From Honey Mustard BBQ to Spicy Sriracha: Beer Pairings for Chicken Wings

With the mention of food and drink pairing – what do you think of? A full-bodied red wine from Bordeaux with pasta arrabbiata? Keep your posh wine and pass me a beer with some chicken wings! This being said, there are so many varieties of chicken wings and beer to enjoy.

Let’s pair…  

Oh, and don’t forget a designated driver!

A Quick Note On Types Of Beer

There is an incalculable number of delicious beers to enjoy. Below are the main categories and flavor profiles of common beers. 

Lagers & Pilsners

Lagers and pilsners are lighter and crisp-tasting beers without a complex flavor profile. 

Wheat Beers

This type of beer is brewed with wheat for a still light but complex flavor profile. With little bitterness and a subtle sweetness.

Pale Ales & Bitters 

Pale ale and its related beer, India Pale Ale (IPA) are popular types of beer with lots of varieties and complexity of flavors. Strong and full-bodied, IPAs offer boldness with a balance of refreshments. These types of beer take on the aroma and taste of the hops for a malty and fragrant beverage.

Dark Ale (Stouts, Porters & Brown Ales)

These types of beers are loved for their deep and complex flavors. From sweet notes of chocolate to bitter coffee, these full bodied beers are great for food pairing. 

Beer Pairing: Honey Mustard Smoked Chicken Wings

Fancy the sweet and sharp taste of honey mustard bbq on your chicken wings? Let’s consider the key flavor profiles before recommending the first beer pairing.

• Sweet tasting from the honey and tomato in the bbq sauce
• Smoky tasting from the bbq sauce
• Tangy and bitter from the mustard (depending on type and quantity)

Honey mustard BBQ is one of the more complex-tasting chicken wings. You can check out the chicken wing recipe here. This is because it has 2 key flavors at opposite ends of the spectrum! The 2 types of beer that pair well with honey mustard BBQ are:

Pale Ale

A low-strength pale ale with light maltiness that pairs very well in balance with this sauce. Avoid the fruity-tasting pale ale available on the market as the sauce is already sweet enough. The complex but balanced-tasting pale ales will marry into this sweet and smoky recipe.

Pilsner 

An ordinary lager is too light to pair with the bolder flavors of bbq sauce. However, a stronger pilsner fits perfectly.

I recommend a high-strength Pilsner from Germany or Holland with a little bitterness. This middle ground of flavors will help set the stage for the stronger profile of these chicken wings.

What Doesn’t Pair Well?

Don’t go for a sweet-tasting or stronger-tasting beer. Remember that honey mustard bbq already covers the stronger-tasting flavor profiles. A malty porter will conflict with the smoky bbq sauce. A sweet wheat beer will conflict with the sweetness of the honey. 

Beer Pairing: Southern Fried Chicken Wings 

A classic flavor profile and for god sake don’t just think of K.F.C! The key flavor profiles in Southern Fried Chicken Seasoning are:

• Peppery notes from mild chili and spices 
• Herby aromatics from Oregano & garlic powder 

The types of beer that pair well with southern fried chicken seasoning are:

Brown Ale 

While there is some complex flavor in Southern fried chicken it can also be a bit bland. This is due to the flour used before deep frying and the amount of seasoning used. With this being said, a strong nutty brown ale will help give these chicken wings some backbone and will complement well with the seasoning.

Wheat Beer

The unique and sweet flavor profile of wheat beer will ‘jazz’ up this chicken recipe. Bitter and sweet tones match very well with mild garlic and pepper notes. Grab a good wheat beer and don’t forget to lick your fingers.

What Doesn’t Pair Well?

A light lager won’t do much in the way of booting the flavor profile. A strong porter will overcrowd your taste buds.

Beer Pairing: Sriracha Chicken Wings

Hot sauce-covered chicken wings are some of the best! Sriracha is on the menu but you can also do the same with Buffalo or another kind of sauce. The key flavor profiles in Sirarcha are:

• Strong and fresh garlic in the hot sauce.

• Spicy taste from the chilies 
• Sour taste from the vinegar

So what beer pairs well with Sriracha?

Lager & Pilsner 

The light and refreshing taste of larger and pilsner cools your taste buds down. Pairing beer with food doesn’t necessarily mean they have to elevate the flavor. If it ain’t broken then don’t fix it! Sometimes you want to enjoy the spicy and garlic taste of Sriracha. 

Bitters 

A light bitter beer will refresh the pallet to help balance the acidity in Sriracha. 

What Doesn’t Pair Well?

The flavor in wheat beer will not work very well with garlicky Sriracha. 

Beer Pairing: Blue Cheese Ranch Chicken Wings 

Our last pairing is the delicious and creamy blue cheese ranch dressing! The key flavor profiles in this chicken wing dressing are:

• Bitter and pungent from aging and mold growth.

• Salty and sharp.
• Full-bodied and creamy from the lactose. 

What pairs well with blue cheese ranch chicken wings?

Stouts & Porters

The complex and strong tasting notes in these dark beers work well. This is because it is hard to overpower the taste of blue cheese. Notes of coffee and dark chocolate will cut through the salty and sharp tang, resulting in a strong but complex experience.

Fruity Pale Ale 

Fruit and cheese are a match made in heaven so what are you waiting for? Fruity and bitter pale ales with notes of tropical flavors pair well with sharp stilton. 

What Doesn’t Pair Well?

Most any kind of beer will match with blue cheese as it has such a strong flavor. The question is if you want to taste the beer or cheese. I wouldn’t waste a light-tasting lager, pilsner, or bitter on these types of flavors.

So there you have it, the best beer styles and the not- so- good beer styles to pair with different types of chicken wings. Everyone’s tastes are unique, but follow this guide and you will be well on your way to a memorable food and beer experience.