8 Best Drinks To Pair With Ribeye Steak

In the world of steak, few cuts are better than a perfectly cooked, medium-rare ribeye. It's one of the most popular cuts of steak for a reason — the fatty, beefy profile produces a delicious flavor bomb when seared in a cast-iron pan or grilled over an open flame. So while ribeye may be the star of the show, the rest of your meal should complement this delicious steak as well.

Of course, sides are a big deal. But we think one of the most important decisions when serving a ribeye is which beverage to pair it with. From classic combinations to more creative options, you actually have quite a few excellent drinks that work well with a ribeye cut. They run the gamut from wine, beer, and spirits to non-alcoholic beverages. So with that said, let's take a look at the eight best drinks to pair with a ribeye.

Cabernet is classic drink to pair with a juicy ribeye with its high amount of tannins. These tannins are organic compounds from grape seeds, skins, and stems that have a bitter, acidic, almost chocolatey taste that can leave your mouth feeling a little dry. That acidic arid profile cuts through the meat's rich nature to provide a nice balance of flavor to your steak dinner. 

While malbecs originated in France, this grape variety is now primarily produced in Argentina. Less tannic than a cabernet, malbec is a fruit-forward, full-bodied wine that provides a nice contrast to ribeye's richness and savoriness. It's a fantastic red wine if you'd like to try something a little more off-the-radar than the classic cabernet.

There are several beer varieties that pair nicely with a ribeye. You might not think of an IPA — short for India Pale Ale — as one such option, but the natural, bitter hoppiness of an IPA works a lot like tannins in wine, cutting nicely through ribeye's fatty texture and meaty flavor.

By dark beer, we're thinking of a nice porter or stout, like a pint of Guinness. These full-bodied beer varieties contain roasted malts and a creamy texture that works well with ribeye's richness. The only downside here is these are heavier beers, which might leave you feeling a little full, but isn't that the point of a hearty steak dinner?

Scotch can lean a little fruitier or smoky, depending on whether it is peated or unpeated. Peated scotch involves a smoke process which, we believe, lends itself better for pairing with a ribeye steak. A nicely charred ribeye has a grilled profile that provides a nice foundation to double up the smokiness when sipping on a smooth scotch, like Lagavulin 16.

Another spirit that absolutely works with ribeye is bourbon. To legally qualify as bourbon, this whiskey must be bottled at no less than 80 proof, which is 40% alcohol by volume. The higher alcohol content, combined with bourbon's natural sweetness, stands up well to ribeye. That's the recurring theme here — all of these drinks must hold their own to not get overwhelmed by ribeye's deep flavors.

A luxurious ribeye works nicely with many classic cocktails. Building upon bourbon's already complex nature, you could order a Manhattan or old fashioned to go with your steak. Alternatively, both of these cocktails can replace bourbon with rye. A classic gin or vodka martini is another option. These cocktails are bold and alcohol-forward, which makes them a nice pairing to match with the rich ribeye.

We won't dare leave out our non-drinking friends. Yes, there are quite a few non-alcoholic options to pair with ribeye. Something like sparkling water with lemon, which combines carbonation and a bright acidity from the citrus notes, works nicely with the rich ribeye. Other possibilities include non-alcoholic ginger beer, a NA cabernet, or even a simple glass of cranberry juice on the rocks — all of which refresh your palate and cut through ribeye's fattiness.