Beer Lover? These Wine Swaps are for You!
Wine and beer have a lot more in common than you may think! Both wine and beer come in endless variations and styles, each has its own unique aromas and flavors, and both wine and beer production have rich history behind them. All of the parallels mean that your favorite types of beer can point you to wines you'll love!
So, next time you're in the mood to trade your beer for wine, try these swaps!
Wheat Beer → Pet Nat
Pet Nat's are effervescent wines with a hazy look, fuller mouthfeel, and citrus, yeasty, and bready flavors (due to the fact that they spend time aging on yeast), making them the perfect swap for citrusy, bready wheat beer! Like wheat beer, Pet Nat's pair well with salads, seafood, and dishes flavored with citrus and herbs. Try a Pet Nat by Field Recordings!
Light Beer → Sparkling Wine
If you're a lover of light beers like Lager or Pilsner, try a sparkling wine! You'll get the same light, crisp, and refreshing experience in a sparkling wine that you're used to in your light beer with some added acidity and a touch of fruit flavor. I would start with a lighter (and less expensive!) sparkling wine like Cava or Prosecco. Try Masia de la Luz Cava Brut or Nino Franco Rustico Prosecco Superiore. As a bonus, sparkling wine also pairs nicely with salty bar food!
IPA → Sauvignon Blanc
The hops in IPAs give these beers their herbal, grassy, and citrus characteristics. Sauvignon Blanc is similarly known for its citrus flavors and grassy notes (especially those from New Zealand!), making it a perfect swap for an IPA! Both IPAs and Sauvignon Blanc pair well with fish tacos, goat cheese, and spicy dishes. Reach for a bottle of Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand instead of your next IPA!
Sour → Rosé
Sour beers are the perfect balance of sour and sweet with high acid and tart flavors alongside fruits like raspberry, cherry, and peach. Rosé is similar in that it has citrus and red fruit flavors, and is a perfect balance of tart and fruity! Both sour beers and rosé pair nicely with shellfish like oysters, clams, and mussels, and strong cheeses. Sour beer lovers, try a French rosé like Miraval!
Stout → Australian Shiraz
Stout beers are known for their rich, full body and coffee, chocolate, and licorice flavors. Shiraz (another name for the Syrah grape, used in Australia) is the perfect swap for a Stout as it's also known for it's full body and tobacco, clove, chocolate, and coffee notes complimented by bold, rich berry flavors. Both pair perfectly with smoked and grilled meats and rich stews. Try Shaw & Smith Australian Shiraz next time you're in the mood for a Stout!
Want more wine knowledge like this, live and straight from the producer? In addition to three small-batch wines hand-picked and sent to your doorstep each month (or quarter), my Wine Club has an immersive live tasting experience with each small producer, so you’ll get hands-on knowledge directly from the people behind the wine in your glass. Learn more about the Wine Club here!
Cheers!