October 31st, 2024

One of the most amusing debates is about the perfect beverage to consume with Italian cuisine.  This often develops into banter over Wine versus Beer.

There is always someone who says that beer and pizza is a match made in heaven. Then there’s the Italian wine with spaghetti discussion.

But most people gloss over one important point. It’s the “which one actually costs you more” angle. With a little noodling, this is not really that hard to figure out.

Beer or Wine, Which is Cheaper?

So, if you’re going to even go there about the “best buy” between these popular adult beverages, here is a little fuel for the fire.

Knowing that nearly everyone thinks that beer is cheaper than wine (about $12 a glass for vino and $6 a pint for beer), you may turn some heads by proclaiming that wine is cheaper. In fact, this may be by a good margin, depending on your picks.

Here’s a quick example.  Right now, Phoenix area AJ’s stores are selling 750 ml bottles of Italian “Monte Antico” Super Tuscan blend for $14.99 (4 wine glasses) and 750-ml bottles of Belgian “Duvel” Strong Blond for $14.49 (2 beer glasses). About the same price. But (of course there’s the But) when taking the number of servings into account, this time the wine is cheaper.

True, there are always the issues of quality and personal preference. In that case, this would require a certain degree of experimentation to finally decide. Hey, that’s why we taste!

We can vouch for the Monte Antico. It is quite a bit better than Aj’s cheapest Italian red and a great partner for Italian take-out. And right now, they are running a sale on this one, making it a value until it goes back to its list price.

As for the Belgian beer (these are normally perfecto), you’ll have to try that one yourself. Maybe sample both with a pizza this weekend? Humm…

There you have it.  There are real possible $$ savings in the offing for wine drinkers.  Granted, we made this comparison using stuff that’s not from the top shelf; but when it comes to making your informal dinner guests happy, you just might get away with it.

Anybody want to run a “per milliliter” analysis with canned American beer Vs. cheap imported wine?  Didn’t think so.  Most of us are perfectly happy leaving such calculations to mathematicians with good palates.

Spooky Cheers!