National Beer Day may have only been celebrated since April 7, 2009, but folks were celebrating beer long before that! Wondering why April 7th? In March of 1933, Roosevelt signed the Cullen-Harrison Act (which said beer could contain up to 3.2% alcohol by weight) into law, and it was enacted on April 7, 1933! Previous laws had required alcohol to be below 0.5% (thanks, prohibition!) and this was a game changer, which eventually led to the 21st Amendment!  Whether you're celebrating New Beer's Eve tonight, or National Beer Day tomorrow (or let's face it....both), we wouldn't be us if we didn't give you some suggestions for pairing your favorite beers with our meaty goods. 

Now that the history lesson is over, let the pairings begin! 

Teriyaki jerky + Blonde Ale: 

When preparing a pairing session, we like to start mild and light with both jerky and beer and work our way up in intensity and boldness. So we're starting off with an easy drinking blonde and some of the sweeter side of jerky. If you've never tasted Caribou, our Teriyaki stick from Indian Valley Alaska is a great option. And its sweetness pairs great with the caramel & apricot notes in the crisp Deschutes River Ale, or probably just about any other excellent Blonde for that matter! 

BBQ Jerky + Pale Ale:

If you live in the south, you already know that you can't go wrong pairing BBQ with your favorite Pale Ale. But for those of you who don't, you may have never had the pleasure of tasting this sweet and citrusy combo. Try our Buffalo Bob's BBQ Alligator snack pack paired with the grapefruity goodness that is Sierra Nevada Pale Ale for a little taste of the south in the summertime. 

Fish Jerky + Pilsner: 

For our last combo on the lighter side, we've paired some wild caught Ahi Tuna Jerky from Kaimana with Hans' Pils from Real Ale. The bright hoppiness combined with German malts in the pilsner provide a great balance to the smokiness of the Hawaiian tuna for a winning combination. This specific pilsner is a bit more heavily hopped than most, so it'd go great with our Peppered Ahi Tuna as well if you want to spice things up a bit. 

Venison Pepper Jerky + IPA: 

Now for something a little more bold. Deer season may be over, but we've always got Venison stocked. And the richness our Venison and Beef Peppered Jerky supplies is a great counterbalance to the citrus & pine notes of Ballast Point Sculpin IPA. The cracked pepper flavor of the jerky mixing with the hoppy aroma of this beer is absolutely mouth watering. You've just gotta try it. 

Scorpion Pepper + Stout: 

Love playing with fire? This last pairing is for you! Our Smoky Mountain Scorpion Pepper Brisket Jerky is a little sweet with a LOT of hot. Made with one of the hottest peppers on the planet, we're pretty sure it'll make you sweat. But a pint of Lakewood Temptress Imperial Milk Stout might just be the perfect thing to cool things off. With it's thick chocolate head, and notes of caramel and vanilla, the silky mouthfeel of this lower carbonation beer will calm the flames. Between the jerky and the beer - this pairing is both intense and complex - go big or go home, right? 

Jerky + Beer = Beer jerky! 

Perhaps you've decided that April happened to be a good month to get on the wagon and stop drinking. Bad timing, huh? But wait - you can still celebrate National Beer Day with our beer jerky (it's not technically drinking, right?)! Normally a pale ale drinker? Try our Black Label Draft Ale Beef Jerky that's marinated in its goodness. Love something a bit darker? Our Dark Ale Beer Jerky from Northwest Bierhaus in Oregon should do the trick! 

We hope these pairings make this year's celebration of National Beer Day one to remember! Please drink (and eat) responsibly. Oh wait. One can never have too much jerky!