BC Craft Beer and Deer
Pairing BC craft beer staples with Jägermeister
Beer and a shot. The happy hour special. The pre-game warmup. A tried-and-true combination, no doubt. But can this age old-pairing be elevated? Our friends at Jägermeister Canada think so.
People most commonly tie Jägermeister to “Jäger Bombs” and the inevitable hangover (hello 2009!), but the fine folks over at Jägermeister are out to prove that their popular herbal liqueur is more than just a late night drop shot. Their #BeerAndDeer program does just that; asking drinkers to pair Jäger with their favourite local beers.
We were tasked with finding some top notch BC brews to sip alongside both the classic Jäger and their cold brew coffee edition. As cocktail enthusiasts and craft beer fanatics we were most certainly up for the challenge. Prior to this project, we had a fairly narrow view of this liqueur. so we were curious, and slightly skeptical, on how it would pair with various beer styles.
With that in mind, we did not half ass the research process for this article. We started experimenting with various Jägermeister and beer combos during the height of the pandemic, which meant several foggy (but fun) Zoom calls. We were committed to the cause!
Over the course of several tasting sessions we found that each beer style elevated different aspects of the liqueur’s flavour profile. Jägermeister boasts 56 botanicals so there’s a lot to be explored. This wasn’t a one way street though, as the “deer” also highlighted select flavours of each beer.
We discovered that multiple beer styles paired well with each type of Jäger. The common thread was the beer needed to have a fairly sturdy flavour profile to hold up to the liqueur. That meant that lighter styles, like a classic lager, were out. Also important to note is the order in which you enjoy the pairing matters. Beer then deer worked best in most cases, but we recommend trying both ways to find your preference. Ok, enough preamble…let’s get into our pairings!
Moon Under Water Brewpub and Distillery “This is Hefeweizen”
Pair with original Jägermeister
The Hefeweizen is a classic, yet often overlooked beer style in BC. Moon Under Water’s rendition is part of their core lineup and boasts the prominent bubblegum and clove flavours you’d expect from a traditional Hefe. We found this beer amplified the herbal tea, cinnamon spice, and sweet orange notes from the Jägermeister. It was a really enjoyable and unique combination.
Steel & Oak Brewing Dark Lager
Pair with cold brew coffee Jägermeister
When we were thinking of potential pairings for the cold brew coffee liqueur, this OG offering from Steel & Oak Brewing instantly came to mind. As it turns out, our hunch was right. The dark lager brings out the roasted malt and bitter coffee flavours from the cold brew component of the Jäger. It also elevates the sweet (Sambuca), bitter orange, crème de cacao, and coffee liqueur elements of the liqueur. Overall, this was a really well-rounded pairing.
Red Collar Brewing & Distilling Co. IPA
Pair with original Jägermeister
This traditional English-style IPA from the Kamloops based brewery has a delicious malt profile and bitter backbone that primes the Jäger perfectly. The sweetness and cinnamon spice notes of the Jägermeister are highlighted, while the bitter bite of the IPA is mellowed which allows for its more delicate flavours to shine through. We also sampled some bitter and hoppy west coast IPAs and found those worked really well too!
Field House Brewing Co. Salted Black Porter
Pair with cold brew coffee Jägermeister
Not surprisingly, the “dutch droppies” salted black licorice candies added to this staple from Field House Brewing enhanced the Sambuca notes in the liqueur. This natural synergy between the two was the basis for our selection, but we also found that this beer brought out a honey, caramel, and maple sweetness in the Jägermeister. Interestingly, a subtle port-like flavour shone through too. Overall, this was a really robust and and enjoyable combo.
R&B Brewing Nitro Hipster Haze IPA
Pair with original Jagermeister
This list wouldn’t be complete without at least one hazy, and given that the nitrogen-infused rendition of R&B’s Hipster Haze is one of our favourites, it was an obvious choice. The bitterness of the IPA cuts the initial harshness of the Jäger, which allow its subtle sweet notes (chocolate, licorice) to be appreciated. The brightness of the hazy also adds a certain freshness to this pairing, and the smooth body from the nitrogen makes for a really unique drinking experience.
We had a ton of fun experimenting with these #BeerAndDeer pairings and now have a completely new perspective on Jägermeister. It’s become a bar staple for both of us.
Now it’s your turn to try these out and let us know your thoughts. We’d also love to hear your preferred pairings as there are most definitely some other great options out there. Thanks for reading!
Disclosure: Jägermeister Canada provided us with product and a beer budget for the purposes of writing this article. They did not review the content prior to posting, and all opinions shared are our own.
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