Medium Rare, Medium Bodied
As summer creeps in and the weather heats up, so do the BBQs in South Florida. It’s the perfect time of year to cool off in the pool, seek shade and cook outside.
Just as summer was made for grilling, beers were made for barbecued food. But not all dishes and beers are destined for one another. An experienced cook knows to pair the right cut of meat with the right dish, and a savvy host should find the right beer to go with those beautifully charred bites.
Backyard Brews
Nothing says summer more than grilling hamburgers and hot dogs. A basic hamburger or cheeseburger made with quality meat, cooked over coals or flame with a juicy center, packs a punch of flavor. One of the keys to pairing the right beer is to match the intensity of dish to the intensity of beer – so you’ll want a beer with some malt body. A balanced amber ale or red ale like Rogue American Amber Ale or Monk in the Trunk will pair up nicely. The hint of sweetness from the malt will marry with caramelization of the meat, and alcohol will help cut through the natural fats of the burger. With more hearty ingredients, you’ll need to add intensity to the beer of choice. Adding smoked gouda and bacon to your burger? You may want to step up your game and pair this with a robust porter like Wynwood Pops Porter or Founders Porter. A turkey burger is lighter and more delicate, so an American Wheat Ale like Bell’s Oberon or Ommegang Witte will match nicely.
Sometimes certain history can help direct the right pairing. It comes as little surprise that a frankfurter pairs beautifully with a German-style ale, like a a crisp, sweet Kölsch. Try drinking a Tequesta Der Chancellor or Boulevard Kolsch with your Hebrew National. If you add some chili and cheese to that bad boy, try it with a brown ale like Brooklyn Brown or Cigar City Maduro Brown Ale.
Lechon Love
As a cultural melting pot where folks trade in their Weber charcoal grills for expansive outdoor kitchens or caja chinas, grilling is taken seriously in South Florida. If you’ve spent an entire day slow cooking an entire suckling pig over coals, this meal deserves more thought than picking up whatever 12-pack is on sale. While pork is a white meat, a whole-cooked pig is a full-flavored, rich dish. Try pairing a malt-forward pale ale or IPA. The hop bitterness will help cut through the richness, while the malt will hold up to the flavors of the meat. Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA or Avery IPA will pair beautifully.
If you plan on firing up the smoker to cook your pork, you’re adding multiple layers of flavor. With the strong smokiness often paired with a tangy sweet and spicy BBQ sauce layered on top of a fatty meat, you’ll need a complex beer. There a couple of routes you can go. If you like a sweeter BBQ sauce with a less smokiness in the pork, a brown ale will accentuate the sweetness nicely, while the hops of an IPA will help amplify a spicy BBQ sauce. For those BBQ/smoker purists who want the meat to shine, pair the meat with a simple, American Pale Ale like Sierra Nevada Pale Ale or Founders All Day IPA.
Outdoor cooking options are endless, as is the pairing potential. What will inspire you this summer?
EAT THIS, DRINK THIS
| MAIN COURSE | BEER |
|---|---|
| Grilled shrimp and scallops | Saison, like The Tank La Finca |
| Ribeye steak | Imperial Stout, like Great Divide Yeti |
| Top sirloin | MIA Mega Mix |
| Filet mignon | German-style Pilsner, like Victory Prima Pils |
| Grilled vegetables | Helles Lager Weihenstephaner Original |
| Grilled fish (like snapper) | Blonde Ale, like Wynwood La Rubia |
| Grilled chicken | Czech-style Pilsner, like Lagunitas Pils |
| Smoked fish or Florida smoked fish dip | Belgian Golden Strong, like Duvel |
