Six Perfect Burger And Beer Pairings in Austin

Beer is a burger's best friend, and Austin's wealth of craft beer options means there's always a great brew to pair with any type of burger. To satisfy cravings for that classic combo, Eater reached out to some of some of Austin's hottest burger and beer spots and asked their experts to weigh in. Here's how the pros recommend pairing a beer and burger from their menu.

WHERE: Odd Duck
THE BURGER: Oak grilled and topped with cheese, pickled beets and onions.
THE BEER: Oskar Blues' "G'Knight Imperial Red IPA"
WHY: "The bold flavors of caramel malt and the bitter citrusy hops compliment the funky Deep Elum Blue Cheese and the vinegar from the pickled beet stems and onions that top the burger. It's a great beer to stand up to our rich, delicious, oak grilled burger." - Cory Neel, Odd Duck bar manager and assistant general manager

WHERE: Jacoby's Restaurant & Mercantile
THE BURGER: A ½ pound of hand-cut, Jacoby Brand Beef, with cheese.
THE BEER: Live Oak's "Hefeweizen"—in a chilled mug
WHY: "It's a natural choice because it's brewed two blocks away from Jacoby's and therefore is uber fresh. It also has nice hints of wheat and citrus which pair nicely." -Adam Jacoby, owner of Jacoby's Restaurant & Mercantile

WHERE: Hopfield's
THE BURGER: Served on a challah bun and topped with whole grain mustard, cornichon, Camembert cheese and sweet caramelized onions.
THE BEER: Odell's "Runoff Red IPA"
WHY: "A crisp pilsner is always an obvious choice but we like to recommend a nice hoppy IPA with some good malt balance because our burger can hold up to some stronger flavors. The complex malt character of Odell's Runoff Red IPA complements the bun, meaty flavor, and sweet earthiness of the onions while a piney and citrusy hop character balances out and cuts through the rich Camembert cheese. Runoff finishes out nice and dry asking you to come back for more of each." -Marcus TenHarmsel, Hopfield's GM and Certified Cicerone

WHERE: Hopdoddy
THE BURGER: The Goodnight—angus beef, tillamook cheddar, hickory bbq sauce, caramelized onions, sliced jalapenos & sassy sauce.
THE BEER: Thirsty Planet's "Thirsty Goat"
WHY: "The subtle, hoppy flavor complements our house-made sweet and smoky hickory BBQ sauce perfectly." - Charles Craig, Director of Culinary at Hopdoddy Burger Bar

WHERE: El Sapo
THE BURGER: El San Antonio—black angus beef patty, tostadas, black bean refritos, fire-roasted jalapeños, jack cheese, pico, lettuce, crema, guacamole.
THE BEER: Circle Brewing Co's "ALIBI Blonde"
WHY: "Inspired by the bold flavors of the River City (from which El Sapo's owners hail), El San Antonio burger combines rich, spicy and unique Tex-Mex ingredients into a huge burger literally dripping with flavor. A lighter style beer with floral hops, like the ALIBI Blonde, pairs well with the bold flavors of the burger." -Bryan Gonzales, Marketing Director of El Chile Group

WHERE: Black Star Co-op
THE BURGER: Ground in house using 44 Farms chuck from Cameron, TX and served with house made beer mustard that uses Black Star's own High Esteem, Bluebonnet Farms bibb lettuce, tomato, red onion, and fresh baked Easy Tiger pain au lait buns.
THE BEER: Black Star's "Vulcan"
WHY: "We like it paired with a house brewed Vulcan, a rye IPA that has a peppery rye backbone, and just enough floral hop character to cut through the richness of the big Texas beef flavor." -Johnny Livesay, Black Star Co-op co-founder and kitchen team leader

— Sofia Sokolove