Carpe Wine: Wines for beer lovers

I can navigate most wine lists pretty easily, but I admit I feel intimidated and overwhelmed when I walk into Vail Brewing Company for a beer. Like wine, there is a huge variety of beers to choose from, each with its own brewing technique and flavor profile. And I’m not just talking about the variety at Vail Brewing Company, but rather the world of beer.

One thing I’ve been starting to explore is looking at the characteristics of beer and wine to see how the style of one can transition to the other based on their weight, texture, and tasting profiles — like fruit, herbs, and earth. In other words, you might like a certain type of wine based on the kind of beer you prefer to sip. In my case, it’s the opposite – selecting a beer based on wines I like. Selecting wines for beer lovers – or visa versa – is an interesting experiment to play with but here are my results so far.

Wheat ale = Chardonnay, sauvignon blanc

Wheat beers are smooth, creamy, refreshing with hints of citrus flavors, this combo can be complex on the palate. Chardonnay is a richer, creamier white wine with complex flavors as well. For those wheat beer lovers who like more of the citrus flavors, a Sauvignon Blanc might be the better choice, especially if you sip one that’s been oaked, as it adds a little more richness and creaminess to the flavor.

American lagers = Cava, Champagne or pinot grigio

There are so many types of lagers so let’s focus on American Lagers such as Coors Light, Bud Light, Budweiser and Miller Light. These are light, refreshing and have great carbonation. With bubbles in mind, Cava and Champagne are both light and on the dry side, they offer similar textures. Don’t want the bubbles? Pinot grigio is a light, dry white wine that’s a good substitute for an American Lager.  

“I drink wine for its complexity and I tend to drink beer for its refreshing qualities, though those are not exclusive with each. For example, if I wanted to drink wine for the refreshing characteristics of beer (like a pilsner or lager) then Champagne or white wine are wonderful substitutes. Champagne because of the bubbles, and both Champagne and white wine because they are served cold and generally have lower alcohol (though higher than beer, low compared to red wines),” said Jeremy Campbell, co-owner at Root & Flower.

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Pale ale = Sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, gamay

Most pale ales are mellow beers rich in body with balanced bitterness. For those beer lovers who dig the hoppy notes of a Pale Ale, the crisp citrus flavors in a light-bodied sauvignon blanc can do the trick. On the lighter red side of the wine world, the earthy, fruit-forward flavors of pinot noir and gamay are also great options.

IPA = Cabernet sauvignon, syrah

There are various types of IPAs, but they are generally medium-bodied beers with stronger, bitter flavors including a little fruit and a lot of hops. Heavier red wines higher in alcohol tannins like Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah are good suggestions. 

Hefeweizen = Orange wine, oaked chardonnay

A rich, golden Hefeweizen is silky and layered with flavors of banana and clove. A wine similar to the style of this beer would be a medium-bodied white wine with rich creaminess. I would suggest an orange wine or oaked chardonnay.

Porters and stouts = Cabernet sauvignon and syrah

Porters and stouts both have dark, rich intense and concentrated flavors. With that in mind, a heavier red wine higher in alcohol and rich tannins like cabernet sauvignon and syrah would be an obvious suggestion. A Port red wine could also be nice.

Cider = Prosecco, Cava, sparkling wine or Champagne

Light and fizzy ciders have similar bubbles, aka texture, as sparkling wines. The sweetness of the ciders meshes better with proseccos but Cava, sparkling wine and Champagne can be just as good.

Elaine Schoch is an award-winning travel writer and wine judge, certified by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 2, and a certified American Wine Expert. She is also the editor at Carpe Travel, a content site focused on wine travel. You can follow her wine 101 and sipping adventures on Carpe Travel or Instagram.