When pairing a drink with dinner, there are a few hard fast rules most people may follow to create a winning combination. However, more people are exploring different flavor profiles when mixing and matching liquor, spirits, beers, and cocktails to their food. It doesn’t matter if you are sitting down to enjoy traditional American cuisine, a helping of BBQ, or world-inspired dining; we have you covered. We’ll go over why certain drinks are ideal for pairing with sweet and savory, spicy and mild, and salty and sour dishes. Pull up a chair and pour a glass as we explore drink pairings that best contrast or complement what’s on your plate.

The Perfect Match: How To Pair a Drink With Dinner

Okay, so what rules are there when it’s time to pair a drink with dinner? Some people might shy away from pouring a glass of hard liquor or spirits, thinking the best beverage to pair with dinner is wine, beer, or a cocktail drink. However, any aficionado of alcoholic beverages should embrace enjoying a glass of liquor or spirits neat, on the rocks, or with a touch of water with their main course. Typically, most lovers of alcoholic beverages stick to the following traditional pairing ideas:

• Beer with burgers, steak, pork, game, and sausages
• Wine with fish, poultry, fowl, game, pork, and red meat
• Cocktails with exotic, aromatic spices, spicy dishes, meat, salads, and appetizers

There’s nothing wrong with sticking to tried-and-true combinations. But sometimes, you want to spice things up at the dinner table and give your palate a more energizing, memorable experience. People are looking for new, exciting ways to bring out the flavor profile of their food. The right drink can easily balance gentle notes of citrus, herbs, or fruit without being overwhelming. 

Certain dishes that bring on the heat with a robust selection of chilies and aromatic spices might benefit from a cool drink that satisfies and refreshes. And let’s not forget the practical value of serving wine and spirits with dinner, whether as an aperitif, palate cleanser, or to complement a world-class dessert. You no longer have to stick to light drinks with white meats and salad or dark, full-bodied beverages with heavier meals. The world is your oyster when pairing alcoholic drinks with your meal if you understand how different flavors play off of one another.

A Word About Wine

Wine is an old standby option when serving fish, poultry, red meat, or a light salad and soup. However, you might be missing out on a fantastic gustatory experience by sticking to traditional drink pairings. Consider have a drink with dinner, so long as you follow these flavor-compatible suggestions.

• White wine –  Pair this with white meats like poultry, pork, lamb, fowl, and fish.
• Red Wine – Enjoy a glass with red meat or venison.
• Blush –  Drink a glass with dishes that are not too dark and heavy or too light.
• Dessert wine – It’s not only for sweet treats. Pair this with a sour, salty, or spicy dish for a playful contrast.

Other Suggested Spirits to Drink with Dinner

Review our curated list of suggested drinks to enjoy with the meals you love most. Typically, people may opt for a white wine for lighter meat and red wine for red meat. However, this can become boring and expected, requiring you to shake things up. Whether you love cuisine with a complex flavor profile and lots of spices or a simple meal with a few ingredients, there’s an excellent drink pairing to match. Have a drink with dinner, and choose wisely for the best tasting experience.

1. Bourbon with Dinner

Pair it perfectly with a pulled pork sandwich or BBQ ribs slathered in a rich sauce with a side of slaw. Craft a cocktail drink using bourbon as the base that you can sip slowly and enjoy or indulge in a glass on the rocks or neat. Reach for an aged bourbon with a higher ABV between 45 and 55% to pair with dishes that use aged cheese, sweet corn or berries, or nuts.

Bourbon is a perfect go-to choice if you are serving smoky, grilled meats or fish. Try a younger bourbon if you are having a light salad and veggies with seafood. Avoid pairing bourbon with any overly fatty, greasy, or spicy food.

2. Hard Cider Complements Well

Opt for a hard cider if you aren’t a fan of wine and cocktails but don’t want liquor or spirits to drink with dinner. Many hard ciders have fruity, citrus, or herbal tones and notes. And this profile pairs well with rich, creamy pasta, decadent quiche, warm squash soup, and game meats. 

Enjoy the subtle sweetness of a dry cider paired with lamb, venison, or a salmon burger. Choose a hard cider for rustic dishes featuring goat or aged cheeses with a bit of salt and bold flavor. And you can always go right enjoying a decent hard cider with a classic burger.

3. Enjoy a Dark Stout

A hearty glass of dark, stout beer gives off a classic, nostalgic vibe. It might tend to be on the heavy side, but it leaves you feeling warm, full, and snuggled. Pair a robust chocolate stout or a heady craft brew with grilled, smoked, or roasted foods. 

Reach for a dark stout when dining on a thick stew, fresh oysters, salty foods, or a quality sausage. And after dinner, you can enjoy a dark stout with a slice of dense chocolate cake, dark chocolate, or another decadent, full-bodied treat to match. When it comes to dark stout, stick to main dishes with bold flavor profiles for a winning combination.

4. Sake Is a Perfect Drink with Dinner

You don’t have to wait to order a plate of sushi or indulge in Japanese cuisine to pour some sake. Be mindful of your gustatory experience and whether it’s better to enjoy sake cold or hot with dinner. Pair a cloudy sake with spicy food, noodles, or a rich curry. 

Enjoy a younger sake with fatty fish, fried veggies, or seafood, or a light salad with sake. Usually, people pair warm or hot sake with comforting, heavy-bodied foods, and cold sake with lighter fare. If your meal focuses on fermented foods and that umami profile, give sake a go.

5. Tequila Is a Delightful Companion

It’s a kick in a shot glass for some, but tequila isn’t only enjoyable as a shot or thrown into a stellar cocktail drink. If your meal will feature citrus-based or tomato-based sauces or have a bit of heat from chiles, tequila turns things up beautifully. The clever flavor profile of a quality tequila perfectly matches white meats like chicken, pork, and fish. 

If you enjoy a salad or main dish that includes pineapple, mango, grapefruit, blood orange, or yuzu, tequila is a delightful companion for these flavors. Think beyond the classic margarita. You can also indulge in a Paloma, Oaxaca Old Fashioned, or Ranch Water with dinner. 

6. Rum Is a Versatile Drink with Dinner

Trust rum when you want to craft the perfect tropical-inspired cocktail drink, or add a bit of sweetness to your dinner table. Enjoy rum with bright and bold ceviche, aged steak, or salads featuring creamy, aged cheese with a touch of saltiness. Craft a refreshing Hurricane, Dark ‘n Stormy, a frothy Coquito cocktail for a regal dining experience. Enjoy a dark rum neat or on the rocks with dinner if you prefer to keep life simple.

7. Craft Beer Is Always a Pleasure

Beer is a tried-and-true alcoholic beverage that pretty much goes with everything. Try to enjoy a beer with a clean, crisp profile to taper down spicy dishes, or choose a fruity, sweeter drink to pair with sour, salty meals. Here are some solid pairing ideas to try:

• IPA – Enjoy with Mexican food, barbeque, a supreme pizza, or a decent steak.
• Amber ales – Smoked seafood or pork, fried foods, or a salmon burger pairs nicely.
• Light lager – Salads, classic burgers, and spicy food like buffalo wings are good choices.

Keep things down to earth, reduce the pretentiousness of a luxury-class meal, and indulge in a local brewery’s finest with classic barbeque, burgers, steak, or macaroni and cheese. Choose from light or dark brews, fruity editions, or hoppy IPAs for an incredibly versatile treat to wash down your food. Stick to whether you want to stick to the same flavor profile or play with contrast.

8. Whisky Wins

If you love protein-heavy meals, whisky is the perfect go-to beverage. Choose a lighter whisky for spicy food or seafood. If you love a quality steak, burger, or rich barbeque, grilled and smoked meats work well with medium or full-bodied whisky.

Enjoy whisky straight up, on the rocks, or in a beautiful cocktail drink with dinner. Whether you love drinking moonshine, high-end brands, or your local distillery’s finest, whisky is a perfect drink to pair with food. Pour a glass if you are eating sushi, smoked salmon, salads with roasted nuts, citrus fruit, meatloaf, or a cheesy dish.

9. Champagne Toasts

Don’t only think of champagne as a drink for celebratory moments. Dinnertime is the perfect occasion to pop a bottle of bubbly to craft a sparkling cocktail drink or enjoy a glass unaltered. Choose a glass of classic champagne with fried tempura and noodles or fried potatoes or chicken for pure food magic. 

Try a glass of dry champagne with creamy pasta with rich cheese, cream, or mushroom-based sauces. It also works well with seafood or salads with nuts and aged salty cheeses. Give yourself permission to enjoy classic macaroni and cheese or fried chicken with a glass of bubbly.

10. Gin Bring Balance

Love it or hate it, gin is a classic spirit that deserves respect. Although some feel gin tastes too medicinal or herbal, thanks to a juniper-based foundation, it pairs beautifully with certain flavors. A perfect go-to for most meals is a gin and tonic. You can pair gin with strong, full-bodied cheeses, smoked fish, nut-based dishes, or a bold, flavorful curry. 

Enjoy gin with rabbit, venison, or lamb. Turn up the heat and complexity and pair gin with spicy barbeque, and hot wings. Or, change how you enjoy dishes that focus heavily on ginger, garlic, or mint and have a glass of gin straight or on the rocks.

11. Vodka Cocktail Favorites

Fans of pickled foods will likely enjoy pairing vodka or a vodka-based cocktail with their meal. Vodka is a good match if you love eating salty or smoked fish, aged cheese-based meals, or dipping into caviar. Stay away from a Cosmopolitan and enjoy vodka straight or neat to experience the flavors in your food and beverage fully.

Create Food Magic With a Perfectly Paired Drink with Dinner

If you are new to pairing drinks with dinner or like to stick to traditional combinations, embrace a broader range of alcoholic beverages to inspire and delight your senses. The best pairing should balance flavors, improve textures, and enhance the dining experience. Play with salty and sour and cool and hot profiles between your drink pairing and main course. Stop playing it safe and sticking to typical, boring drink pairings. There are so many beautiful ways to combine alcoholic beverages and food.

It’s okay to stick to the same profile for everything. You can choose a full-bodied drink that equally matches and complements a hearty main dish beautifully. We hope you venture out of your comfort zone and choose a liquor, spirit, or cocktail drink that genuinely complements your meal. Respect your plate and palate, and pair fine liquors and spirits with your main course to create an elevated dining experience.