Cheese and wine are fine, but pizza and beer? That’s perfection.
Why?
Loads of reasons, not the least of which — especially in what I’ll call “the extended era of takeout” — is convenience.
Pizza from the box (or slightly delayed from the oven, since I’m one of those revive-the-crust takeout snobs) and beer from the can or bottle or growler offer paper-plate perfection for an evening of low lights, chill music and stimulating conversation. Or the NXT takeover.
Or anything in between.
Caramel notes with acidic tomatoes. Bitter hops with fatty cheese. Sweet stout with earthy mushrooms. The combinations are endless.
“Do I even have to explain this?” asks Glenn Closson, owner of Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company, when queried about why the pairing is so classic. “There are so many variations in beer styles. Pizza is almost the same kind of craft — different crusts, cheeses, toppings — all of it so customizable.”
Pizza and beer also offer up innumerable combinations for supporting local. And so, I reached out to few experts in both fields for their recommendations: pizza to pair with Central Florida beer and local brews with which to wash them down in honor of International Beer and Pizza Day on Oct. 9.
The folks at Sideward Brewing in the Milk District are big pizza fans, says head brewer Garrett Ward, who had recommendations at the ready when I reached out.
Sausage Fingers is Sideward’s Oktoberfest-style lager. One that Ward says is strong enough to stand up to Pizza Bruno’s “The Dude.”
“It features Taleggio cheese, which has a very bold aroma. You’ll need a beer with a big enough body but with crisp bubbles,” he notes. Sausage Fingers is a seasonal favorite and complements the pie with its bready and dark fruit notes.
Sideward’s staffers are of the opinion that deep dish pizza is definitely pizza, “and we love it!” says Ward. “The Chicago Classic from Giordano’s is definitely a special occasion and you should be sharing this monster of a pie with some friends.”
Ward says something light goes best with that insane amount of cheese, veggies and sausage. “But effervescent enough to cut through all that fat.” Sideward’s Punks in the Waiting Room lager is a good’n.
Orlando loves its Lazy Moon, and to tackle the vast expanse of one of their pies — Ward’s toppings of choice here are pepperoni and banana peppers — he suggests the Moon Boots IPA.
“While Lazy Moon offers many different toppings and signature slices (shout out to Jason’s Mom!) hot, fast and cheap is the name of the game here…” Moon Boots’ boasts big notes of tropical fruit and citrus, “but with enough body and bitterness to compliment the acid and spice from the toppings.”
On the other end of the spectrum, says Ward, is date night. “You deserve this, so go big!” Prato‘s Diavolo pie “brings the heat with big pepperoni slices and pancetta, then sprinkled with hot peppers. Adding a side of that creamy mustard spaghettini, he says, completes the experience, along with Sideward’s Space Wizard New England IPA.
“With its big, juicy body and big pineapple and citrus nose, it’s almost like putting pineapple on your pizza!”
Pizza Bruno’s pies roll from classic to creative, and yes, says owner Bruno Zacchini, they do pair nicely with a cold one.
“I’ve always had an affinity for the Ravenous Pig Brewing Co. and their beers,” he says. “And the classic move at Bruno would be a Crimson Ghost and a Five Points IPA.” The heat from the Mike’s Hot Honey, says Zacchini, works well with the West Coast-style IPA. “You can’t go wrong!”
From the white side of the menu, Bruno’s Blanca — with lemon ricotta, garlic, fresh mozzarella, arugula and lots of Grana Padano cheese — brings it all together with acid, peppery notes and cheesy richness for which “a crisp lager is the move.”
As such, Zacchini recommends TRP’s Laid Up lager … and a splash of afternoon sun on the Pizza Bruno patio.
There’s good beer virtually right across the street from 1803 Pizza Kitchen in Audubon Park, says owner Angélica Luzardo.
“Redlight, Redlight is a great beer bar and also makes their own,” she points out. But when pressed to pair one of her pies with some locals, she pointed in two directions: Bowigens Beer Company in Casselberry and Rockpit Brewing in SoDo.
“Rockpit’s Miner’s Light is a light lager that goes really well with pizza,” she says, especially with pies like the colorful Sunshine with mozzarella, ham, bacon, sweet corn and ricotta cheese or the nutty Pesto Burrata, which features pine nuts and arugula.
Out in College Park, Tornatore’s Cafe & Pizzeria, a true scratch kitchen, churns out a preponderance of pies. All are special, but only one — a heavy-duty beauty laden with pesto, garlic, oil, grilled chicken, red onion, red peppers, marinated tomatoes, basil and fresh mozzarella with balsamic glaze — has earned the distinction of being called “Tornatore’s Special Pie.”
It’s a treat chef Jason Wolfe would pair with the Toboggan Blonde Ale from Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company, “a well-rounded brew that’s smooth on the palate,” he says. “Its medium body holds up well to those robust flavors.”
Speaking of, this is a big week for Ivanhoe Park Brewing, which is celebrating its second anniversary tonight — and through the weekend — with a bunch of new releases. Return to Joyland, a triple IPA featuring Sabro, Nelson, Citra and Simcoe hops, drops today, just in time to pair with a range of pies from Flippers.
Ivanhoe Park Brewing features Flippers regularly, in smaller servings, cheese and pepperoni only. This weekend, though, Flippers is rolling in their truck and oven, offering guests a larger menu and many more choices.
For the Joyland and its heady 10.5% ABV, Closson recommends Flippers’ All Meat Pie.
“The higher ABV gives it maltier characteristics,” he says. “It’s definitely a sipping beer, and the hops will pair well with all those different meats while doing a job cutting through the fat.”
Best part? You can enjoy any of these in the dining room, barroom or at home on the couch. Even the holiday is customizable.
Want to reach out? Find me on Twitter or Instagram @amydroo or on the OSFoodie Instagram account @orlando.foodie. Email: [email protected]. Join the conversation at the Orlando Sentinel’s new Facebook Forum, Let’s Eat, Orlando.
