Hot Pot And Alcohol: A Match Made In Heaven

Hot pot is a delicious and customizable meal, perfect for a get-together with friends or family. While it's a tasty treat on its own, the right alcoholic beverage can elevate your hot pot experience to the next level. So, what alcohol should you drink with hot pot? Well, it depends on your preferences and the type of hot pot you're enjoying. Beer is a popular choice, with light beers like Tsingtao and lagers often accompanying spicy hot pots. If you're feeling adventurous, you might try a hoppy IPA or a saison. For a truly unique experience, some enjoy the strong Chinese liquor Bai Jiu with their hot pot. For wine enthusiasts, a wide range of options pair well with hot pot, from elegant Rieslings to silky Côtes de Provence Rosé. If you're feeling fancy, a glass of champagne might be the perfect complement to your meal. Ultimately, the choice is yours, and there's no one right answer—experimentation is part of the fun!

Beer with Chinese hot pot

Beer is a popular drink to have with a Chinese hot pot, especially if your hot pot is on the spicier side. A light beer, such as Tsingtao, is a common choice to accompany a hot pot, but there are many other options to consider.

If you're looking for a beer that will complement the flavours of your hot pot, a light ale or an IPA are good choices. The IPA's bitterness can help to cut through the spice and intense flavours of the hot pot. A hoppy IPA is a good choice if your guests enjoy a strong, bitter taste. A saison is another beer style that can work well with a hot pot.

If you want to stick to a more traditional drink, you could try Bai Jiu, a Chinese spirit, or a cheaper lager such as Tsingtao or Kingfisher.

For a non-alcoholic option, you could try a beer-based broth for your hot pot. A chicken wheat ale broth infused with ginger and garlic can make a great base for your hot pot. Alternatively, you could try a beef mushroom soy stout broth, which combines rich umami flavours.

Wine with spicy hot pot

Hot pot is a popular meal in many Asian cultures, especially during the Winter Solstice and the Lunar New Year. It is a simple yet tasty dish, consisting of a large pot of simmering water or soup stock used to cook a variety of raw ingredients. The experience is communal and unifying, as everyone who partakes in the hot pot shares the experience equally.

The diversity of flavours in hot pot can make wine pairings quite challenging. However, here are some recommendations for wines that will complement a spicy hot pot:

For a safe pairing, champagne or sparkling wine is a good choice. The acidity and fruitiness of most champagnes and sparkling wines complement the mild and subtle flavours of the hot pot ingredients. A wine made with the Sauvignon Blanc grape varietal is another safe option, especially if your hot pot includes shellfish.

If you want to be more adventurous, try a red wine made from the Grenache grape varietal. These wines exhibit bright ripe fruits and relatively soft tannins, making them a good match for meat ingredients. Examples include wines from the Chateauneuf du Pape region in France or some Spanish wines (where Grenache is known as Garnacha).

For a very spicy hot pot, a big, fruity, bold, and alcoholic Australian Shiraz or Amarone served slightly chilled may be a good option. The high alcohol, low tannins, and tremendous sweetness will counterbalance the spiciness of the hot pot.

Remember, wine and food pairings are ultimately about your personal preferences, so feel free to experiment with different combinations!

Alcoholic soup bases

The Drunken Pot

The Drunken Pot restaurant in Hong Kong is known for its alcoholic soup bases. Their signature offering, The Vagabond Pot, features four distinct flavours: slices of fish in beer, chicken in Chinese wine, clams in sake, and oxtail in red wine. To take the alcohol quotient up a notch, you can add a sake bomb or a beer bomb to the mix. While the restaurant is on the pricier side, the creative presentations, such as cuttlefish paste shaped like snowmen and drinks served in light bulbs, make for some memorable Instagram-worthy moments.

Wine Pairings

For those who prefer wine with their hot pot, there are a few options to consider. A moderately spicy ma la hot pot pairs well with a red wine like Masi Costasera Amarone Classico, which can be served slightly chilled. If you're looking for a white wine, a racy yet elegant Riesling like Dr. Loosen Mosel will complement the spice of the hot pot. For a special occasion, champagne is always a festive choice; G.H. Mumm Grand Cordon Champagne Brut offers flavours of ripe peaches, apricots, and pineapple, with hints of honey and brioche.

Beer Enthusiasts

Beer is a popular choice to accompany a hot pot meal. For a traditional option, go for Asian lagers like Tsingtao or Kingfisher. If you want something a little stronger, Bai Jiu (also known as "jet fuel") is a popular choice in China. Craft beer enthusiasts might opt for a smooth, light-bodied wheat ale like 33 Acres of Sunshine from 33 Acres Brewing Company, or a Citra Pale Ale like Dat Juice from Twin Sails Brewing, which features vibrant flavours of pineapple, grapefruit, and mango.

Creative Concoctions

For those feeling adventurous, there are some truly unique hot pot options to explore. At Spice World in Shanghai, you'll find matcha and durian with coconut milk hot pot—a combination that might intrigue or appall in equal measure. Back in Hong Kong, Strokes offers an organic avocado-based hot pot loaded with vegetables, mushrooms, and tofu. If you're feeling less savoury and more sweet, their sweet basil and tomato hot pot might be just the ticket.

Beer with Lunar New Year hot pot

Beer is a popular choice to pair with hot pot, especially the Chinese variety. While some may prefer wine, sake, or tea, beer is a common drink to have with hot pot, especially lighter beers.

If you're looking for a beer to pair with your Lunar New Year hot pot, you might want to consider a light ale, or even an IPA. A hoppy IPA can cut through the spice and intense flavours of a hot pot. If you want to stick to tradition, you could opt for an Asian lager like Tsingtao, or Kingfisher/Taj Mahal.

For a Lunar New Year hot pot, you could also consider a Belgian-style session ale, such as the Dageraad Burnabarian, which is light, fresh, and pairs well with hot pot. Or, if you're looking for a craft beer, the 33 Acres of Sunshine from 33 Acres Brewing Company is a light-bodied, smooth wheat ale with notes of orange peel, coriander, and anise, which would complement a hot pot nicely.

If you're feeling adventurous, you could even make a hot pot with a beer broth. A chicken wheat ale broth, for example, infused with ginger and garlic, would pair well with a wheat ale, hefeweizen, or gose. Or, for a vegan option, you could use a roasted vegetable stock with a beer like a stout, foreign, or imperial.

So, if you're looking to pair a beer with your Lunar New Year hot pot, there are plenty of options to choose from, whether you want to stick to a light lager, go for a craft beer, or even make your own beer broth!

Sake with Asian dishes

Sake is a versatile drink that pairs well with a variety of dishes, including Asian cuisine. It is a silky-smooth drink made from fermented rice and is an important part of Japanese culture. The drink is often placed outside Shinto shrines, symbolising the unification of gods and people.

Sake is a great pairing for Asian dishes as it can intensify and bring out hidden flavours in food, enhancing the taste profile and dining experience. It also has a refreshing effect on the palate, cleansing it for the next bite. Sake is a good choice for seafood as it has lower acidity, iron, and sulfites compared to wine, so it doesn't enhance any unwanted flavours from the fish.

When pairing sake with Asian dishes, consider the following:

• Flavour Intensity: Match the flavour intensity of the sake to the food. Rich-flavoured sake pairs well with rich dishes, while delicate-flavoured sake complements lighter dishes.
• Aroma: Pair sake with dishes that have similar fragrances. For example, sake with a roasted aroma goes well with stewed or grilled dishes.
• Region: Sake from breweries near the sea pairs well with seafood, while sake from inland breweries complements earthier, vegetable-based dishes.
• Freshness: Fresh sake goes well with fresh ingredients like vegetables, fruits, and cheese. Aged sake, on the other hand, is better suited for pickles, dried fruits, and aged cheeses.
• Temperature: Warm sake is ideal for warm dishes, while chilled sake complements chilled foods.

Some specific types of sake and their pairings include:

• Honjozo-shu: This type of sake has added brewer's alcohol and is slightly more acidic and heavy. It pairs well with dense, heavy dishes like tempura, wagyu beef, and even Western dishes like fish and chips.
• Junmai-shu: A full-bodied, well-balanced sake with earthy complexity. It is great for warming up and pairing with dishes like teriyaki sauce, Unagi, Kansas City-style barbecue, and sweet and spicy Thai, Chinese, or Indian dishes.
• Ginjo-shu: Lighter-tasting sakes like Junmai Ginjo and Junmai Daiginjo pair well with light dishes like sashimi, sushi, and Chinese-style steamed fish. They are smoother and softer, so they complement lighter flavours without overwhelming them.
• Daiginjo-shu: A refined and sweet sake that goes well with lighter dishes.
• Sparkling Sake: Sweet and sparkling sakes, like Sho Chiku Bai MIO, are ideal for dishes with higher acidity, bringing out the sugary flavours in desserts and fresh fruits.

So, the next time you're enjoying a hot pot or any other Asian dish, consider pairing it with sake to enhance your dining experience!

Frequently asked questions