There’s nothing quite like a cold beer and a good summer BBQ here in Waco. While many of us just reach for whatever beer is already in the fridge, sometimes it’s fun to get a little fancy and really consider the type of beer you’re pairing with your favorite BBQ.
Pairing Beer And BBQ
Today, we’re going to take a look at some of our favorite beer and BBQ pairings.
Grilled Cheeseburgers
A perfectly grilled cheeseburger with all of the classic fixin’s is just about as close to heaven as you can get. The salty, savory beef, the sweetness of the tomato and ketchup, the bonus cheese…
Be right back. We need to go get a burger.
Okay.
As we were saying, burgers are perfect. The only thing that can possibly make a burger any better is the right beer to match, and when it comes to the best beers to pair with burgers, we like to reach for a beer that unites the flavors of the beverage and food by offering similarities between the two.
When it comes to burgers, we’re grabbing a black IPA. Check out Firestone Walker’s Wookey Jack or Deschutes’ Hop in the Dark.
Sausage
There’s hardly a better food to pair with beer than sausage. Those tasty little tubes of encased meat are fatty and rich, ready to take on the carbonation of a bottle-conditioned Belgian ale, the bitterness of an IPA, or the alcoholic fortitude of some of the stronger styles of beer.
However, since this is a guide to pairing beer and BBQ, we have to make a choice. When we’re eating sausage, we’re likely reaching for a German lager. We suggest trying the Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel or the Heater Allen Coastal Lager if you’re eating sausage any time soon.
Grilled Chicken
Pairing beer with grilled chicken presents a whole different challenge. Chicken has a much milder flavor compared to other meats on the BBQ menu, meaning that your beer pairing should take into consideration the marinades, sauces, and other ingredients, too.
Keeping it simple with a little BBQ sauce and not much else? Reach for an amber-brown lager such as a Dunkel or Vienna. Rauchbiers will also pair deliciously with your grilled chicken.
Preparing a brighter grilled chicken dish with bright spices and herbs? Reach for a blonde bière de garde. We love this pairing because these beers have a doughy maltiness invigorated by grassy, spicy, or peppery flavors from the hops and yeast, which will seamlessly meet those delicious herbs you’ve put on your bird.
Craving a burger and a cold one yet? Coach’s Smoke opens at 11:00AM every day. Come on down and treat yourself.
