The Absolute Best Beer To Pair With Your Next Bowl Of Popcorn

Winding down after work with a bowl of crunchy popcorn, your latest series obsession, and a cold pint is one of life's simple joys, yet even something this close to perfection can be improved upon. We spoke to Executive Chef Jessie Massie at the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Taproom in North Carolina for tips on pairing our favorite snack with refreshing beer — and even have a nonalcoholic suggestion for teetotalers wanting to imbibe. 

When looking to match servings of light, salty popcorn with a cold brew, Massie recommends reaching for an evenly weighted complement. "Popcorn has a light and airy kind of quality to it, so I think it's important to think of pairing a light to medium-bodied beer with popcorn so it feels evenly paired," Massie advised. Golden ales and lighter craft beers can offer a subtle taste of sweet malt that can help wash down a mouthful of puffy popcorn. Notes of citrus and brighter floral palates play well with handfuls of the snack, so you can enjoy experimenting with matching IPAs and ales with the buttery popcorn you cooked on your stovetop.

For those avoiding alcohol yet are still in search of a tasty sipper, Massie points to Sierra Nevada's Trail Pass Golden NA. "It's light but has a slight malty sweetness that is excellent with popcorn," Massie suggests. With a crisp finish and the taste of smooth malt, a pint of this Trail Pass goes down easy. "If a craft drinker is looking for that non-alc option, but still wants a complete beer experience, this is gonna do it for them," the brewery's Innovation Brewmaster James Conery explains. Instead of removing alcohol from a fully-finished brew, the brewery makes Trail Pass similar to other kinds of beer to bottle a beverage that parallels the beer-drinking experience while still resting below the 0.5% ABV marker.

If you want to stick with alcoholic sippers, crisp notes of light lagers like pilsners and Mexican lagers can bring brighter mouthfuls that can wash down saltier, spicier, or cheese-topped handfuls of flavored popcorn. Should you prefer popcorn that is on the sweeter side and coated in caramel or cinnamon, a smooth wheat beer or traditional German brews like hefeweizen and Kölsch can complement these more lively bowls of snacks.