March 11th is Popcorn Lovers Day. Whether you love classic buttered or have a sweet tooth and need that caramel or chocolate, there’s a beer that does more than just wash it down.
With wine you get the amazing pairing of Chardonnay based Champagne and buttered popcorn for the win, but that’s where wine taps out.
There are at least a few styles of beer to enjoy with every style of popcorn. Once you know this, ball games and movies will never be the same.
Salted Original
For salty original popcorn it’s best to look to British pub beers. Pub fare is usually salty. From fish and chips to mushy peas, stouts and pale ales have reigned supreme for two hundred years.
If you can get a hold of a chocolate milk stout you can play with the “salted chocolate” combination.
If available, German Kolsch is a light way to wash down the salt as well.
Beers For Salted Popcorn
- Samuel Smith’s Oatmeal Stout
- Boddington’s Pub Pale Ale
- Firestone Brewing’s Velvet Merlin Nitro Milk Stout
- Young’s Double Chocolate Stout
- Guinness Draught
- Reissdorf Kolsch
Buttered/ Movie Theatre
Now that butter’s involved it’s nice not to crush it with a big beer. Instead, try playing off of toffee or biscuit notes on German Helles, Czech Pilsner, or British Bitters.
Beers For Buttered Popcorn
- Weihenstephaner Original (Helles/Pale) (Bavaria/Germany)
- Pilsner Urquell (Czech Republic)
- Fullers E.S.B (UK)
Cheddar Popcorn
With both white and yellow cheddar you get a fruity, semi sweet cheese. Match this with a nut brown ale’s toasted bread quality and you get the essence of a grilled cheese sandwich.
Beer That Go With Cheddar Popcorn
Both the white and yellow cheddar have a slight sweetness that wants a little bitterness to make “bittersweet.”
British Nut Brown Ales and Bitters are the right balance. The toast of these beers gives that “grilled cheese effect.”
Beers For Cheese Popcorn
- Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown Ale (UK)
- Alesmith Nut Brown Ale (USA)
- Avery Ellie’s Brown Ale (USA)
- Fullers ESB (UK)
Kettle And Caramel Corn
Beers That Go With Kettle Corn
Milk Stouts and British Bitters work to compliment the sweetness. Don’t let “Bitters” deceive you. British Bitters are more toffee and biscuit than bitter. In fact they are less bitter than a pale ale.
- Firestone Brewing’s Velvet Merlin Nitro (US)
- Left-hand Brewing Chai Milk Stout (US)
- Fullers ESB (Britain)
Beer And Cider For Caramel Popcorn
Yes. I know. Breaking the beer rules with the cider mention. But imagine apples from the cider mix with caramel and you get candy covered apples.
As for beer go with the delicious depth and caramel of a Doppelbock or Scotch ale.
Beer And Cider Pairing For Caramel Popcorn
- Ace Apple Cider (US)
- Golden State Brut Cider (US)
- Dunkerton’s Breakwells Seedling Cider (UK)
- Founders Brewing “Dirty Bastard” Scotch Ale (US)
- Weihenstephaer Korbinian Doppelbock (Germany)
- Ayinger “Celebrator” Doppelbock (Germany)
Chocolate Popcorn
With pairing chocolate and beer look to fruit, coffee, or chocolate as all work with chocolate. Raspberry anything and chocolate is heaven.
There are banana beers and peanut butter beers that work wonders too.
Beers For Chocolate Popcorn
- Samuel Smith’s Organic Raspberry Ale (UK)
- Abita “Purple Haze” Raspberry Hefe (US)
- Firestone Brewing Velvet Merlin (US)
- Samuel Smith’s Oatmeal Stout (UK)
- Eagle Brewing’s Banana Bread Beer (UK)
- Belching Beaver Peanut Butter Stout (US)
- Young’s Double Chocolate Stout (UK)
- Weihenstephaner Korbinian Doppelbock (Germany)
The possibilities with popcorn are growing exponentially.. I’ve seen some wild popcorn operations out there and have no doubts that this topic will be revisited in true, befitting depth.
Enjoy your Popcorn Lover’s Day and the beer adventure!
i.e. everyday!
Cheers!
