On a summer weekend there is nothing better than a cold beer with barbequed food shared with friends and family. There is no mystery in matching beer styles to food cooked on a BBQ.
As with wine it is just a matter of choosing beers that balance, complement and enhance the flavours of food. A beer with a comparable flavour will just get lost. You just need to remember fuller bodied beers go with heavier meats such as steaks and brisket, while lighter meats and seafood call for a lighter beer style.
The universal option
If you’re looking for simplicity, cooking a wide variety of foods, or aren’t sure what types of beer everyone likes, then these beer styles will pair with almost everything on your menu.
Dark Lager – big on flavour but still on the light side and guaranteed to compliment almost all BBQ flavours.
American Pale Ale – an American pale will enhance the flavours of any steak that you are cooking.
Beef
Burgers
There are a lot of flavours happening in your classic burger, salty, sour, umami, sweet, but one thing missing is bitterness. So pale ales and IPAs with equally intense flavours are always an excellent choice, however if you want the flavours of your burger to be centre stage a pale lager is the best choice as it will not mask the complexities of the burger’s flavour, but the dry finish will cleanse the palette ready for the next bite.
Steaks
Brown Ales – these are darker than pale ales without being as bold as porters and stouts. Their malt flavours are strong enough without overpowering the flavours of the meat and are the perfect choice for leaner cuts.
Porter – the roasted bitterness of the dark malts provides the perfect contrast to a marbled steak.
Stout – the black malts pair well with a bigger, fattier steak without being overpowering.
Brisket, ribs, and lamb
The bold flavours of the meat can be paired with bolder beers. Beers that are hoppier or have a malt forward profile compliment the meat well.
American IPA – The strong, bitter citrus hop and malt flavours of a West Coast or Mountain IPA are a fantastic choice for brisket or lamb.
Belgian Dubbel (or Tripel) – the dark malt profile of this fuller bodied ale balances the flavours of the meat very well.
Stout – stands up to the heaviness of brisket and lamb, while offering a hint of sweetness and dry flavours that balance the meat.
Chicken and Seafood
When cooking lighter meats such as chicken and seafood a lighter beer is the best choice
American lager – light with a refreshing kick
Witbier – the sweetness of a Wit pairs nicely with citrus and spicy flavours.
Pilsner – a hint of bitterness helps to balance the butteryness of seafood.
Saison – the complex flavours pair well with the sweet and oily flavours of chicken.
Hefeweizen – team this refreshing beer with either chicken or seafood.
Pork
Chops, shoulder or ribs, pork is a meat with more fat and bolder flavours than chicken and so asks to be paired with more flavourful beers.
Indian Pale Lager – lighter and less bitter than an IPA, with a toasty and sweet malt profile which enhances the flavours of the meat. While the spicy and citrus hop flavours pair well with many BBQ sauce flavours.
Pale ale – a citrusy, floral blend of hops pairs extremely well with pork.
Session IPA – with its lower bitterness and fuller flavour compared to a traditional IPA, they have enough punch to pair with fattier pork flavours and balance tangy BBQ sauce flavours very well.
German lager – featuring bready caramalt, or toasty dark malt flavours that cut through the fat of the meat to complement its flavours.
Porter – the smokiness and roasted malt flavours balance the flavours of the meat, sometimes adding a hint of chocolate or coffee flavour.
Sauces
Remember if using a heavy sauce on your pork (or chicken) especially a sweeter one, go for a brighter hoppier beer to balance the flavour. If you are using a vinegar-based sauce, then a Porter with a hint of sweetness will work nicely.
Texas – these sauces are heavy on the spice and so it is best to go with a light and refreshing beer that won’t compete with the flavours.
Memphis – sweet tomato based, thin and tangy sauces with garlic paprika and other spices that are geared towards pork. A malt forward beer with some sugar sweetness, such as a porter, is called for here.
Carolina – These heavily mustard based sauces with brown sugar and lots of vinegar call for a rye ale to punch through the acidity of the vinegar.
Kansas City – made with tomatoes and molasses these thick sugary and spicy sauces require a more malt forward beer such as a Dunkel to balance the molasses, while the hops smooth out the spices.