, check out our steak resources on Steak University.
For additional meat and beer pairing info, check out Simply Meat Smoking’s BBQ Pairing Infograph below.
Beer and Steak FAQs
What kind of beer goes with steak?
Some of the best beer with steak options include pale ale, amber ale, and light lager, depending on the kind of steak you’re eating. For example, light lager works with mildly flavored cuts, like filet mignon, as the understated flavor of the beer doesn’t overpower the steak.
What meat goes with beer?
Beef and beer is a must-try pairing if you’re a beer drinker. The strong, robust flavors of beef, including ground beef and steak, tend to pair well with steak. Plus, beer helps cleanse the palate as you eat, allowing you to enjoy the intricate flavors of beef.
What drink goes with ribeye?
We suggest trying an India pale ale with ribeye steak. It has fruity undertones that balance the bold flavors of ribeye well. You might also try a dark beer, like a stout, if you want a heartier drink to go with your ribeye.
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Golden-colored Hefeweizen beers like Weinstephaner Hefeweizen or Paulaner Hefeweizen are an easy choice to go with lighter meals, such as a salad with steak tips. Those popular craft IPAs, Indian pale ales, taste more bitter with floral undertones, and they are a perfect match with a good ribeye or t-bone steak.
Golden-colored Hefeweizen beers like Weinstephaner Hefeweizen or Paulaner Hefeweizen are an easy choice to go with lighter meals, such as a salad with steak tips. Those popular craft IPAs, Indian pale ales, taste more bitter with floral undertones, and they are a perfect match with a good ribeye or t-bone steak.
These cuts—ribeye, New York strip loin, and filet mignon—can certainly be dubbed the best, and few will disagree. “Filet is the most tender cut, but has the least amount of flavor. Ribeye is the most flavorful, but the least tender of the three, and New York is in the middle.” Flannery explains.
Wheat beers are great for chicken and seafood. If you're cooking pork, beef, and lamb, you will need ales, porters, and stouts. Hearty meat goes well with belgian ales. Stews pair well with ale.
Stout. Stout is a dark, rich beer that can impart a robust flavor to your steak. The malty and roasted notes in stout can complement the natural flavors of the meat, creating a delicious and complex taste.
Often referred to as “the king of steaks”, the Porterhouse is actually two steaks in one. One side of the bone yields a succulent and tender tenderloin, while the other side yields a flavourful striploin. Porterhouse steaks are famous for their size.
Instead, aim for a beer with a "middle-of-the-road" flavor profile, both in terms of hops and malt. Amber ales, nut browns, and extra special bitters (ESBs) are great choices for marinating and cooking foods.
An ale with a full, malty flavour works best – our favourite types to use are either ruby ales or porters. They have an outstanding full flavour and add an element of sweetness to the dish. If you're after a suggestion, then Adnams Broadside is an awesome beer to try.
Meat is the perfect food for beers. Different cuts absorb liquids, have a strong basic taste, and if need be, they pair well with spices and seasonings. Beer can't wash away its taste, and if paired with the right beer, they can amplify each other's tastes.
The first method, and arguably the fastest, is using a fork. Just go over the entire steak, puncturing holes all over. Then flip and repeat. The idea is that opening lots of holes helps moisture escape during cooking.
However, every great steakhouse seasons the steaks they cook. Typically a steak is seasoned with coarse ground black pepper, sea or kosher salt, garlic, and some type of signature spice. In addition to the seasoning most steakhouse's use a marinade, butter, or some type of baste or finishing liquid.
Marinate at least 6 hours or overnight for best results. Grill steak over medium-high heat 5 minutes per side and finish cooking over indirect heat until steak reaches an internal temperature of 125°F for medium rare.
Wines with a heavier tannic profile, like Cabernet Sauvignon or Malbec, are better suited to well marbled cuts such as ribeye and strip steak, while lighter tannins, such as those in Pinot Noir or Syrah, are a more desirable choice with leaner cuts like filet mignon or top sirloin.
Wine nerds will say a heavy, red wine like a cabernet is necessary to match the complexities of the meal (sweet and spicy sauce, juicy red meat). Beer geeks will argue that grilled foods go best with beer, especially steak (something about grilling warrants a cold beer).
What are good beverages to serve with beef steaks? Red wine is traditionally paired with red meat, although a lot of people enjoy a steak and a beer. For teetotalers, you could go with iced tea in the summer, or warmed, spiced (soft) cider.
Cooking with beer is an excellent idea, not only for the bottle you're apt to crack open while a steak sizzles away. A beer marinade tenderizes meat and adds another layer of flavor—that you already knew—but a new study finds a beer marinade might also help combat nasty substances and help keep you healthy.
Introduction: My name is Kerri Lueilwitz, I am a courageous, gentle, quaint, thankful, outstanding, brave, vast person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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