If there’s one thing you need when the grill is red hot, it’s a frosty beer to cool you down. We asked Craft Beer Cellar‘s Brandon Nickelson to dish on the easy-drinking brews that best complement the layered, smoky flavors of grilled meat.
1. Deschutes Brewery Fresh Squeezed IPA Citra and Mosaic hops take center stage in this fun IPA that bursts with bright citrus notes.
2. Abita Amber Move over, Mardi Gras. Abita’s Munich-style lager brings the party to the backyard. Its smooth, malty flavor and laid-back personality pair well with just about anything you throw on the grill, including crawfish.
3. Founders Brewing Rubeaus Michigan-based Founders leans heavily on malt and fresh raspberries for a light-bodied sipper that balances sweet and tart flavors.
4. Perennial Artisan Ales Hopfentea Hometown powerhouse Perennial brews this Berliner Weisse-style beer with a tropical tea blend from Chicago’s The Hopleaf. The resulting brew has a tropical fruit aroma, a tart taste and a dry finish.
5. Boulevard Brewing Ginger-Lemon Radler An unfiltered wheat beer is mixed with lemon and ginger for a fruity, spicy thirst quencher.
6. Evil Twin Brewing Nomader Weisse Settle down with this sour Berliner Weisse-style beer. Lemon zest and wheat on the nose, a hazy straw color in the glass … Grandma’s aluminum folding lawn chair never felt so comfy.
7. Crooked Stave Surette This farmhouse ale is a throwback to early 20th-century ales that promises a snappy tartness perfect for patio sipping.
-photo by Jonathan Gayman
This article appears in June 2015.