To celebrate National Chicken Wing Day, July 29, we want to share a blog post from the folks at Funkwerks, the Fort Collins-based craft brewery that pairs some of their most popular niche style beers with one of our absolute favorite bar snacks of all time.
Check it.
Most chicken wing fanatics are ready to debate that all of their wing preferences are the correct choice. Breaded vs naked? Saucy vs dry rub? Flats vs drums? Blue cheese vs ranch? But, there’s one thing all dedicated wing-eaters can agree upon: if you’re eating chicken wings you should definitely be washing them down with a cold beer!
We’re here to tell you that you shouldn’t just grab any beer to pair with your perfectly fried and sauced wings. You should pair a beer with wings just as a sommelier would pair a crisp Reisling with roasted duck.
We have two recommendations for you to try out next time you order up a dozen wings or when you want to impress friends with a great pairing at your next barbeque. These will definitely add a little extra kick to your wings!
TROPIC KING PAIRED WITH TRADITIONAL BUFFALO WINGS
There’s one general rule of thumb that many abide by when pairing spicy foods with beer: IPAs. Hoppy beers are good at playing up the spice of whatever you’re eating. Tropic King breaks that standard and takes it to the next level. Our imperial saison’s bold and tropical hop characteristics help to pronounce the spice of your buffalo sauce while its slightly sweet, malty flavors balance and mellow the spice on your palate (so you can keep the extra hot buffalo sauce coming).
WHITE PAIRED WITH ASIAN-STYLE WINGS
Our unfiltered Belgian-style wheat beer, White, is refreshing, hazy, and smooth, with notes of orange zest, lemon, and hints of spice. All of these flavors combine with a full mouthfeel to create the perfect complement to tangy, Asian-inspired wings. We paired our White ale with the Sweet and Tangy Asian sauce at local lunch favorite, The Colorado Room, but this would pair well with most sweet and savory Asian wings. Think: soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame seeds, rice vinegar, chili paste… ok, now we’re hungry!
Don’t hesitate to grab some wet-naps and be sure to pop open your beer before your hands get too messy. Let us know if you give our pairings a try and what you think of them!
*All images and pairing suggestions courtesy of Funkwerks.