When it comes to flavor, nothing tastes better than fresh pizza topped with all your favorite ingredients. But if you’re craving something extra, pairing your slice with a well-crafted beer is a classic way to take that flavor to the next level. Whether you’ve taken a pie home from your favorite pizzeria or are dining in at a traditional Italian restaurant, here are a few crowd-pleasing beer and pizza pairings to keep in mind.

5 Must-Try Beer & Pizza Pairings

1. Light Beer & Mozzarella  

As simple as it is, melted mozzarella on a fresh-baked crust makes for an endlessly satisfying slice. Since the cheese is the main attraction of this pizza, it’s important not to overpower its smooth and creamy flavor with a sharp-tasting heavy or dark beer. Instead, traditional light beers will provide a refreshing balance.

2. IPA & Pepperoni

Pepperoni is another timeless option that provides a chewy, crispy texture and a mildly spicy and salty flavor profile. These bold qualities are a perfect match for IPAs—a lightly bitter brew enriched with hoppy notes. The sweet undertones of this beer are enhanced by the salty and umami profile of the pepperoni.   

3. Irish Red & Grilled Chicken

When you want to fill up without feeling weighed down, grilled chicken pizza offers a light yet meaty solution. While many beers may cancel out the chicken’s subtle flavors, foamy Irish Red brews will enhance them with a unique blend of caramel and fruity ale notes.   

4. Farmhouse Ale & Sausage

Italian sausage offers many spices ideal for many different pizza topping combinations, ranging from onions to bacon and olives to green peppers. Whatever you prefer on your pie, you can enhance the experience with a pint of farmhouse ale. These bespoke, fruity brews can come in a wide variety of refreshing flavor profiles, making them highly adaptable to a customized sausage pizza.

5. Golden Ale & Hawaiian

Consisting of Canadian bacon and pineapple, Hawaiian pizza features a unique composition of tastes that are hard to find with any other combination of toppings. Although many beers may be too hoppy or bitter for this tropical slice, golden ales provide a sweet and citrusy experience that’s sure to please.

Serving up classic Italian cuisine, The Pizza Haven is a Rhinelander, WI, hotspot for delicious and fresh pizzas made from scratch. In addition to their menu of flavorful specialties, this pizzeria offers a comprehensive selection of toppings so you can create the perfect combination for your tastebuds. If you dine-in, this venue also offers a variety of wines and beers—including Killian’s Irish Red and Wisconsin-made Spotted Cow—to complement your meal. Visit this Italian restaurant online for more details about their menu options, or call (715) 362-5942 to place a convenient carry-out order.