Beer

Beer & Jerky pairings for National Beer Day!

Claire Patrick

National Beer Day may have only been celebrated since April 7, 2009, but folks were celebrating beer long before that! Wondering why April 7th? In March of 1933, Roosevelt signed the Cullen-Harrison Act (which said beer could contain up to 3.2% alcohol by weight) into law, and it was enacted on April 7, 1933! Previous laws had required alcohol to be below 0.5% (thanks, prohibition!) and this was a game changer, which eventually led to the 21st Amendment!  Whether you're celebrating New Beer's Eve tonight, or National Beer Day tomorrow (or let's face it....both), we wouldn't be us if we didn't give you some suggestions for pairing your favorite beers with our meaty goods. 

Now that the history lesson is over, let the pairings begin! 

Teriyaki jerky + Blonde Ale: 

Teriyaki Caribou Jerky and Deschutes River Ale


When preparing a pairing session, we like to start mild and light with both jerky and beer and work our way up in intensity and boldness. So we're starting off with an easy drinking blonde and some of the sweeter side of jerky. If you've never tasted Caribou, our Teriyaki stick from Indian Valley Alaska is a great option. And its sweetness pairs great with the caramel & apricot notes in the crisp Deschutes River Ale, or probably just about any other excellent Blonde for that matter! 

BBQ Jerky + Pale Ale:

BBQ Alligator Jerky Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

If you live in the south, you already know that you can't go wrong pairing BBQ with your favorite Pale Ale. But for those of you who don't, you may have never had the pleasure of tasting this sweet and citrusy combo. Try our Buffalo Bob's BBQ Alligator snack pack paired with the grapefruity goodness that is Sierra Nevada Pale Ale for a little taste of the south in the summertime. 

Fish Jerky + Pilsner: 

Kaimana Fish Jerky Real Ale Hans Pils

For our last combo on the lighter side, we've paired some wild caught Ahi Tuna Jerky from Kaimana with Hans' Pils from Real Ale. The bright hoppiness combined with German malts in the pilsner provide a great balance to the smokiness of the Hawaiian tuna for a winning combination. This specific pilsner is a bit more heavily hopped than most, so it'd go great with our Peppered Ahi Tuna as well if you want to spice things up a bit. 

Venison Pepper Jerky + IPA: 

Venison Pepper Jerky Ballast Point Sculpin

Now for something a little more bold. Deer season may be over, but we've always got Venison stocked. And the richness our Venison and Beef Peppered Jerky supplies is a great counterbalance to the citrus & pine notes of Ballast Point Sculpin IPA. The cracked pepper flavor of the jerky mixing with the hoppy aroma of this beer is absolutely mouth watering. You've just gotta try it. 

Scorpion Pepper + Stout: 
Scorpion Pepper Jerky Lakewood Temptress

Love playing with fire? This last pairing is for you! Our Smoky Mountain Scorpion Pepper Brisket Jerky is a little sweet with a LOT of hot. Made with one of the hottest peppers on the planet, we're pretty sure it'll make you sweat. But a pint of Lakewood Temptress Imperial Milk Stout might just be the perfect thing to cool things off. With it's thick chocolate head, and notes of caramel and vanilla, the silky mouthfeel of this lower carbonation beer will calm the flames. Between the jerky and the beer - this pairing is both intense and complex - go big or go home, right? 

Jerky + Beer = Beer jerky! 

Beer Jerky
Perhaps you've decided that April happened to be a good month to get on the wagon and stop drinking. Bad timing, huh? But wait - you can still celebrate National Beer Day with our beer jerky (it's not technically drinking, right?)! Normally a pale ale drinker? Try our Black Label Draft Ale Beef Jerky that's marinated in its goodness. Love something a bit darker? Our Dark Ale Beer Jerky from Northwest Bierhaus in Oregon should do the trick! 

We hope these pairings make this year's celebration of National Beer Day one to remember! Please drink (and eat) responsibly. Oh wait. One can never have too much jerky! 

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Celebrate

Celebrate Oktoberfest Jerky Dynasty Style!

Claire Patrick
Not one of the lucky 6 million people attending Oktoberfest in Munich this year?  Don't fret - with beer + jerky pairings, you can throw your own Oktoberfest bash faster than you can say Prost! 
So let's start with the basics - every Oktoberfest needs a traditional Oktoberfest Märzen! And Paulaner's Oktoberfest Märzen is one of the few beers officially served at Munich's celebration. With its nutty light roast and malt sweetness, it's a very smooth, balanced beer - ready to pair with almost any meat. We think it'd be especially great paired with our wild boar summer sausage or our very own Black Pepper Beef Jerky

Paulaner
If you're a fan of the lighter side of German beers, a Hefeweizen might be more your speed. Toast 'Zum Wohl' (To Your Health) with a Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier (if you're going legit) or a Live Oak Hefeweizen if you want to try Texas' answer to this popular German beer style. The clove, banana, and citrus flavors mingle well with a honey ham jerky stick, or you could try a pint with some Alaskan Salmon Jerky.  
Hefeweizen
How about the hoppier side? German beers don't tend to traditonally be too hop-forward, but Deschutes Hopzeit Autumn IPA melds the malt of a Märzenbier with the punch of several varieties of German grown hops (Herkules, Sterling and Hull Melon).  With this style of beer - something spicy works great. Try with our Hot & Spicy Beef Jerky, or play off the slight sweetness with some Honey Jalepeno Bacon jerky

Hopzeit

Whichever beer and jerky pairings you choose, don't forget the pretzels

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Beer & Jerky Pairings for your St. Patty’s Day shindig

Claire Patrick

Have plans to be Irish for a day on March 17th this year? Whether you’re determined to wear (and drink) green, or avoiding the St. Patrick’s Day party, we’ve got some beer and jerky pairings we think you’ll love!

Go green or go home:

We’re not sure where the green beer tradition started, but we’re pretty sure it’s an American thing. If you’re making green beer to toast your heritage, you’re gonna’ want to start with a beer that’s light in color (but not low on taste). 2 drops of green food coloring should do the trick. And of course, you’ll need some Jerky to go with your festive beverage.

The yellow coloring of a light lager or Pilsner lends itself to turning green. And your Heineken, Oskar Blues Mama’s Little Yella Pils, or your Lagunitas Pils would go great with the lighter side of Jerky - like any of our fish jerky varieties!

More of a Pale Ale drinker? Try your Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Deschutes Mirror Pond, or Ballast Point Grunion with something with a little kick, like Jeff’s Famous Habanero Heat Wave or our very own Jerky Dynasty Hot & Spicy. Let’s get this St. Patty’s party started!

Ye olde Irish Standards:

Green beer not your thing? Rather stick with something more traditional, perhaps a dry Irish stout? Whether it’s the old standby - Guinness, a Dry Irish Stout from Brooklyn Brewery, or a Bearded Seal from Pinthouse Pizza in Austin, TX  - the high carbohydrate level in stout helps to bring out the flavor in the jerky. Pair it with Buffalo Bob’s BBQ Wild Boar - Or Honey BBQ Old Fashioned Elk - The roasty notes of the stout provide a great flavor to accompany the sweetness of the BBQ taste.

No matter your beer style preference, you can’t really go wrong pairing any beer with ANY jerky. It’s just a tried and true combo. And regardless of your heritage or celebratory status, we hope you have a happy St. Patrick’s Day!

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