National Fish & Chips Day
National Fish and Chips Day is celebrated every year on the first Friday of June. Launched in 2015, the day exists to celebrate the nation’s favourite comfort food and give fish and chips the recognition it truly deserves. And why do we love it at Beerwulf? Because few food pairings are as timeless (or as satisfying) as fish and chips with beer.
Of course, there are regional differences. Some swear by vinegar, others prefer gravy. Some dunk their chips in mushy peas, others add scraps. Cod, haddock or plaice? And let’s not even get started on mayonnaise versus ketchup. But across the country, two rules remain universal: the chips should always be chunky. And fish and chips always taste better with beer.
How to celebrate Fish and Chips Day
The craft beer revolution has done wonders for challenging the idea that beer is a less sophisticated pairing than wine, and rightly so. But long before IPAs and sour beer entered the picture, fish and chips beer pairing was already a national institution.
The combination works because it’s salty, fatty and crispy — everything beer loves. In normal years, we’d say order your beers in advance and grab a takeaway from your local chippy. This year, with pubs and chippies back in action, it’s the perfect excuse to support local hospitality and enjoy fish and chips the traditional way: freshly fried, with a proper pint.
Best beer with fish and chips
For such a quintessentially British dish, English beer styles are a natural starting point.
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English pale ales and bitters offer gentle bitterness and biscuit-like malt flavours that mirror the crispy batter.
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Amber and red ales bring light caramel notes that work beautifully if you’re a tartare sauce fan.
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Belgian strong blond beers (like Duvel) may be higher in alcohol, but their high carbonation cuts through grease effortlessly, while fruity esters brighten each bite.
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IPAs also work well, particularly classic English or balanced American IPAs. The saltiness of fish and chips enhances hop fruitiness, making beers like Lagunitas IPA a reliable crowd-pleaser.
We’d recommend avoiding very strong Double or Imperial IPAs, which can overpower the dish.
Beer batter fish and chips
If you don’t fancy the pub and are keen to be a bit more adventurous, try creating your own beer batter at home to celebrate National Fish and Chips Day. Adding beer can create extra flavour, and the carbonation will make the batter golden, light and crispy. Lagers (or a crisp Japanese beer) work best for this; their delicate flavour will not be too bold or overpowering and the subtle malt and hop flavours will complement the fish. A stout could be interesting. This will add a slight chocolaty, malty sweet profile and maybe coffee notes too. The stout will be delicious for frying fish but also for a veggie alternative, potatoes and onion rings.
We suggest staying clear of very hoppy beers. The hops will isomerise and turn bitter, the aromas also are too fragile to stand up to frying.
National Fish and Chips Day with BLADE & BeerTender
If you want to elevate your National Fish and Chips Day (or any Fish and Chip day for that matter) at home, serving beer on draught makes all the difference. With BLADE and BeerTender, you can pour pub-quality pints straight from your kitchen that are perfect for pairing with freshly fried fish and chips. Crisp lagers, balanced pale ales and easy-drinking IPAs all shine on draught, bringing the classic pub experience home.
So, whether you’re heading to the pub, ordering a takeaway or making your own beer batter at home, National Fish and Chips Day is the perfect excuse to celebrate Britain’s favourite dish — ideally with a perfectly poured pint.