One of the hottest tickets in Cooperstown, New York is Sunday Brunch Bingo at Brewery Ommegang. The weekly event—offered for the last five years with the exception of the Covid-19 shutdown in 2020—has become so popular that according to bar manager Dan Bell, “there’s a line out the door most Sundays, and we often have to turn people away.” Indeed, guests so look forward to weekly brunch at the New York craft brewery known for its Belgian-style ales that they pile in an hour before kitchen service begins to grab a seat, peruse the menu, and ready their Bingo cards. And while they come for brunch and bingo, they stay for the beer. 

Though Bloody Marys and Mimosas are standards, brunch is leaning into beer. “Beer definitely has a place at the brunch table,” says Adam Dulye, executive chef and educator at the Brewers Association. “It’s easier to drink and lower in alcohol than Bloody Marys and Mimosas, which can be very important to many consumers on a Sunday morning.” Bell agrees, noting that while Ommegang also serves up wine and cocktails, guests typically chose beer for brunch ($18 a person, including a complimentary “beermosa” comprising Ommegang Witte and orange juice). At Sunday Brunch Bingo, guests are offered a frequently changing menu of items, including chicken and waffles, a breakfast burrito, a breakfast flatbread, and French toast, while the bingo portion goes beyond just a game of chance, with interactive tasks factored in, such as a limbo line and dance offs. “The beer, the food, and the fun are what drives our customers to return again and again,” Bell says. 

With so many beer styles available today, there are numerous options to pair with brunch staples. Wheat beer is the most versatile, brewers say. Dulye points to either French toast or pancakes, paired with an American wheat, as a “classic brunch/beer combination,” noting that the hops in the brew complement the flavor of bread-based dishes. Josh Mazour, general manager at Cibolo Creek Brewing in Boerne, Texas, which has served brunch since opening eight years ago, agrees. “Wheat beer tastes like breakfast,” he says. At Cibolo Creek—where the brunch menu changes every week—wheat beers are also rotated and can range from a hefeweizen to an American wheat to a dunkleweizen. The brewery’s Early Bird cocktail, meanwhile, is a variation of the Mimosa made with wheat beer and orange juice. All beers are priced at $8 a 16-ounce pour at Cibolo Creek. 

Beer’s carbonization can be an asset when pairing with brunch dishes, Dulye says. “It helps scrub the palate, particularly when it comes to dominating flavors like bacon, sausage, breakfast burgers with eggs, and spices,” he explains. Among other brunch and beer pairings, Dulye suggests a stout with French toast and pancakes; a golden ale with waffles—“it works nicely with the caramelization,” he says—and a saison with eggs Benedict. “The light, effervescent body with a dry finish is like a souped-up Champagne,” he says. At Cibolo Creek, meanwhile, Mazour recommends the brewery’s Boerne Blonde with shrimp and grits, and Creekside IPA with a chorizo burger topped with a fried egg. Both beers are priced at $8 a 16-ounce draft.

Beer-based Mimosas are becoming more commonplace. “Everyone likes our beermosa ($8),” says Bell. “They feel that with a juice and a beer, they’ve got it all covered—something healthy and something fun.” Florida’s Big Storm Brewing even markets its Bromosa, a tangerine IPA, in 4-packs of 16-ounce cans, at retail. CMO David Higgins says the brew is a perfect companion to brunch. “There’s been this cool trend where people are reaching for a Bromosa not just with their evening burger but for their morning avocado toast too,” he says. “It’s light and refreshing so it doesn’t feel out of place at a brunch table. The citrusy tangerine flavors pop with both sweet and savory flavors.”

While beer is a great fit for brunch, Dulye concedes that on-premise operators should strive to offer a variety of beverages, as well as food items, in an effort to be “everything for everyone.” While most diners equate brunch with Bloody Marys and Mimosas, “not everyone wants a cocktail or Champagne at brunch,” he notes, adding that for those guests, interesting beer choices can be a nice surprise, and can win repeat visits, since “for many guests at brunch, beer is a safe fallback.”