By Dathan Kazsuk
Alright, let’s just address the slippery, oily elephant in the room: tinned fish and beer. Sounds gross, right? Sardines swimming in oil, fermented squid doing god-knows-what in a jar, and here comes your local brewer saying, “This pairs beautifully with my dry-hopped saison.”
But before you go gagging into your pilsner, hear me out. This isn’t some new-age hipster stunt. No, this weird little combo has been around longer than most craft breweries have existed. It’s old-school European peasant fare—and like most things from the Old World, we Americans are just fashionably late to the party.
These pairings work because tinned fish, which are predominantly salty and fatty and packed with depth, are balanced by fermented beverages—they add acid and structure. Now, let’s just be clear: You won’t ever find me partaking in this delicacy, but I won’t look down upon you if you do.
The Funk Factor: Why This Works
Beer, cider, wine and tinned fish share a special bond: fermentation funk and salty goodness. Beers like gose, lambic and saison are basically the liquid cousins of your tinned anchovies. Both are funky, briny and unapologetically bold. They don’t care if you’re uncomfortable. They want you to lean in.
And you’re wrong if you think cider doesn’t belong at this funky table. A good dry cider, especially those unfiltered, funky farm-style ciders like what’s being produced by Asheville’s Botanist & Barrel, can play just as well with tinned fish. The bright acidity and orchard fruit notes cut through the oily richness of sardines or smoked mackerel like a samurai sword through buttered toast.
Think something like Ramón Peña mussels in escabeche paired with a Basque-style cider—for example, Botanist and Barrel’s Basq in the Glory. Or maybe Wildfish Cannery’s octopus with B&B’s Less is More pét-nat cider, one of those firm textures that meets a gentle fizz.
And then there’s pét-nat wines. Those fizzy, unpredictable, bottle-fermented babies that sommeliers love and your old-timey wine drinker thinks went bad. The slight spritz, bracing acidity and wild flavors of a pét-nat are tailor-made for anchovies, tinned squid or even spicy octopus. Think of pét-nat as the wine world’s answer to a farmhouse ale—alive, a little funky and ready to make your tinned fish shine.
Botanist & Barrel’s cofounder, cellarman and all-around hypeman Lyndon Smith is my go-to on this subject since I’m relying heavily on research for this story.
“At Botanist & Barrel, we carry over 140 different tins at our Asheville shop and about 40 in Cedar Grove because we believe great wine deserves great food,” he says. “We even have a monthly tinned fish club! Wine and tinned fish are both preservation techniques for capturing a fresh season harvest—so they have a lot more in common than you might think.”
Botanist & Barrel made a cider/wine blend specifically to be paired with tinned seafood. “It’s called One for the Fishes and was done in collaboration with Fonta Flora [Brewery], which also made a beer to be paired with tinned fish, called Pocket Lunch,” Smith says.
“Sounds Nasty, Dathan. Why Would I Ever Try This?”
Good question. Honestly? Because I hear it’s badass! Some people want to pop that whole anchovy in their mouths, eyeballs, bones and all.
While everyone is sipping hazy IPAs (myself included) with $30 charcuterie boards, you roll up with a tin of Spanish sardines and a bottle-conditioned farmhouse ale or your favorite pét-nat. You’re not just drinking fermented goodness. You’re eating history.
But hey, I get it. You don’t dive headfirst into a tin of fermented octopus on day one. There’s a gateway snack for this. So once again, I asked Smith, “How should one start adventuring into this club? What should be your first steps?” His reply is to start with something familiar.
“Salmon, mackerel or trout are approachable, delicious and easy to pair,” he says. “When you’re ready to dive deeper, go for the tins that insiders crave—like cockles or octopus. Fun fact: Octopus is our second-bestselling tin (after sardines), and I believe it’s because the firm texture actually holds up better in a tin than it often does at a restaurant.”
Smith says one can start by using Botanist beverages that aren’t too over-the-top. One pairing is Nuri spiced sardines with Défi Wines’ Muscadine Rosé. Another is the Fangst smoked trout with a skin-contact traminette, also from Defi Wines, that blends earthy, floral and savory flavors. I’m sure these sound quite mouthwatering for the adventurous seafood eater out there.
“What we love most about these pairings is their simplicity. You can grab a tin, crack open a bottle and have an instant, elegant meal. I personally got into it because it’s travel-friendly, picnic-perfect, nutrient-rich and my favorite orchard snack.”
And for the beer lovers out there, here are a few tinned fish and suds that might be right down your alley. Try the ever-popular saison dupont with sardines—think of this as training wheels for your fish-beer palate.
Like a good gose? Try the one from South Carolina’s Westbrook with smoked mussels or mackerels—rumor has it you’ll thank me later. The salt from the gose amplifies everything in the best possible way.
You might also want to reach for an Allagash White Belgian-style wheat beer, which will go well with tinned smoked trout or boneless sardines. Basically, this is your “I’m not ready for anchovies yet” pairing.
And finally, how about Ayinger’s Altbairisch Dunkel with tinned smoked oysters? Okay, this is something I could actually sink my teeth into. I love a good German dark lager and enjoy oysters. They seem like a silky, smoky treat—like having a campfire on my tongue.
Final Word: Own Your Weird
Look, not every beer/wine drinking moment needs to be some influencer-worthy IPA photo shoot. Sometimes it’s about getting a little dirty and funky and discovering something new—even though it’s not my cup of salty brine.
Tinned fish is a “you’re either in or you’re out” clubhouse. But if you get in, you’ll understand why people geek out over it. It’s bold, briny and surprisingly satisfying.
Besides, think of the street cred. Anyone can pair beer with pretzels or wine with cheese. But you? You’re the person who pairs a saison with fermented octopus or a skin-contact white wine with pickled mackerel! That’s power.
Check out more stories from around the Triangle with Midtown magazine.
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