Biltong is dried, cured beef that's air-dried and vinegar-cured, not smoked or cooked like most jerky, and that's the reason it pairs differently with drinks than what you're used to. Regular jerky is smoky and sweet, so it wants a beer that can stand up to that char. Biltong is drier, more concentrated, and closer to the flavor of a good cured meat, so it opens up next to drinks you'd normally save for cheese and charcuterie.
Match the drink to the flavor, not just "meat and beer"
Each Grub Company flavor pulls a little differently:
Original is savory and clean with no heat, which makes it the easiest to pair. A crisp lager or a pilsner won't fight it. If you're drinking wine, a dry Sauvignon Blanc or a light Pinot Noir works because the biltong doesn't have any spice to clash with.
Peri Peri builds heat gradually, so you want something with a little sweetness or carbonation to reset your palate between bites. A pale ale or a Belgian witbier handles it well. On the wine side, an off-dry Riesling actually calms the heat down instead of fighting it, which is the opposite of what most people reach for.
Loaded Garlic is umami-rich and aromatic, closer in weight to a cured salami than a snack. This is where a malty amber ale or a light Malbec earns its spot. The tannins in a red wine grip onto the richness of the garlic instead of getting lost.
You don't need alcohol for this to work
A lot of the "best pairing" advice online assumes you're drinking. You're not always going to be. Ginger beer (the real, spicy kind, not ginger ale) does something similar to what Riesling does with Peri Peri, it cools the heat while matching the spice. Unsweetened iced tea works with Original the same way a light lager does, it clears your palate without adding sugar on top of a snack that's already high-protein and clean. Sparkling water with a squeeze of lime is the lowest-risk way to drink something next to Loaded Garlic without competing with it.
A real scenario: watching a game with a mixed group
Say you've got the Biltong Sampler Pack out because you don't know what everyone's going to reach for. Put the lager next to the Original, the pale ale or witbier next to the Peri Peri, and pour something malty or leave a ginger beer open by the Loaded Garlic. Nobody has to ask what goes with what, and you're not stuck opening five different bottles because one guest wanted red wine and another wanted a light beer.
Once you know what to pour, the next question is usually what else goes on the table next to it, and that's really a charcuterie board question more than a drinks question.
Frequently Asked Questions
What beer goes best with Original biltong?
A crisp lager or pilsner is the safest match. Original has no heat and a clean, savory flavor, so you don't need a beer that can cut through spice or sweetness. Anything light and carbonated will clear your palate between bites without competing with the beef. It's also the easiest pairing to default to if you're setting out the whole Biltong Sampler Pack and don't want to think too hard about it.
Does wine actually work with biltong, or is that just for cheese?
Wine works well with biltong because biltong is closer to a cured meat than a cooked snack. Dry whites suit Original, off-dry whites like Riesling calm down the heat in Peri Peri, and lighter reds like Malbec or Pinot Noir hold up next to Loaded Garlic's richness. Treat it the way you'd treat a wine and cheese pairing rather than a wine and jerky one, and it makes a lot more sense.
What should I drink with Peri Peri biltong if I don't drink alcohol?
Real ginger beer, the spicy kind rather than sweet ginger ale, works the same way an off-dry Riesling does. It has enough sweetness and carbonation to balance the heat as it builds instead of piling more spice on top of it. Unsweetened iced tea is a good backup if ginger beer isn't around, since it clears your palate without adding sugar.
Is biltong actually different from jerky when it comes to pairing drinks?
Yes. Jerky is usually smoked and often sweetened, so it leans toward beers that can handle char and sugar. Biltong is air-dried and vinegar-cured with no smoke, so it behaves more like a cured meat and pairs better with the drinks you'd put next to charcuterie, including wines you'd never think to open next to a bag of jerky.
What's the best non-alcoholic pairing for Loaded Garlic biltong?
Sparkling water with a little lime is the lowest-risk choice. Loaded Garlic is already aromatic and rich, so you don't need a drink that adds more flavor on top, just something with carbonation to reset your mouth between pieces. A malty non-alcoholic beer works too if you want more body than plain water gives you.
Can I serve one drink for the whole Biltong Sampler Pack instead of matching each flavor?
You can, and a crisp lager or a dry white wine is the closest thing to a universal pairing since neither fights any of the three flavors. But if you want each flavor to actually shine, matching Original, Peri Peri, and Loaded Garlic to their own drink makes a noticeable difference.
Does the heat in Peri Peri biltong get worse the more you drink alcohol with it?
Straight liquor or anything high-proof can make the heat feel sharper. Beer and wine, especially something with a little sweetness like a witbier or Riesling, actually soften it instead. If you're sensitive to spice, skip the strong stuff and reach for those instead, or keep a glass of water or ginger beer close by as a backup.
