Game Day Restaurant Promotions
Last updated on Feb 4, 2025Richard TraylorThe championship football game, considered one of the biggest sporting events in the United States, creates an excellent opportunity to run game day promos and make a big profit in your foodservice business. You can expect a lot of competition among nearby bars and restaurants on February 9, 2025. Keep reading to learn how you can make your business stand out from the rest, market this sporting event to potential customers, and ensure that your customers spend more time and money at your place on game day.
Football Party Ideas for Bars and Restaurants
Below are five easy ways to promote game day at your restaurant or bar.
1. Provide Delivery and Take-Out Options
Some people prefer to host their own football party, but don’t want to go through the trouble of making their own football party food. This is a great opportunity to provide food delivery. One way to get the most out of your delivery or take-out service on game day is to offer special delivery-only discounts.
Prepare platters of food, meal kits, and other meal combos that customers can take advantage of to easily feed their guests. You can also give customers a discount when they order a certain amount of food to help make delivery worthwhile.
If you don't have your own delivery driver on staff, you can take advantage of third-party apps and services like Uber Eats or Postmates.
2. Offer Discounted Rates
Treat it like it’s one big game day happy hour. Offering discounts on your menu items only while the game is one can persuade customers to order more food and drinks while watching. Championship game promotions can set your business apart from your competitors and bring in more customers to your business.
You can offer discounts on specific items, like taking 20% off beers or wings, or you can offer specials like giving customers a free beer with an order of two dozen wings. Be sure to look into the alcohol delivery and carry-out rules of your state to make the most of your game day promotions and sales.
3. Create a Sports-Themed Menu
When planning your event, it's a good idea to adjust your menu. This is an excellent choice for two reasons: it won't overwhelm your customers, and it's more manageable for your staff. Creating game day food ideas for your restaurant or bar allows you to show off your creativity and design dishes and cocktails based on the teams that are playing.
Traditional bar foods like French fries, onion rings, nachos, and boneless chicken wings are perfect football food specials because they are easy to eat while cheering for your favorite team.
Shop Game Day Food Here4. Stay Interactive
Once you have customers in your bar or restaurant, it's important to keep them ordering more food and drinks, and one of the best ways to do this is to offer specials and halftime promotions based on what's happening in the game. Offer $2 beers for five minutes after a team scores a touchdown or a field goal. Another choice would be to sell discounted drinks and food during halftime.
Before game day, you'll want to ensure that your bar has working televisions with remotes that have access to the channel broadcasting the game. You'll also need to check that those TVs are clean and easy to see from around your establishment. Test the volume of the TVs before the game starts so that your customers can hear the game above the chatter and cheers.
5. Hold Giveaways
If you won't be hosting customers this year, stay interactive on your social media pages by hosting a giveaway. Post this information on your social media accounts in the weeks leading up to your football party. Giveaways are an effective tactic that you can use to bring attention to your business on game day.
You have a lot of options when it comes to deciding what to give away. Choose sports-themed decorations and souvenirs to give away to winners or other memorabilia like jerseys and signed pictures.
Football game day is a hectic time for bars and restaurants, but you can follow these five tips to take advantage of it. Advertise your game day and halftime promotion ideas to bring in more customers, and offer specials and discounts to ensure that customers place more orders and increase your profit margin. Offering game day promotions can help your business stand apart from your competition, and it can bring in repeat customers after the championship game is over.
Related Resources
The Best Winter Beers for 2026
The best winter beers for 2026 are seasonal releases built for cold-weather menus, ranging from malt-forward sippers to hop-driven IPAs that still feel right for the holidays. After autumn flavors fall out of style, these winter seasonals help refresh tap lists and bottle selections and pair naturally with comfort foods. We highlight standout winter beers and the style profiles behind them so you can choose options that match your menu and service pace. Whether you need an approachable crowd-pleaser or a limited, barrel-aged feature for tasting flights, you’ll find reliable winter picks to carry your program through the season. Use these links to learn more about the best winter beers of 2026: 1. Scotch Ale (Wee Heavies) 2. Barleywine 3. Russian Imperial Stout 4. Baltic Porter 5. Doppelbock 6. Barrel-Aged Beer 7. Winter Warmer 8. Winter IPA 9. Non-Alcoholic Winter Beer Seasonal Winter Beers We've made a list of the most popular winter beers you can stock this season. Consider filling beer growlers so your guests can enjoy their favorite winter beers while staying cozy at home. 1. Scotch Ale (Wee Heavies) Scotch ales are top-fermenting brews that were originally served in small quantities (thus, the "wee heavy" nickname) for a few schillings in nineteenth-century Scotland. This style is boiled extensively in kettles, which creates toasty caramelization and sweet, full-bodied flavors. Many Scotch ales also offer higher alcohol by volume, making them perfect for cold winter days. Beer experts, also called cicerones, recommend serving these tasty brews with gamey meats, spicy foods, and creamy desserts. Give These Scotch Ales a Try: Founders Brewing Company: Dirty Bastard (Grand Rapids, MI) 8.5% ABV Einstok Beer Company: Icelandic Wee Heavy (Akureyri, Iceland) 8% ABV Jeremiah Johnson Brewing Company: Mountain Man Strong Ale (Whitefish, MT) 6.5% ABV Oskar Blues Grill and Brew: Old Chub (Lyons, CO) 8% ABV 2. Barleywine A barleywine is a style of strong ale that's typically characterized by high alcohol content, a bittersweet taste, and a rich mouthfeel. Despite the name, barleywines contain no actual wine. They earned the moniker due to their complexity of flavors. While American-style barleywines are intensely hopped for a more bitter and hop-forward taste, English varieties tend to offer a more balanced combination of malt and hops. Serve this winter beer style with a charcuterie board of cured meats and creamy cheeses. Give These Barleywines a Try: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company: Bigfoot Barleywine (Chico, CA) 9.6% ABV Revolution Brewing: Straight Jacket (Chicago, IL) 15% ABV Brasserie Dieu du Ciel: Solstice D'hiver (Montreal, Quebec) 10.2% ABV Weyerbacher Brewing Company: Blithering Idiot (Easton, PA) 11.1% ABV 3. Russian Imperial Stout Often referred to as the king of stouts, Russian imperial stouts were created in the nineteenth century by brewers looking to curry favor with Catherine the Great of Russia. These beers are top-fermenting ales with high alcohol content, moderate carbonation, and toasted, malty flavors. Most Russian imperial stouts also feature notes of dark fruit and little to no hop character. Try serving these hearty brews alongside oysters, chocolate, and soft cheeses. Give These Russian Imperial Stouts a Try: North Coast Brewing Company: Old Rasputin (Fort Bragg, CA) 9% ABV Firestone Walker Brewing Company: Parabola (Paso Robles, CA) 13% ABV Sierra Nevada Brewing Company: Narwhal Imperial Stout (Chico, CA) 10.2% ABV Bell’s Brewery: Expedition Stout (Comstock, MI) 10.5% ABV 4. Baltic Porter During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, many Western European brewers began creating strong, robust porters to be shipped across the North Sea to the Baltic regions. These beers were often supplemented by the addition of stale ales, which added an acidic flavor that beer drinkers loved. Baltic porters are top-fermenting ales that offer a smoky, roasted, malty character with a full-bodied mouthfeel. Consider serving them with barbecued meats, stews, and semi-hard cheeses. Give These Baltic Porters a Try: Jack's Abby Brewing: Barrel-Aged Framinghammer - Mapledoodle (Framingham, MA) 12% ABV Tree House Brewing Company: Cozy (Charlton, MA) 9.2% ABV Browar Fortuna: Komes Baltic Porter (Miloslaw, Poland) 9% ABV Threes Brewing: Voluntary Exile (Brooklyn, NY) 9.2% ABV 5. Doppelbock Bock beer is a German-style lager with a strong malt flavor. Doppelbock, which essentially means double bock, has even more malt and a fuller body than a standard bock. This beer was originally brewed by a group of monks called the Paulaners, who developed the style with extra malt for nourishment during times of fasting. You'll notice that many doppelbock beers have the suffix "-ator" in their name, like Troeg's Troegenator. The original doppelbock was named Salvator, and due to its popularity, it became common for other producers to imitate the name by adding the suffix. Enjoy your malty doppelbocks with red meat, pork, and sharp cheeses. Give These Doppelbocks a Try: Augustiner-Brau: Maximator (Munchen, Germany) 7.5% ABV Klosterbrauerei Andechs: Doppelbock Dunkel (Andechs, Germany) 7.1% ABV Bell's Brewery: Consecrator (Kalamazoo, MI) 8% ABV Troegs Brewing Company: Troegenator (Hershey, PA) 8.2% ABV 6. Barrel-Aged Beer Barrel-aged beers are aged in wooden barrels to impart unique flavors to the finished product. Any style of beer can be barrel-aged, but the approach is best suited to beers with strong flavors that are complemented by notes of hickory, oak, or applewood. The use of whiskey barrels or brandy barrels adds a boozy flavor and hints of caramel, vanilla, and bourbon. Entice customers to your bar over the winter months by offering a selection of complex barrel-aged beers paired with smoked foods, oysters, or a pan-seared steak. Choose a rich, chocolate cake to serve with barrel-aged stouts or a hunk of sharp cheese to complement a barrel-aged barleywine. Give These Barrel-Aged Beers a Try: Boulevard Brewing Company: Bourbon Barrel Quad (Kansas City, MO) 12.2% ABV Dark Horse Brewing Company: Plead The 5th - Bourbon Barrel-Aged (Marshall, MI) 11% ABV Great Divide Brewing Company: Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout (Denver, CO) 9.5% ABV New Holland Brewing Company: Dragon's Milk Bourbon Barrel-Aged Stout (Holland, MI) 11% ABV 7. Winter Warmer Winter warmers are top-fermenting ales that offer plenty of malty, sweet flavors alongside a balanced hop character. Many winter warmers are blended with spices, which give the style its trademark warmth. Traditionally, English strong ales and spiced Wassail beers fall under the umbrella of winter warmers, so be sure to keep plenty of these brews on hand during the winter months. Consider serving them with poultry, baked goods, and seasonal winter fruits. Give These Winter Warmers a Try: Samuel Smith Old Brewery: Winter Welcome Ale (Tadcaster, England) 6% ABV Woodstock Inn Brewery: Wassail Ale (North Woodstock, NH) 8% ABV Deschutes Brewery: Jubelale (Bend, OR) 6.7% ABV Great Lakes Brewing Company: Christmas Ale (Cleveland, OH) 7.5% ABV 8. Winter IPA Winter IPAs are hop-forward seasonal ales that balance bright hop aroma with a sturdier malt backbone built to hold up in colder weather. Compared to a standard IPA, this style often leans slightly stronger and more full-bodied, with pine, citrus peel, and evergreen notes. A winter IPA is an easy bridge between fall seasonals and heavier winter stouts, giving hop-focused guests a clear cold-weather option without pushing the ABV too high for casual rounds. They pair especially well with rich, salty foods like wings, fried appetizers, burgers, and aged cheeses, because hop bitterness cuts fat and keeps the palate moving. Give These Winter IPAs a Try: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company: Celebration IPA (Chico, CA) 6.8% ABV Hopworks Brewery: Abominable Winter Ale (Portland, OR) 7.3% ABV Ninkasi Brewing Company: Sleigh’r Winter Ale (Eugene, OR) 7.2% ABV Bell’s Brewery: Hopslam Ale (Double IPA) (Comstock, MI) 10% ABV 9. Non-Alcoholic Winter Beer Non-alcoholic winter beers are zero- or near-zero ABV brews that deliver the malt depth, spice notes, and roasty character guests look for in cold weather, without the alcohol. Adding a few non-alcoholic winter options helps you serve designated drivers and lunch crowds without forcing them into soda or water and keeps the experience seasonal and food-forward for customers. Lean into styles such as spiced amber ales, holiday blends, and creamy dark stouts and bundle them alongside winter comfort-food specials for maximum upsell potential. Give These Non-Alcoholic Winter Beers a Try: Athletic Brewing Company: Winter Wonder (Milford, CT) <0.5% ABV Guinness: Guinness 0 Non-Alcoholic Beer (Dublin, Ireland) 0% ABV Clausthaler: Santa Clausthaler Holiday Brew (Frankfurt/Main, Germany) <0.5% ABV Back to Top A strong winter beer program provides a reason to feature new pairings, build festive tasting flights, and keep regulars engaged through the cold months. Use the style profiles in this guide to balance an approachable option with one or two bold, higher-ABV pours, then match each pick to the right glassware so taste, presentation, and aroma stay consistent. With the right mix on draft and in bottles, winter beers can turn a slow season into a steady run of add-on sales and repeat visits.
Winter Bar Promotions
In addition to preparing your premises for cold temperatures, you should implement a promotional plan to attract customers. Thanks to unfavorable weather conditions, freezing temperatures, and shorter daylight hours, many bars see a decrease in business during the winter months. Use our tips to entice people to venture out and generate profits throughout winter. Check out our winter bar promotion ideas: Invest in Bar Advertising Offer Seasonal Drinks Host Weekly Bar Events Foster a Warm Atmosphere Offer Game Day Promotions Host a Tasting Event How to Attract Customers to Your Bar in the Winter Winter can be a challenging time for bars to attract customers, but with the right promotions, you can create a warm and inviting atmosphere that will draw in patrons. Below, we’ve outlined some effective ways to attract customers to your bar during the winter months. By implementing these strategies, you can help your bar remain a popular destination in the colder months. 1. Invest in Bar Advertising The first step towards attracting customers to your bar in the winter is investing in marketing campaigns. When executed correctly, this can keep you in the public eye and generate interest in your bar. Below, we’ve listed some common marketing techniques that bars use to attract customers. Social media marketing: Consider establishing a Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok account. Social media marketing allows you to engage with customers directly and provide immediate updates if the winter weather forces you to close early. You’ll also be able to personalize your page and get creative with your messaging. Menu specials: The promise of unique winter menu specials can pique the interest of prospective customers. Consider offering daily specials and happy hour deals to attract guests. Partnerships: Consider partnering with local charitable organizations, youth programs, or other local businesses to expand your reach. Not only does this help give back to your community, but it creates more visibility for your brand. 2. Offer Seasonal Drinks Whether you’re putting a festive twist on signature drinks or adding popular winter beers to your selection, featuring seasonal cocktails in your bar is an easy way to drive sales. Once you've established your drink selection, you can even partner with other local bars and organize a winter-themed pub crawl. Each bar can feature its unique drinks and decorate for the occasion. Consider adding some of these tempting winter beverages to your menu: Spiked hot chocolate Mulled spiced cider or wine Hot toddy Winter fruit-flavored cocktails Butterbeer Irish coffee Hot buttered rum 3. Host Weekly Events Many people appreciate routine, and hosting weekly live events is an easy way to attract groups of friends, families, and even coworkers. Live events encourage large groups to come out, create repeat customers, and cultivate a lively atmosphere in your bar year-round. Some of the most common events to host at your bar include: Bar trivia: Fill empty seats in your bar by hosting a trivia night. Groups are encouraged to create teams and enter the competition, playing for incentives like gift cards. These prizes encourage winners to spend more money at your bar in the long run. Open mic nights: An open mic night gives local artists a chance to perform for a crowd. These can consist of musical acts, stand-up comics, and even slam poets. The promise of free entertainment can persuade guests to come back weekly. Karaoke night: Karaoke nights allow guests to sing along to their favorite songs. To host karaoke, you’ll either need to invest in karaoke equipment or hire a host with their own. Viewing parties: You can create customer loyalty by hosting weekly viewings of popular TV shows. This allows guests to watch their favorite programs alongside others, creating a sense of community. 4. Foster a Warm Atmosphere A warm and inviting atmosphere can entice guests to stay longer than they expected, especially on cold nights. It’s important to note that several factors can affect the atmosphere of your bar. To sustain an inviting environment, follow these tips: Check insulation: Make sure that your insulation is up to date. This can save money on heating costs as you maintain a constant warm temperature. Change lights: Consider installing warm lighting to create a more relaxing atmosphere. Set the mood: Consider lighting a fireplace or decorative candles to bring a sense of comfort to your bar. You can also consider playing relaxing music. Upgrade your outdoor area: By installing heat lamps and preparing your patio for winter, you can create a unique outdoor dining area for guests to enjoy. Embrace seasonal decor: Consider decorating your dining space with festive, seasonal touches or swapping your regular disposables for themed, holiday-inspired ones. This enhances the holiday cheer and encourages guests to take and share photos that can help draw in more business. 5. Offer Game Day Promotions It's a smart marketing choice to host a party for The Big Game at your bar, but it's also great to keep football, basketball, or hockey on during the season. You can create even more excitement around game days by hosting sports-based activities. Below, we've listed some common steps you can take to attract more customers on game days: Invest in game room equipment: Purchasing game room equipment provides your guests with an entertaining pastime. You’ll also be able to host weekend tournaments and offer free drinks or gift cards to those who sign up in advance. Televise pay-per-view events: Purchasing a subscription to a pay-per-view event attracts guests who might not want to watch the event on their own or can't afford to buy it. This can include boxing matches, MMA events, and even professional wrestling. 6. Host a Tasting Event A tasting event is an opportunity for your guests to sample and compare various drinks. When organized correctly, a tasting event allows guests to take in the finer details of a drink and enjoy various foods along with them. Tasting events are also an excellent tool for making future menu decisions, as you'll be able to get the honest opinions of your guests. Since tastings are commonly held indoors, they are the perfect event to hold at your bar during the winter months. Some examples of common tasting events include: Wine tastings: When hosting a wine tasting, be sure to invest in the proper wine-tasting equipment. You should also consider how many guests will be attending, the different wines you want to feature, and what foods can complement your wine selection. Whiskey tastings: Whiskey has seen its popularity grow in recent years, making whiskey-tasting events an excellent option for your bar. Before hosting, make sure you are equipped with the proper whiskey glasses for the event. Tequila tastings: To host a tequila tasting, you should feature the five different types of tequila as well as the different ways to drink tequila. To improve your guest’s experience, you can serve traditional Mexican foods during the event. Back to Top City sidewalks may be covered in salt and thermometer readings may continue to drop, but that doesn't mean customers can't warm up in your bar, pub, or restaurant. Through effective marketing, thoughtful planning, and proactive thinking, you'll be able to set your bar up for success this winter.
Beer and Food Pairing Guide
With so many different types of beer and even seasonal styles to take into account, it can be difficult to come up with good pairings for every beer on your restaurant or bar's beer list. Creating an excellent beer and food pairing menu can result in a significant boost to your profits. Keep reading to learn how to describe the taste of beer, some guidelines for beer and food pairings, and what beers go with what foods. Shop All Beer Glasses Use the links below to jump to the specific type of beer or section you're interested in: Beer Pairing Guidelines Food and Beer Pairing Examples Light Lagers Wheat Beers IPAs Amber Ales Dark Lagers Brown Ales Porters Stouts Beer Pairing Tutorial Check out our video guide to the basics of creating a great beer and food pairing. <iframe scrolling="no" width="392" height="226" src="/v/?num=13693&width=600&height=500&embed=1" frameborder="0"></iframe> Definition of Tastes in Beer When describing the taste of beer, there are a few buzzwords that you'll come across again and again. Here are some general definitions to help you understand how the flavors in beer are typically described: Hops: Many times people use "hoppiness" to describe how bitter a beer tastes, but not all hoppy beers are bitter. The taste of a hoppy beer depends on when the hops are added in the brewing process. The earlier the hops are added the more bitter the beer. Hops have a versatile flavor and aroma that can enhance flowery and fruity flavors in the beer. Bitter: Bitterness is a distinct flavor profile found in many types of beer, although the amount of bitterness varies between the styles of beer. Many breweries rate how bitter a beer is with an IBU number. IBU stands for International Bitterness Units, and the higher the IBU, the stronger the bitterness. Malt: Malt comes from the barley grain, and it is usually roasted before it is added to the brew. Roasting barley gives the beer a nutty flavor and a toasty aroma. Plus, during the roasting process, the sugars in the barley caramelize, bringing out a slightly sweet, caramel taste. Dark: While it may seem more like a description of the color, dark can also be used to describe how a beer tastes. Dark beers are made with malt grain that is roasted until it reaches a dark color. Dark beers are typically roasted longer than malty beers, giving them a richer and heavier taste. The malt's nutty, caramel flavor turns to darker notes of chocolate and coffee with a longer roast time. Light: Light beer is usually known for having a clean and crisp taste that is refreshing. Typically, light beers don't have a strong flavor and aren't very bitter or hoppy. Additionally, most light beers also have a low alcohol content. 4 Guidelines for Food and Beer Pairing There aren't many hard rules when it comes to making beer and food pairings as there aren't many flavors that clash with beer. That being said, if you want to get the most out of your beer pairing and enhance the flavor of the food on your bar's menu, try to keep these guidelines in mind: Contrast: To make an ideal pairing by contrast, you want to pick a beer or dish that has one strong, dominant flavor, such as sweet, rich, or oily. You want a dish that has a distinct taste that can shine through without being overpowered. An example of a good contrast pairing is oysters and stout. Oysters have a strong, briny flavor that can stand up to the rich texture and chocolatey notes of the stout. Complement: Complementing flavors is one of the simplest ways to make a delicious food and beer pairing. Match rich foods with beers that have a heavy and rich flavor, like stouts or porters. Pair light-tasting salads and fish with light beers or wheat beers with desserts like fruit tarts. Cleanse: Beer can serve as a palate cleanser. This particular approach to beer pairing is particularly well-suited for dishes with bold or intense flavors, such as spicy Indian cuisine or rich fried foods. For instance, you can utilize the crisp and refreshing taste of a light beer to wash down the heat of Korean fried chicken. Similarly, this technique can be employed in reverse, where fatty foods like french fries or nuts can help balance out the bitterness of an IPA. Avoid Overpowering Flavors: Keep in mind the levels of flavor in your food and beer. Many medium and dark beers have a rich and powerful flavor that can overpower certain types of food. For example, you wouldn't want to pair salmon with a pint of Guinness because the flavor of the beer will completely cover the taste of the fish. How to Pair Beer Based on Style The different types of beer vary greatly in their color, alcohol content, taste, and mouthfeel, so if you want to make a good pairing, you must first understand the different styles of beer. Below, we've included a table that you can reference to make a quick pairing. You can also read on for a more in-depth guide on how to pair beer and food based on style. Light lagers: Spicy food, burgers, salads Wheat beers: Spicy food and fruity desserts India pale ales (IPAs): Steak, barbecue, and Mexican food Amber ales: Pizza, fried food, smoked pork Dark lagers: Pizza, burgers, hearty stews Brown ales: Sausage, sushi, fish Porters: Seafood, coffee-flavored desserts, game meats Stouts: Chocolate desserts, shellfish, Mexican food These are only general pairing ideas, so if you want to create new and unique beer and food pairings, you'll need to fully understand the flavor profiles of each type of beer. Light Lagers Light lagers are among the palest types of beer, and they are well known for their crisp and refreshing taste. Most light lagers do not have a strong flavor, and they are rarely hoppy or bitter. This style of beer is one of the most popular in the United States, and many well-known brands fall under this category. Light Lager Food Pairings: Because light lagers have such a refreshing flavor, they're ideal for pairing with spicy dishes, but you can pair these beers with just about any type of food. Here are some ideal beer and food pairing options for light lagers you can try: Buffalo wings (bone-in or boneless) French fries Hot dogs Noodles Fried fish Wheat Beers Wheat beers are brewed with a mixture of wheat and barley grains, which gives the beer a smoother texture and lighter carbonation than other styles. The wheat itself doesn't add much flavor, so many brewers add citrus and other fruity flavorings to the beer. Wheat Beer Food Pairings: Wheat beers are very versatile, and you can pair them with several foods. Here are some ideal food pairings for wheat beers: Buffalo wings Spicy noodles Salads Fruit tarts Pastries India Pale Ales India pale ales, better known as IPAs, are one of the most popular styles of beer in the craft brewing scene today. Typically, IPAs have a medium amber color and feature a very bitter flavor. To make the bitterness more palatable, many brewers add citrus or herbal tones to the beer. In addition to standard IPAs, there are also double IPAs, which are made with even more hops and have a strong bitter flavor. IPA Food Pairings: Because of the sheer variety of IPAs on the market, there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to food pairings. But, here are a few general food and beer pairings that work for all types of IPAs: Barbecue ribs Curry French fries Steak Burritos Fajitas Amber Ales Amber ales are characterized by a medium mouthfeel and colors that range from amber to a deep reddish-gold. These beers have strong flavors of malt, and there are notes of sweet caramel that complement the roasted malt taste. But, these beers do not have an overpoweringly sweet flavor, and many amber ales have a dry and crisp finish. Although the flavor from the hops isn't strong, they give these beers a light and flowery aroma. Amber Ale Food Pairings: Due to the dry and crisp finish, amber ales are excellent beers for cleansing your palate. So, here are a few ideal food pairings for amber ales: Barbecue pulled pork Jerk chicken Pizza Brisket Dark Lagers There are several types of lager, and dark lagers have a distinct taste. This style of beer is made with roasted malts, and many times they have caramel syrup added to sweeten the beer. The roasted malts give the beer a nutty flavor, and the caramel provides a slight hint of sweetness, although it's not overpowering. Dark Lager Food Pairings: Dark lagers are popular in Europe, and they're an excellent complement to hearty traditional European dishes. Here are some examples of ideal pairings to go with dark lagers: Sausage Goulash Bangers and mash Burgers Pizza Brown Ales Brown ales aren't as hoppy or bitter as other medium-colored beers, and instead, they have hints of chocolate and coffee similar to stouts and porters. Additionally, English varieties of brown ales usually have a dry and nutty flavor. Beer aficionados and craft brewers tend to turn their noses up at brown ales because they lack the extreme flavors and hoppiness that are fashionable nowadays, but these are tasty beers that pair well with many different foods. Brown Ale Food Pairings: Brown ales are a versatile option when it comes to food and beer pairings, and they are famous for pairing well with just about anything. That being said, here are a few dishes that complement the rich chocolate and nutty flavors in brown ales: Sausage Roast pork Barbecue Fish Sushi Porters Porters originated in London, and the original variety was dark and strong, making them popular with the working class. Today, porters are milder and come in a variety of styles and flavors. However, they retain their distinctive dark color, toasty aroma, and rich roasted flavor. Porters are made with roasted brown malts that give the beer strong notes of chocolate, caramel, and coffee. Although both porters and stouts are thick and silky, porters have a crisper finish than stouts. Porter Food Pairings: Porters have a rich and deep flavor, so it is best to pair them with foods that have similar taste and texture. Here are a few examples of dishes that pair well with porters: Lobster Crab Mexican mole Barbecue Rabbit, venison, and game meats Stouts Stouts are best known for their black color and dark, roasted flavor that is similar to porters. Despite their appearance, stouts are not necessarily high in alcohol content, bitterness, or flavor, and there are many mild, well-rounded types of stout. This style of beer is usually characterized by strong hints of chocolate and coffee as well as a silky smooth consistency. Stout Food Pairings: Because stouts have a chocolatey flavor and relatively low alcohol content, they are the perfect pairing for many kinds of desserts. Here are some examples of the best foods to pair with stouts: Chocolate truffles Chocolate mousse Lobster Barbecue Shellfish Adding food and beer pairings to your menu can help enhance the flavor of your dishes and bring in more profits. To make the best beer pairings possible, it is important to understand which flavors work well together. Once you understand the flavor profiles in beer, you can make delicious and interesting beer pairings that will accentuate the flavors of both your food and beer. You can also bring out the best flavors in your beer by choosing the right beer glass for each type.