What pairs best with a refreshing beer? Spicy hot pot wins over non-pungent options.

Travel Center / Taipei Report

On hot summer days, many people enjoy drinking beer to beat the heat. Whether at restaurants, stir-fry shops, or snack stalls, beer is always the perfect companion—even Taiwan’s favorite “hot pot” goes wonderfully with beer. Yesterday (20th), the Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation invited hot pot vendors to present “Suan Cai Bai Rou Pot” (Pickled Mustard & Pork Hot Pot) and “Spicy Hot Pot” for a public vote. Which type of hot pot is the best match for beer?


▲ Vendors cooked up spicy hot pot and Suan Cai Bai Rou Pot on-site to prove that hot pot and beer are a perfect pair. (Photo / Reporter Chen Tzu-yin)

At the event held yesterday at Taipei’s Hwayang Grand Hotel, two head chefs from the renowned hot pot restaurant “Zhe Yi Guo” (This Pot) demonstrated royal-secret-style hot pot dishes. The chefs prepared two signature hot pot creations—“Imperial Spicy Hot Pot” and “Premium Suan Cai Pot”—believed to pair excellently with 18-Day Taiwanese Draft Beer, putting them head-to-head in a PK showdown. Chef Chen Yongji’s “Imperial Spicy Hot Pot” features a red oil broth made by layering dozens of chili varieties—including Sichuan Dahuapao chilies, lantern peppers, and Yunnan green Sichuan peppercorns—using traditional methods to extract a mellow yet non-pungent essence. Paired with handmade pressed tofu and other ingredients, the dish offers a spicy yet sweet-aftertaste experience, delivering a refreshing kick. On a hot summer day, digging into spicy hot pot paired with a chilled, refreshing 18-Day Draft Beer is undoubtedly a treat.

Chef Li Xixin prepared the “Premium Suan Cai Pot,” renowned for its delicate and fragrant taste. He selected a variety of Chinese cabbage with high water content and rich fiber, then added a mix of dozens of Chinese herbs and the chef’s exclusive recipe soaked in 58% kaoliang liquor. After 180-degree constant-temperature fermentation to stabilize the quality of the pickled cabbage and bring out its gentle sour aroma, the cabbage was finely shredded and added to a specially brewed broth made from tree-grown fruits and vegetables. The result presents a diverse flavor profile—sweet, tangy, mellow, and rich—all paired with 18-Day Draft Beer, which boasts a strong malt aroma and creamy foam. The combination also delivers rich textural contrast and is a chef-recommended perfect match.

On the afternoon of the 20th, actor Chen Bolin, popular blogger Lehuo Dafang, and event participants tasted both PK dishes paired with 18-Day Taiwanese Draft Beer and cast their votes. After intense discussion both on and off stage, the voting results were announced—with Chef Chen’s “Imperial Spicy Hot Pot” winning as the ultimate pairing for 18-Day Draft Beer.

▲ Actor Chen Bolin, the annual spokesperson for Taiwan Beer, not only tasted the hot pot but also enjoyed multiple glasses of beer. (Photo / Reporter Hsu Wen-bin)

ETtoday News Cloud kindly reminds: Drink too much, crash too hard. Feeling light-headed? Watch out—you might float away.