The best alcohol pairings for your cheese, veggie and chicken burgers
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Your support makes all the difference.Finding the perfect drink pairing for your burger is like finding a partner on Tinder.
You have to rifle through a fair amount of poor quality and falsely advertised options to find something special, but once you do, it’s worth its weight in gold.
Whether you’re a classic hamburger fan who’s a slave to a classic, or a fried chicken fiend with a penchant for peri peri, there’s a beverage to tickle everyone’s pickle.
Cheeseburger
If it's a greasy bad-boy - think Five Guys or Meat Liquor - you'll want to opt for something dense to complement the richness of the burger, advises The Independent's Wine & Spirits Columnist, Adrian Smith.
A South African Cabernet Sauvignon or Châteauneuf-du-Pape would be ideal, as both have slight pepper kick to them which will cut through meat and bring out the taste, especially the char from the grill, he explained.
However, if there's bacon and barbecue sauce involved, it's a different story altogether. You'll need something a little heavier to complement the smoky flavours of the bacon. Smith suggests a proper Californian Zinfandel or a classic Shiraz or, if you're after a bit of sweetness, something like an Argentinean Malbec will hit the spot.
Veggie burger
A lighter burger calls for a lighter wine, something not too acidic and a bit more fruit-forward. This will allow you to relish in each of the contrasting flavours within any good veggie burger (The Breakfast Club do a wonderful one made from butternut squash, halloumi and avocado).
Think Provençal rosé or Albariño - a Galician variety of white wine which has soared in popularity in the UK in recent years. If you're after something a little bit different, opt for a soft white Grenache, Smith suggests.
Chicken burger
The drink you pair with your chicken burger largely depends on your chicken burger of choice - because as all connoisseurs will know, there are several.
If we're talking southern fried style, an oaky Chardonnay or a burgundy Pinot Noir will fuse nicely with the crispy coating whereas a classic Sauvignon Blanc is your go-to-gal for a grilled option.
For those who would always rather be at Nando's and could practically bathe in Peri Peri, a trendy white port and tonic will bring out the cajun spices like nothing else on the rack. You heard it here first.
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