Ashley's General Food Pairing Notes:
* When in doubt: pair region with region. Food using ingredients and spices from particular regions of the world typically pair best with the wines of those regions.
* Strong flavored food needs strong flavored beers and wines. Both must be able to hold their own, without being overshadowed by the other.
* Lighter food goes best with lighter beverages: you never want the beverage to completely overwhelm the taste of the food. And visa versa.

Ashley's Pizza Pairing notes:
* Wine and beer pairings differ with the cheese, sauce and topping used.
* Chianti is a classic pizza wine. Any red wine from Italy also pairs well. When in doubt: if you are in a mom & pops Italian place - go for a carafe of the house wine. It will go with everything.
* The 3 P's: Pale Ale, Peroni, and Porter. Typically, really strong flavors and pungent ingredients pair better with stronger flavored beers such as pale ales and IPAs. More middler flavors and classic topping pairs nicely with lighter beers such as an Italian Peroni Lager. Pizzas with sweeter ingredients such as balsamic onions, sundried tomatoes, and goat cheese may pair nicely with a porter.

Ashley's Hot Dog Pairing Notes:
* It is hard to decide what pairs well with processed meats. I would suggest pairing beverages with toppings. Most hot dog toppings tend to be German in nature (sauerkraut, mustard etc.). This is why I think German beers would compliment hot dogs well. Suggestions: lagers, pilsners, dunkel or a doppelbock is you want something heavier.

Ashley's Chili Pairing Notes:
* Once again, this all depends on the ingredients and spices used. Chili uses predominately South American spices, so South American wines will pair well. Good countries to look for are Argentina and Chile. Both produce excellent Malbecs, Cabarnets, Chardonnays, Viogniers, and Sauvignon Blancs (sometimes called Chenin Blanc). I find spicy food pairs well with bold, oaky and dry wines.
* Chili needs a strong beer that can cut through the heat. Strong, hoppy beers are excellent at doing this. I would suggest going big with an IPA or Doule IPA, but pale ales also work well. Since chili is a South American dish, Mexican beers with a hint of lime will also pair nicely.