Wine Tasting for a Beer Drinker

“There’s wisdom in wine, freedom in beer, and bacteria in the water!” It may be disputable if Benjamin Franklin said this, but wine and beer drinkers will echo the sentiments within. Both drinks are best enjoyed with good food and great company. Beer is drawn from fermented grains like wheat when wine is the product of fermented fruit like grapes. It seems that beer drinkers are a larger community in America than wine drinkers.

Despite their differences, comparisons can be drawn. Certain wines have similar tones, weights, textures, flavors like herbs and fruit, and notes as some particular beers. If you’re a beer lover looking to understand and appreciate wines better, you should know which wine to try based on your beer of choice.

Choosing the ideal wine for beer lovers can be an exciting hobby. It’s always fun to try new things and this way you can expand your beverage repertoire. Let’s see how you can select your favorite wine based on your beer preference.

Lager Drinker

If you enjoy a light beer, and if lagers and pilsners are your go-to beer, you’ll probably do well with a crisp, bubbly, sparkling wine like Cava. A Bud Light drinker could easily be converted to an un-oaked white wine such as a Pinot Grigio. These can both be paired with various foods and are perfectly refreshing for sultry summers.

 

Pale Ale Drinker

If you fancy a richer, full-bodied pale ale with a well-balanced taste, you could try out a light, well-balanced red wine such as a Pinot Noir. It lacks the extra bitter texture owing to the fewer tannins present in this wine. This earthy flavored beverage can be enjoyed at a cool temperature. A malty ale aficionado will be well satisfied with a fruity Merlot.

 

Wheat Ale Drinker

Smooth, sweet wheat ales could share a very good camaraderie with the fruity, buttery Californian Chardonnay. Its oak-aged flavors and creamy texture offer refreshing tones of lemon and apple with a hint of vanilla. Other wines you could do well with are Semillon, Viognier, and Roussanne.

 

Porter Drinker

Rich, earthy, bitter porters are medium-bodied and characteristically similar to the Italian dry red wine Aglianico, which is rich in its herbal and floral aromas. You will also enjoy the Tuscan Chianti and Bordeaux wines, which have a medium body and a bitter flavor.

 

IPA Drinker

An India Pale Ale (IPA) lover enjoys the sweet, fruity yet bitter flavor of their choice of poison. The Aglianico, the Cabernet Franc, the Chilean Carmenere, and the French Côtes du Rhône are all full of herbal notes and boast medium to full-bodied perfection. An IPA loyalist will cherish these flavors. Another potential favorite for an IPA drinker could be a dry Riesling or an acidic white wine like a Grüner Veltliner.

 

Sour Beer Drinker

If Saison or sour beers are your favorites, you’ll especially go nuts for a French Chardonnay or an earthy red Burgundy with its sour yet bright notes. You could also become fast friends with a lightly spiced and light-bodied Rosé like Beaujolais. Its bright notes of banana and candied fruit and the characteristic flavor of grapes will leave you enchanted.

 

Stout Drinker

A stout fan cherishes the flavors of vanilla, chocolate, and oatmeal. Gift this beer lover with a Cabernet Sauvignon from the Napa Valley and its rich, round, and fruity texture will have them hooked.

 

Apricot Ale Drinker 

If summer fruits get you on a happy high, you probably love sitting down to a fruity lambic or an apricot ale after a hard day’s work. If you would like to expand your adult beverage repertoire, shop for a Brachetto d’Acqui, Moscato d’Asti, or a Riesling. A Brachetto’s unique raspberry flavor or a Moscato’s peach note will have you singing summer melodies.

Lambic Beer Drinker

The fruity tones of this beer can be replicated by a bottle of Pinot Noir or a drier Riesling that boasts notes of pineapple and citrus. A real treat would be a fizzy red Italian Lambrusco with its subtle tones of hibiscus and strawberry.

Amber Ale Drinker

Amber ale aficionados will treasure the inherent tones of caramel, nuts, toast, figs, and sugar cookies. A red Zinfandel can easily slip into the forever-favorite section of your home bar with its smoky undertones of jam and hints of festive raisins and cinnamon. A sparkling, off-dry Spanish Cava is another wine that an amber ale drinker could come to love.

 

Belgium Ale Drinker

Belgium ales, or witbiers, are unfiltered and use a variety of grains to deliver their smooth, sweetish, and slightly bubbly texture. Made of un-malted wheat, barley, or oats, they are characterized by their cloudy and pale appearance and high alcohol content. Richly spiced, these ales toast to notes of orange peel, coriander, and other herbs. A smoky-sweet Shiraz would make a Belgium ale drinker very happy.

 

Top Tip

The key to understanding wines is to get your palate used to as many tastes as possible. So in addition to your favorites, do keep tasting new ones. Why not try some of our wine offerings and decide for yourself which of these could easily become your daily TV companion or your choice of drink on a special night out.