Pizza and beer is a classic combo for a reason, and two DC breweries just collaborated with area pizza restaurants. Let’s dig in!
DC Brau began making Full Count Lager with All-Purpose Pizzeria maybe 8 years ago, but last year the partners decided it was time for a refresh, moving from an American adjunct lager that was probably as close as DC Brau got to making a lite beer to AP Pils (4.5% ABV), an Italian-style Pilsner. Briefly, what makes a pilsner Italian-style is a dry hopping regimen with noble hops, Tipopils is the originator of this. All-Purpose’s chef Mike Friedman tells us that “the caramelization of our whole-wheat-forward crust complements the light sweetness in the AP Pils, while the robust flavors of slightly acidic tomato sauce, various toppings, and fat-forward mozzarella contrasts nicely with the cripsiness of the Italian-style pilsner. AP Pils is a drinkable, crushable, and all-around fun beer.” It’s available at All-Purpose, Red Hen, Aventino, and Fossette Focacceria, and cans may be available at the brewery. If you’re dining at AP, I recommend the Caesar salad and the Funghi pizza.
Comet Ping Pong and Right Proper collaborated on a pale ale, Rundlauf IPA (6.5% ABV), earlier this year. Fittingly, the beer has Comet hops in it, as does the brewery’s Raised By Wolves pale ale. However, in collaborating Comet owner James Alefantis asked for “a complex, fresh beer with fruit, citrus, and acids [to] cleanse the palate as you enjoy your pizza.” Enter Motueka hops from New Zealand, adding extra acidity and notes of lime. Alefantis is no stranger to beer nerdery. “For me, sometimes a beer can even be a meal itself – like a porter or a strong IPA, but for a pizza beer, it can’t be a meal! I love enjoying two full-bodied beers and feeling satisfied as if it’s dinner! However, we love pizza and beer together, so we wanted to serve something that’s not too filling and complements the dining experience. When partnering with Right Proper, we all talked about making a beer that has spritz and body to enliven the palate and whet the appetite! Beer naturally pairs well with pizza because everything is a bit yeasty, isn’t it?”
What’s rundlauf? “Rundlauf translates to ‘runaround’ and refers to a type of ping-pong in which multiple players run around the table while hitting the ball. The goal is to keep the ball in play for as long as possible,” Molly Hippolitus tell us. She’s the public relations maven behind mh co studio, and used to work for the Neighborhood Restaurant Group, so she knows her way around beer. As for pairings, Alefantis notes that the beer “enhances the flavors of the bread, garlic, spinach, olives, cheese, maybe some bacon, and the citrus ingredients common throughout much of Comet’s menu. We also wanted to avoid high alcohol content so we can take our time to eat, drink, and chat with friends as we break bread—or pizza.” Rundlauf IPA is available at Comet, sister restaurant Buck’s Fishing & Camping, and Right Proper locations, both draft and cans may be available.
Last year’s Ocelot-Andy’s Pizza kellerbier collaboration, Tender Charm, is long gone, but maybe it’ll come back. Breweries that have taken food operations in house, like Maryland’s Crooked Crab, and soon Silver Branch Rockville Beerworks, have found success with the beer-pizza combo as well, and we’d be remiss to not mention the area’s originators of good beer and good pizza, Pizzeria Paradiso. Not into pizza? Port City’s Pizza Night amber lager and Other Half’s Jumbo Slice IPA are often available. Cheers!
