A great burger off the grill deserves a beer that can keep up with it. The char, the melting cheese and the juicy fat all call for a beer with real flavour, something with enough malt or hop character to cut through and complement rather than get lost.
Below are eight of the best beers to pair with burgers, each tasted and rated for the site. There is a benchmark pale ale, a smooth amber, a bold West Coast IPA for the hop fans and honest lagers with enough backbone to hold their own. Every pick links to its full review and you can grab a case in a couple of taps.
The rule of thumb is to match the intensity: a loaded, smoky burger wants a bolder beer, while a simple classic is happy with a crisp amber or lager.
Best Beers for Burgers at a Glance
| Beer | Style | Our rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra Nevada Pale Ale | American Pale Ale | 4.3/5 | Best all-round burger beer |
| New Belgium Fat Tire Amber Ale | Amber Ale | 4.1/5 | Best smooth amber match |
| Yuengling Traditional Lager | American Amber Lager | 4.1/5 | Best value crowd pick |
| Samuel Adams Boston Lager | Vienna Lager | 4.0/5 | Best malty lager |
| Stone IPA | West Coast IPA | 4.4/5 | Best for hop lovers |
| Modelo Especial | Mexican Lager | 4.0/5 | Best easy crowd-pleaser |
| Anchor Steam Beer | California Common | 4.4/5 | Best characterful pick |
| Coors Banquet | American Lager | 3.8/5 | Best no-fuss cookout can |
A burger wants a beer with a bit of backbone. The char, the fat and the toppings need something with malt or hops to stand up to them, so a pale ale, an amber or a characterful lager beats a thin light beer every time.
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
The benchmark American pale ale, balanced and endlessly drinkable with piney, citrus hops over a solid caramel malt base. Characterful but easy, it is a summer staple that suits food off the grill. Read the full Sierra Nevada Pale Ale review.
- Balanced, piney hop character
- Very drinkable for its flavour
- A dependable classic
- Hoppier than a light lager
New Belgium Fat Tire Amber Ale
A smooth, balanced amber ale with toasty malt and a gentle hop finish. Easygoing and food-friendly, Fat Tire is a versatile choice that suits burgers, grilled meats and a relaxed afternoon. Read the full New Belgium Fat Tire Amber Ale review.
- Smooth, toasty and balanced
- Very food-friendly
- Easy for a mixed crowd
- Malty, not a hop bomb
Yuengling Traditional Lager
The champion of value beer. Yuengling delivers more malt, colour and character than any macro at the price, so it keeps beer fans happy without costing craft money. A smart case for any crowd. Read the full Yuengling Traditional Lager review.
- Genuine amber-malt flavour at a budget price
- Suits food and easy drinking
- The best value on most lists
- Regional, so not sold everywhere
Samuel Adams Boston Lager
A benchmark American lager with proper malt depth and a clean hoppy finish. More flavour than the macros but still very drinkable, it is a dependable step-up pick for a mixed crowd. Read the full Samuel Adams Boston Lager review.
- Real malt and hop character
- Still easy drinking
- Widely available
- Costs more than macro lagers
Stone IPA
A classic, resinous West Coast IPA with pine and citrus and a firm bitter backbone. Bold and refreshing in its own way, it is the pick for hop lovers at a barbecue. Read the full Stone IPA review.
- Bold pine-and-citrus hops
- A West Coast benchmark
- Stands up to bold food
- Assertively bitter
- Not a casual crowd beer
Modelo Especial
A step up from the usual macro without costing much more. Modelo is crisp and lightly bready with a clean finish, the crowd-pleaser almost everyone reaches for happily. It barely needs the lime. Read the full Modelo Especial review.
- Crisp, clean and widely loved
- More body than a light lager
- Great value by the case
- Costs a touch more than the cheapest cans
Anchor Steam Beer
A uniquely American style, a California common with amber malt, a woody hop note and a crisp lager-like finish. Characterful yet easy, it bridges the gap between a lager and an ale beautifully. Read the full Anchor Steam Beer review.
- Distinctive amber-malt character
- Crisp finish, easy to drink
- A piece of US brewing history
- Not as widely stocked as it once was
Coors Banquet
The honest workhorse of a cooler. More malt and backbone than the light macros, cold and crushable, and cheap enough to buy in bulk. When you just need proper cold beer that goes down easy, Banquet delivers. Read the full Coors Banquet review.
- More backbone than a light macro
- Crushable and cheap in bulk
- A no-fuss crowd can
- Plain flavour
- Best served ice cold
The Gear That Makes Better Burgers
Beer sorted, now the grill. These three help you turn out a juicy burger and keep the cook’s beer cold.
Beers with Burgers FAQ
What beer goes best with a burger?
A beer with some backbone. A balanced pale ale like Sierra Nevada is the ideal all-rounder, a smooth amber like Fat Tire complements the char, and a West Coast IPA like Stone cuts through fat and bold toppings for hop lovers.
Should I drink lager or ale with a burger?
Both work, but match the burger. A characterful lager like Samuel Adams Boston Lager or Yuengling suits a simple classic burger, while ales such as pale ales, ambers and IPAs stand up better to smoky, loaded or cheese-heavy burgers.
What beer pairs with a cheeseburger?
The richness of melted cheese loves a hoppy beer to cut through it, so a pale ale or IPA is a great match. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is a safe, balanced choice, and Stone IPA works brilliantly if you want more bite against the fat.
What is a good cheap beer for burgers?
Yuengling and Coors Banquet both have enough malt backbone to suit a burger and cost little by the case, which makes them ideal for a cookout crowd. Modelo Especial is a small step up that everyone tends to enjoy.
