Pairing beverages with hot and spicy foods can be extremely daunting, mostly because of the many layers of flavors and ingredients involved. By following a few simple guidelines, we can find an array of drinks that don’t just work with ‘hot & spicy,’ but actually (and more importantly) enhance both. The prevailing flavors of these cuisines tend toward a combination of hot, spicy, sweet, sour, bitter, and, often an added richness from the incorporation of butter or dairy ingredients. These are the aspects to focus on when choosing a match, and not whether the dish is based on beef, chicken, fish or vegetarian. 

The addition of chiles in a dish can bring out many of the charecteristics mentioned above. Chiles add flavor and sweetness to dishes in addition to heat. Although capsaicin, the chemical that gives chiles their heat, is soluble in alcohol. Alcohol elevates the spicy sensation brought on by capsaicin so, if you’re not careful, you’ll end up feeling the burn — and just the burn. After all, when your mouth is on fire, it’s difficult to taste anything else, so opt for wines and low-alcohol beer.  Cocktails and summertime go together like spicy food and summertime — but cocktails and spicy food? That match-up is a bit trickier to navigate.  But don’t despair! There’s hope yet for this pairing, whether your tipple of choice is sweet and fruity, citrusy, or bone dry. 

Wine

Avoid Oak and High Alcohol 

The wines most suited to this spectrum of flavors are wines that are medium to low in alcohol, wines that are refreshing, and wines with crisp acidity. Acidity provides an enhancing contrast to both ‘heat’ and ‘richness’, while also lifting the many layers of flavor in the dish. 

Little or no oak treatment is another rule I adhere to when choosing a white wine. Heavy oak dominates and can really dumb down the flavors.

Favor Fruity, Aromatic and Off-Dry Wines

Fruity, aromatic and off-dry whites are some of the best options to consider.  Sweetness from the residual sugar in off-dry wines offers a contrast, and balances the heat and spicy flavors. The sweetness also serves to showcase the many different flavors in the dish. 

Similarly, fruity and aromatic whites are excellent candidates. While dry, these wines can give the impression of sweetness that works to balance and compliment heat and spice. 

Spice It Up with Crisp, Lighter Red Wines 

For red wines, the things to watch out for are alcohol and tannin. I find that low to medium tannin wines work best, as wines with a lot of tannin can accentuate bitterness, as well as overpower the dish. As a rule, look for reds that are fruitier and/or spicy in style and have a good level of acidity. 

Beer

Of all the alcoholic beverage options out there, beer is probably the best at quelling the heat and quenching chile-induced thirst. For starters, beer tends to be fairly low alcohol — five to seven percent ABV compared to 10 to 15 percent for wine and 40 percent for spirits. Carbonation also helps remove the fiery heat of capsaicin from the palate. But not all beers are created equal — just like not all spicy foods are created equal. The key to finding the best suds for the dish at hand is to pair like with like. When the weight and mouthfeel of a beer matches the dish it’s served alongside, something fantastic happens: complimentary flavors in both the food and beer are accented, making the combination far better than the sum of its parts. 

Cocktails

Sweet and fruity flavors are actually spicy food’s ideal mates, as the sugar mutes the burn brought on by high-proof spirits and spicy food and adds refreshment. Cocktails don’t have to be syrupy-sweet to quench the fires of spicy food: Bright citrus flavors offer similar relief. Classics like gimlets, greyhounds, and even lemon drops offer relief, thanks to lively citrus that tames the flames. 

Herbal cocktails, like gin-based martinis or a Vesper, are ideal because they combine lively floral aromatics with a clean finish that preps palates for the next bite. Sake and wine-based cocktails create a similar effect, and their lower alcohol content doesn’t highlight capsaicin’s burn.