I don’t know about all of you, but I know I’ll be grilling up some delicious meat this 4th of July. What’s on my menu? We’ll be going with some hearty German sausages, grilled to perfection with fresh peppers and onions. Just thinking about it has my mouth watering.

Of course, the food you choose to grill should dictate which type of beer you’ll drink with it. I say should because it’s not necessary to pair specific beers with foods, but it certainly makes for a much more enjoyable experience for the mouth. Not sure what brew to pair with what you’re cooking? This list might just help you out.

German Sausage
We’ll start with what I’ll pair with my main course. A hearty German sausage requires a beer to match, but not overtake, its flavor. I suggest a doppelbock. My favorite? Ayinger Celebrator Dopplebock. You can’t go wrong. If Ayinger’s doesn’t suit you, check out Deron’s Top 5 Doppelbocks for more inspiration.

Hamburger
Hamburger can really be paired with almost any brew, but my best choice would be a hoppy IPA, like Dogfish Head 90 Minute Imperial IPA, or an American Strong Ale, like Great Lakes Nosferatu. Both offer floral, bitter hops, which really pair well with a burger, but if you’re not as into hoppy beers as you are maltly ones, I would suggest Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale. It still has a hoppy kick, but is moreso tipped to the malt end of the scale than other Dogfish Head brews.

Barbecued Chicken or Pork
Most BBQ sauces are on the sweet and zesty side. In my humble opinion, a perfect beer to pair with almost anything barbecued is a hefeweizen. They’re light and fresh, usually with a hint of citrus, clove and banana. Unlike other wheat beers, which are filtered, hefeweizens offer a heavier mouthfeel, so you won’t feel like you’re sipping down something too light and soda-like. A great hefeweizen to try is Julius Echter Hefe-Weiss.

Marinated Chicken
An American wheat ale is perfect for almost any chicken marinade. Their light citrusy flavor, usually tipped with a hint of honey, both refreshes and matches grilled marinated chicken like none other. Although I’m not usually a huge wheat fan, Magic Hat Hocus Pocus fits the bill perfectly here, just as an American wheat should.

Having something this weekend I haven’t covered? Comment on the post and I’ll do my best to help you find the perfect beer pairing for your meal.

Cheers!

TAGS [ BEER AND FOOD PAIRING | SUMMER BEER AND FOOD PAIRINGS | GRILLED FOODS AND BEER ]