Not Just for Race Day: A Summer Drink Pairing Guide for Every 7 Summits Snacks Bar

We talk about our bars a lot in the context of sport. Fuelling a ride, recovering after a race, getting up a mountain. That's real, and it's a big part of why we build them the way we do. But it's also only half the story. These are still real chocolate bars, made with wholesome ingredients and distinct flavour profiles, which means each one has its own personality outside of a race vest, its own mood, its own moment it's built for.

So we put together something more useful than a single novelty pairing. Below is a full guide: the vibe each bar brings to the table, and a few different drinks that actually work with it, depending on the kind of afternoon or evening you're having.

Everest: For Slow Evenings

Dark chocolate, Himalayan salt, and goji berry make Everest the bar for winding down, not winding up. It's built for a quiet porch, a long conversation, or the last hour of daylight.

• Red wine: the classic move, and it earns that reputation honestly. Wine's tannins play against dark chocolate's bitterness, and Everest's Himalayan salt softens those tannins just enough to let the wine's fruit come through more than it would on its own.
• Sparkling water with tart cherry or pomegranate: a non-alcoholic option that mirrors the goji berry's tartness while keeping the whole pairing light rather than heavy.

Carstensz: For Busy Afternoons

Carstensz is already built around Tahitian vanilla and coffee bean, so it's less a bar that needs a pairing and more a bar that rewards leaning further into what's already there.

• Iced coffee: the obvious match, and obvious for good reason. You're doubling down on a flavour profile that's already working.
• Cold brew tonic: for anyone who wants something a little more layered. The bitterness of cold brew against tonic's bright, slightly bitter fizz plays well with Carstensz's own coffee notes.
• Vanilla oat milk latte: rounds out the bar's vanilla side and softens the dark chocolate's edge, a nice choice for a slower morning rather than a get-up-and-go afternoon.

Denali: For Comfort Cravings

Milk chocolate, peanut butter, and blueberry make Denali the bar that feels the most like a treat, in the best way. It's nostalgic, a little indulgent, and the easiest sell in the lineup for kids or anyone newer to functional chocolate.

• Iced matcha: a genuinely great pairing, not just a trendy one. Matcha's earthy bitterness cuts through Denali's sweetness rather than adding to it, and blueberry and matcha are already familiar partners in smoothies and lattes.
• Cold milk: the classic option. There's a reason peanut butter, chocolate, and milk have been paired together for generations: the fat and protein in milk round out the richness instead of competing with it.
• Iced chai latte: something in between, bringing warm spice notes that work surprisingly well against peanut butter without needing matcha's more polarizing bitterness.

Aconcagua: For Good Company

Aconcagua keeps things simple, straightforward dark chocolate with nothing else competing for attention, which makes it the most flexible bar in the lineup and a natural fit for a crowd.

• Fruit punch: the easy, casual choice. Dark chocolate can stand up to sweetness and fruit without getting lost, making it a strong match for a backyard gathering.
• Sangria: does the same job with a bit more depth, adding wine's tannin and a touch of complexity for a more grown-up version of the same pairing.
• Sparkling apple cider: a non-alcoholic option with a crisp, semi-sweet contrast that plays nicely against Aconcagua's bitterness, and a nice nod to Alberta's own orchards.

Vinson: For the Hottest Days

Vinson is built for heat. It's the bar to reach for on the hottest day of summer, when you want something that cools you down rather than weighs you down.

• Limeade: the standout pairing. Lime's acidity cuts straight through dark chocolate's richness and keeps the whole thing feeling light.
• Iced hibiscus tea: works almost as well, its tartness and floral notes echo what limeade does, with the added bonus of hibiscus's own antioxidant profile lining up nicely with the philosophy behind the rest of our lineup.
• Coconut water: worth trying for something more functional. Naturally hydrating and mildly sweet, it gives Vinson a pairing that leans back into performance without losing the refreshing, easygoing feel that makes this bar a summer favourite.

Chocolate, off duty

None of this replaces what these bars do on a trail or in a race vest. But it's worth remembering that functional doesn't mean one-dimensional. Every bar in this lineup has a personality outside of sport, and the right pairing just makes that personality a little more obvious.