Drinking red wine with a fine steak dinner has been a long-time tradition. The red meat and red wine duo is a great and delicious combination that most people like. Still, many other alcoholic beverages will make your stake taste even more flavorful and juicy. You can consider bourbon and beer as a wine alternative, as well as white wine and such non-alcoholic beverages as pomegranate or cranberry juice, club soda with lemon, and others. Let’s talk about whiskey, dark beer, and white wine pairings a little more.
1. Whiskey
The caramel and rich notes of whiskey go well with the beefy flavor of red meat. There are many types of whiskey to choose from, including bourbon, Scotch, rye, and others. You can drink your whiskey on rocks, neat, or in cocktails in order not to overpower the flavors of your juicy steak. However, the experts recommend not to mix whiskey with anything other than a few cubes of ice.
2. Dark Beer
If you decide to consume your steak with beer, it is recommended to pick a dark beer, such as porter or stout. Dark beer pairs well with a rib-eye steak because its bitterness can cut through the steak’s fat. Skirt or flank steaks taste great with leaner beer, such as a nutty brown ale, for example.
3. White Wine
As long as you can pick the right white wine, it pairs well with steaks. One of the best options would be a lightly soaked Chardonnay known for its rich flavor that can cut through the steak’s beefiness. Moreover, Chardonnays also pair well with steaks because of their dynamic flavor. You may also want to try an extra brut Champaign, textural Maryanne, Viognier, or Rousanne. A glass of Semillon or Riesling with substantial bottle age can also be a good option and interesting combination. However, you should definitely avoid light and extra-crisp white wines such as Sauvignon Blanc, though — they go well with other types of food and dishes.
These are three most common alcoholic beverages that pair well with all types of steaks — whiskey, dark beer, and white wine. They create unique, dynamic, flavorful steak drink pairings that work perfectly with beef. Therefore, if you are not a big fan of red wine or if you cannot drink it for certain reasons, you have other interesting and unusual alcoholic beverage options to pair with your juicy steak.