But, like beer, not all chips are created equally. Not all beer is made with grain. Not all potato chips are made of potatoes. Just like some breweries use adjuncts in beer, some chip manufacturers use artificial ingredients in chips. It’s sad, but true.

This is why I recently teamed up with Kettle Brand Chips on the Real Chips Deserve Real Beer campaign. Thirty years ago, Kettle Brand pioneered the kettle cooking style that’s become the gold standard for all-natural potato chips. They cook real, unpeeled potatoes in small batches using only the finest all-natural, non-GMO ingredients. No trans fats, no  MSG, no artificial colors or flavors, and no ingredients you can’t pronounce.

When you open a bag of Kettle Brand Potato Chips, you know you’re getting real chips made with real ingredients by real people. Kettle Brand Chips are the real deal.

I’m a huge advocate for all things artisan and craft. Which is why I was elated to join forces with Kettle Brand to develop beer pairings for their amazing line of potato chips. And now, just in time for the Super Bowl, I’m happy to share 7 of these pairings with you! And don’t forget to follow Kettle on Twitter: @KettleChips!

Xoxo,

The Wench

In honor of the BCS Bowl Championship Series, I partnered with Kettle Brand® to create 5 kick-ass craft beer & chip pairings for each of the major 5 bowl games. If you have been following along, you’ve already seen my picks for the 2013 Rose Bowl, 2013 Orange Bowl, 2013 Sugar Bowl, and the 2013 Fiesta Bowl.

Today sadly marks the end of the 2012-2013 college football season – something that depresses me quite a lot. What I am supposed to do with my Saturdays now? Read books? Visit museums? Travel to breweries? Le sigh, I guess so.

But before the depression kicks in, we still have one more game to watch. Le piece de resistance, la creme de la creme, the big kahuna, the game of all games – the National Championship.

As I’ve said in all the previous posts, very few things, in my opinion, pair best with (college) football than craft beer and artisan potato chips. Here are my picks for the 2013 National Championship!

2013 National Championship: Notre Dame vs. Alabama

The final bowl game of the annual Bowl Championship Series (BCS), the BCS National Championship determines the U.S. national champion of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. The game hosts the two highest-ranked teams in the BCS standings at the end of the regular college football season. These rankings are currently determined by averaging the results of the final weekly USA Today Coaches’ Poll, Harris Interactive Poll of media, former players and coaches, and the average of six participating computer rankings. However, this will probably change this year, when the current BCS television contracts end.

This year, the National Championship game will play host to #1 Notre Dame and #2 Alabama. Notre Dame has won eight wire service (AP or Coaches’) national championships, second most ever in the post-1936 poll era. But, having said all that, the last time Notre Dame won a National Title in football was 25 years ago in 1988 with legendary coach Lou Holtz. Alabama, on the other hand, has seen more recent victories, winning the National Championship in both 2009 and 2011.

Fiesta Bowl Kettle Chip: Fully Loaded Baked Potato

The biggest of the biggest games deserves to be paired with the most intense, most flavor-powered chip. Inspired by thousands of fan recipes in the Create-a-Chip Challenge, this creamy, smoky, cheesy chip doesn’t hold back on the flavor front. Dive into a collection of toppings straight from the baked potato bar – tangy sour cream, fresh green onion, rich cheddar cheese –and an all-natural smoky flavor reminiscent of bacon – for a perfectly balanced bite straight out of the bag. These chips are vegetarian, but not vegan.

Fiesta Bowl Beer Pairing: Smoked Porter

For this particular pairing, I chose to pull out one particular flavor from the chip – the bacon-like smokiness. Roasty with hints of char, BBQ and smoke, the flavor profile of smoked porters makes them an excellent match for anything off the grill or out of the smoker and, especially, bacon. The base beer, robust porter, is also one of my go-to styles for anything rich and cheesy (like beer cheese soup). For a more intense pairing, try a rauchbier. For a less intense pairing, grab a regular ole porter.

Both Fan Recommendations: Stone Smoked Porter, Alaskan Smoked Porter, Captain Lawrence Smoked Porter, O’ Fallen Smoked Porter, Left Hand Smoke Jumper Imperial Smoked Porter, Great Divide Smoked Baltic Porter.

Wench’s National Championship Pick: Alabama

It pains me to do so, as I am not a huge fan of the SEC, but I’m placing my bet on the Crimson Tide. Why? Because if Notre Dame loses, than Ohio State remains the only undefeated team this year. Yes, I am aware that this means diddly-squat since Ohio State is not eligible for a National Title this year. Moving on….

Notre Dame’s most impressive win this year was 17 points over Oklahoma, who was ranked #8 at the time. Aside from Oklahoma and an over-time win over Standford, Notre Dame had a pretty weak schedule aside. Even USC didn’t give Notre Dame a good fight in the big rivalry game. On the other hand, Alabama boasted major wins against highly-ranked Georgia, LSU and Mississippi State. Alabama’s only loss was a mere 4 points to fellow top-25 SEC school, Texas A&M. And in case you missed it, Texas A&M quarterback, Johnny Football Manziel, took home the Heisman this year. And, Texas A&M trampled on Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl, making Notre Dame’s 17 point win look like child’s play.

If I had my way, I would have matched up Oregon and Alabama in the title game. In my opinion, Oregon boasts a much better program. Oregon’s only loss this season was to Stanford – the team Notre Dame BARELY beat in over-time.

Alabama is an NCAA football powerhouse and I predict a slaughter tonight.

Cheers!

In honor of the BCS Bowl Championship Series, I partnered with Kettle Brand® to create 5 kick-ass craft beer & chip pairings for each of the major 5 bowl games. I kicked the series of BCS Bowl Chip & Beer Pairings with picks for the 2013 Rose Bowl, 2013 Orange Bowl, and the 2013 Sugar Bowl. Up next are my picks for the 2013 Fiesta Bowl!

2013 Fiesta Bowl: Oregon vs. Kansas State

One of the most sought-after bowl game in college football, the Fiesta Bowl hosts the Big-12 champion against a top-tier at-large opponent, unless the Big-12 champion goes to the BCS National Championship Game. This year, Big-12 Champion Kansas State got the automatic bid to the Fiesta Bowl. After losing to Stanford, top-ranked and once-National Championship-bound Oregon was shut out from the Pac-12 Championship game, leaving it ineligible for the Rose Bowl yet still the highest ranked at-large team. And so, #5 Kansas State has found itself matched up against #4 Oregon in, quite possibly, one of the best match-ups of the year.

Fiesta Bowl Kettle Chip: Jalapeño Jack

Outside of the sponsor chip (no need to promote that brand here), no chip pairs with the Fiesta Bowl as good as this Southwestern cheesy blend on a crunchy, fresh baked potato chip. This 1989 Kettle Brand classic has the same creamy flavor as Jack cheese but packs a fiery punch with peppercorns and jalapeño pepper that you can actually see and taste!

Fiesta Bowl Beer Pairing: American IPA

One of my all-time favorite flavor pairings in this world is hops and heat. Both the high level of hops and the moderately high levels of carbonation in an IPA have a pleasant cooling effect that help this style of beer stand up to some of the spiciest of spicy foods – especially ones that are greasy!

The only exception to this rule is high-alcohol IPAs in the Double and Imperial range. Alcohol intensifies the burn from hot spices, which can make the pairing extremely uncomfortable. Avoid pairing really spicy foods with high alcohol beers.

Known for producing some of the most potent, bitter and intense hops varietals found anywhere, the Pacific Northwest produces about 20-percent of all the hops on earth, and more than any other region of North America. These Cascadian-grown hops offer a range of flavors and aromas unique to the region. Aromatic, fruity, and floral to resinous, piquant, and bitter, Northwest hops offer a gusto unlike any others grown around the world. For this, folks from British Columbia to Northern California, Oregon to Idaho have developed a palate for the potent and intricate nuances of these varietals.

Oregon Fan Recommendations: Ninkasi Total Domination IPA, Oakshire Watershed IPA, Hop Valley Alphadelic IP, Falling Sky Exposure IPA

Kansas State Fan Recommendations: Free State Brewing Stormchaser IPA, Tallgrass Brewing IPA, Little Apple Brewing Prairie Ale, Blind Tiger Tiger Bite IPA.

Wench’s Fiesta Bowl Pick: Oregon Ducks

My rationality on this pick has nothing to do with my love for Oregon beer – although, I do love it very very much.

Both Oregon and Kansas State had dreams of making it to the National Title Game. And if it wasn’t for each of their performances on November 17th, they both would have made it.

This year, Oregon joins the ranks of Ohio State, USC and Miami, as the fourth program to play in four straight BCS bowl games. Although Oregon is 2-2 in BCS Bowl games, Kansas State lost to Ohio State in its only other BCS appearance (Fiesta Bowl in 2004). Technically, Oregon has also lost to Ohio State in a major BSC Bowl game, but that is neither here nor there.

Both Oregon and Kansas State boast two of the best offenses in the state. This season, Oregon averaged an impressive 50.8 points per game, while Kansas State averaged an even more impressive 40.7 points. Although not as highly ranked as their offenses, both defenses are also pretty evenly matched. Oregon has forced a major-college-high 39 turnovers, while Kansas State forced 31.

My prediction is that the game will be very, very close. But the Oregon Ducks will come out on top!

Stay tuned for my National Championship picks!!!

Cheers!!