Drink this, crunch that.

Unset the table, no need to dress up, come around whenever, sometimes you just crave the informal, you know? But make no mistake, just because you’re uncomplicating things doesn’t mean you have to compromise on taste. Crispy, crunchy chippies are like little boats of flavour. Sailing straight into your mouth. Wash them down with a frothy, interesting beer. Bliss. But, there is an art to matching a cold one to a crisp. You’re already in relaxo mode, so let us tell you what to pair with what. Cheers.

Matilda Bay Aussie Wheat Ale with Smiths Crisps Original

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1. An innovator from way back with an old faithful

35 years ago, the wonders of craft beer were discovered by Aussies thanks to the brewers at Matilda Bay with their iconic Redback, made in the German style. 90 years ago, Smiths Chips started manufacturing in Sydney’s Surry Hills, cooking chips in gas-fired pots and hand-packing them into tins. Fast-forward to now and Smiths Chips are a household name (even if we left The Gobbledok in the ‘80s) and Matilda Bay is bringing us something Aussie’s have never had: a craft beer to call our own. Australian Wheat Ale. Tell your craft beer club. Matilda Bay Australian Wheat Ale is made with Aussie wheat and Australian Eclipse hops. It’s a national treasure. Bright, fresh, part hazy, part lively with a creamy mouthfeel. We’re pairing them together not just because they’re both legends, but because the salty, “real potato” flavour of a Smith’s Original gives the perfect base to appreciate the subtle citrus notes in a can of Matilda Bay. Seville orange and tangerine brighten the silky wheat flavour.

2. Something sour with something hot and spicy

If you’ve not tried a sour beer before, Colonial South West Sour is your starting point. Think of it as a gateway beer. It’s seasonally made in WA’s (very) warm weather with pale wheat and munich hops to build a lighter body and hint of sweetness. The gentle fizz comes from a two-step fermentation process. Step one: natural acidifying bacteria in the brewhouse. Step two: ale yeast in the fermentation tank. All this fruitiness, almost tropical-ness, calls for a chip with kick. Nothing hits more than retro favourite Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. The refreshing sour sip and heat-giving cheesy sticks of cornmeal is a combo for a Summer’s day. Sun’s out, buns out (covered in SPF 30+ thank you very much), sour poured and mouth popping with Cheetos. The good life.

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Pair White Rabbit Dark Ale with Honey Soy Chicken chips

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3. A rich malty ale and an Asian flavour hit

A dark ale is the chocolate cake of beer. Rich, flavoursome but balanced and moreish. White Rabbit Dark Ale is the equivalent of the chocolate cake served in a fancy hotel. A real treat. And a bit fancy. It’s aromatic and bitter with notes of fruit and toffee lifted by hops. Being smooth and strong, this drink calls for a chip that cuts through with an equally strong flavour (and sense of self). Red Rock Deli is the only choice when you want big, realistic, flavour in a chip. The Honey Soy Chicken are sweet, salty and have that undercurrent kick of a roast chicken. As if crafted by Willy Wonka himself, they actually taste like chicken drumsticks coated in a honey and soy sauce marinade and roasted to perfection. Just in chip form. Put them out with the White Rabbit Dark Ale and your guests might raise an eyebrow, but once they try them, they’ll think you’re a genius.

4. A full-flavour brew and a nostalgic bake

BentSpoke Crankshaft IPA is a beer that gets a lot of hype (it’s won a couple awards for sure), but it has the taste and flavour to back it up. Strong, 5.8%, with a nice punch of hops and a solid malt finish. There’s a floral nose, and notes of citrus (mandarine, orange, passionfruit) and pine. It’s similar to a West Coast IPA but less Hawaii, more Sicily, but it’s actually made in Canberra. Capisci? It needs a snack with more substance than a regular chip. Like a biscuit (baked, not fried). Yep, Arnotts Chicken Crimpy Shapes. It’s firm, not flaky, with a nice snap and crunch. They taste nothing like chicken, but they do taste like your childhood: school holidays jumping in your neighbour’s pool, ABC Kids sessions after school (shoutout to Lift Off, Rocko’s Modern Life and Daria) and long car rides to your annual camping spot.

Chicken Crimpy biscuits paired with Bentspoke Crankshaft IPA

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Hazy brews work well with salty-sweet popcorn

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5. An ode to the ‘70s and a sweet, salty snack

Panhead Sandman Hazy Pale Ale is like the surf movie The Endless Summer, but a drink. It’s even inspired by the 1970s Holden Sandman Panel Van, which is made to carry surfboards (cowabunga, dude). The tropical aromas jump out of the can on this one. Juicy, fruity with a silky mouthfeel and a zesty bitter grapefruit, rounding out to a refreshing, clean finish. Following the movie theme, you need popcorn when you drink this. Rather than sickly buttery, rip open a bag of Slightly Salty, Slightly Sweet Popcorn. The salty candy-like coating on the lighter base means these can be munched by the handful and washed down with Panhead, it’s a party in your mouth. Psychedelic.

6. Hard ginger beer and a savoury pop-won’t-stop snack

Ginger beer isn’t for a basic palate – it’s got zing, spice and a perfect sweetness, particularly in the Ginger Resistance Cinnamon & Lime. The ginger gets things going, but it’s that added cinnamon and lime that makes for a truly punchy sip. Match this tasty combo with the funnest chip on the planet – Pringles. And make it BBQ pringles, please. Smoky and sweet, with a crispy crunch. We know, we know – once you pop, you just can’t stop – but you’ll want to pause to take a sip because Ginger Resistance is the ideal accompaniment.