Pizza and beer is a quintessential pairing that many adults are familiar with. Before customized pizza came on the scene, most consumers chose to simply to pair their pizza with a cold glass of whatever domestic beer they happened to have on hand — the colder the better. However, when pizza evolved beyond the traditional types such as pepperoni and sausage, the opportunities for beverage pairings expanded significantly, and craft beer seemed like a natural progression away from mass-produced domestic beer. Craft beer and pizza pairings can be tricky, however, and usually involve a bit of experimentation to identify personal preferences.

Following are five customized pizza and craft beer pairings designed to provide you with inspiration as you move forward in your journey with craft beer and pizza pairings. 

Hawaiian Pizza and Fruit Ale

The tropical flavors of Hawaiian pizza pair well with all fruit ales, but if you want to maintain an island flavor experience, stick with pineapple or mango ales. If you like to mix things up for a bit of contrast, however, mainland berry ales do that job nicely. 

Smoked Duck Pizza and Smoked Porter

Pizza generally isn't considered gourmet fare, but ingredients such a smoked duck bring an entirely new dimension to the table. Smoked Porter makes a sublime accompaniment to pizza featuring smoked duck as the main ingredient and also pairs well when other types of smoked meats are a part of the picture, such as smoked chicken or salmon.

Seafood Pizza and Kolsch

Kolsch is a type of beer that has just enough light flavor and texture to make a good choice for enjoying with seafood yet still packs enough of a flavor punch to provide an element of interest to your dining experience. Kolsch is also available in a sparkling variety for those who want to add a celebratory note to the occasion. 

Vegetarian Pizza and Lager

Lager is light in color as well as flavor, making it perfect for pairing with vegetarian pizza that contains broccoli, roasted spinach, or tomatoes. If the pizza primary features roasted squash, carrots, and pumpkin, choose the darkest lager available. 

Cheese Pizza and Wheat Beer

Traditional pizza is made with mozzarella cheese, but modern customized pizza is made will all types of cheeses, including aged farmhouse cheddar, smoked gouda, gorgonzola, and provolone. Wheat beer complements all of these as well as the customized cheese blends that have become so popular among 21st-century pizza enthusiasts.