If You Ask Me: The Basic BBQ And Booze Plan
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a blogumn by Travis Randall
- Photo by Rick Audet
I am often asked what are acceptable drinks to serve at a BBQ. The simple answer is…beer or whiskey and in some cases tequila. All booze is created equal you say? You couldn’t be more wrong when it comes to BBQs.
First, let’s discuss beer. American beer is always acceptable but I will take anything from Northern or Central America.
As long as “America” is in the mix somewhere you’ll be OK. Don’t even think of bringing a Fischer [from France] to my BBQ. French beers are to be enjoyed in private and with embarrassment in your heart. The best thing to come from France was me with a disgusted look on my face. German beers are nice but they are too hardy for a BBQ. Asian beers are just too sharp and aren’t great with beef, pork, or chicken.
So what beer works well with a BBQ? Nice thin American beers. Some good ones are Pabst, Lonestar, Miller products, Shiner, Rolling Rock, Coors, or possibly a Keystone. These brands work well because they are light and you can drink a ton of them. If you are the grillmaster at the BBQ you will be out in the sunshine for a while and you will need a beer that goes through you quickly and doesn’t fill you up. You will have a huge hangover but that is a small price to pay for a great BBQ experience. So if someone offers you a Heineken or an Asahi just say “No thank you”.
Mexican beer works well too. Since most people insist on serving it with a lime or lemon to dilute its terrible taste, the added acidity brings out the taste of pork and red meat. Remember to always add a wedge of lime or lemon to Mexican beer so that you don’t find out how terrible Corona really is.
Personally I prefer hard liquor. Whiskey is best, more specifically bourbon is king. Bourbon is purely American booze and pairs perfectly with flame cooked meat. If you do a Mexican-themed BBQ you will be tempted to serve Margaritas.
Be careful, there is a lot of sugar in those and sugar plus cheap booze makes for a hard core hang over. Only use blue agave tequilas and…here is the key…use Light Limeade. The quality booze combined with a low sugar juice and you should be able to get good and greasy with a minimal hangover.
If you are still confused just buy some bottles of Jack Daniels and get a keg of Pabst and you will be OK. Never, under any circumstances, serve wine at your BBQs. Wine goes fine with fish but has no place at a BBQ. Oh, and if someone asks you for a martini you should punch them in the face and then in the neck. Stick with my basic ‘BBQ and Booze Plan’ and you will be just fine.
I love mexican beers when I BBQ Dos Equis is my personal fave but tecate will do in a pinch. The only euro beer I like with BBQ is a nice hefeweizen with a high end cut of beef.
I'm not a big fan of hard liquor with bbq I find it can overwhelm the taste of the meet if your not careful (especially Jack and Diet)
I love mexican beers when I BBQ Dos Equis is my personal fave but tecate will do in a pinch. The only euro beer I like with BBQ is a nice hefeweizen with a high end cut of beef.
I'm not a big fan of hard liquor with bbq I find it can overwhelm the taste of the meet if your not careful (especially Jack and Diet)
I've got your back on Mexican beer — though I'd go w/ Negro Modelo or a Tecate before letting a Corona past my lips. I also agree that most German beer is too heavy for BBQ. But I also like Red Stripe at a BBQ, so yea, Jamaica.
Also, there is no reason — and I mean no reason to drink any American beer other than Pabst or Yuengling at a BBQ. Every other American beer is gross and doesn't deserve to live, much less get paired with good food.
I've never tried bourbon w/ barbecue, but I am willing to take on that challenge… after Betty is born.
I've got your back on Mexican beer — though I'd go w/ Negro Modelo or a Tecate before letting a Corona past my lips. I also agree that most German beer is too heavy for BBQ. But I also like Red Stripe at a BBQ, so yea, Jamaica.
Also, there is no reason — and I mean no reason to drink any American beer other than Pabst or Yuengling at a BBQ. Every other American beer is gross and doesn't deserve to live, much less get paired with good food.
I've never tried bourbon w/ barbecue, but I am willing to take on that challenge… after Betty is born.
Really? Every other american beer is gross? Really?
Please allow me to introduce some great American brews:
Anchor Steam, Alaskan Amber, Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada, Lagunitas, Killians, Rolling Rock… just to name a few of the bigger brewers.
Yeungling is the ultimate American lager though and our oldest brewing company. Here is a great list
http://www.beerchurch.com/Default.aspx?tabid=2133
i've never had a Lagunitas, but I hold nothing but disdain for everything else on your list. Usually if offered a choice of drinking one of these beers are going w/o alcohol all-together, I go without, rather than letting such inferior ale pass my lips.
this from the girl who ate ding-dongs daily in grad school.
That is such an unfair and horrible accusation. I didn't eat one ding-dong during grad school — my daily love affair was with orange Hostess cupcakes. And though I had to sacrifice my love to the metabolism gods in my late 20s, they will always have a special place in my heart along with GOOD beer.
oh yeah… you're right. it's too bad those orange cupcakes don't have a catchy name like ding-dongs.
it just broke my heart to learn that Killian's is brewed by Coors. I always thought it was a real irish beer.
Really? Every other american beer is gross? Really?
Please allow me to introduce some great American brews:
Anchor Steam, Alaskan Amber, Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada, Lagunitas, Killians, Rolling Rock… just to name a few of the bigger brewers.
Yeungling is the ultimate American lager though and our oldest brewing company. Here is a great list
http://www.beerchurch.com/Default.aspx?tabid=2133
i've never had a Lagunitas, but I hold nothing but disdain for everything else on your list. Usually if offered a choice of drinking one of these beers are going w/o alcohol all-together, I go without, rather than letting such inferior ale pass my lips.
this from the girl who ate ding-dongs daily in grad school.
That is such an unfair and horrible accusation. I didn't eat one ding-dong during grad school — my daily love affair was with orange Hostess cupcakes. And though I had to sacrifice my love to the metabolism gods in my late 20s, they will always have a special place in my heart along with GOOD beer.
oh yeah… you're right. it's too bad those orange cupcakes don't have a catchy name like ding-dongs.
it just broke my heart to learn that Killian's is brewed by Coors. I always thought it was a real irish beer.
Pabst! It won a gold ribbon once and that's good enough for me. NO Bud products. It's brewed with rice so the hangover blows.Do they still make Iron City? That's a greasy beer that goes good with meat.
by Bud products, do you mean all of anheiser-busch? b/c that would mean no MGD, which i think is a pretty okay beer. certainly not the best, but…
and yes, iron city still exists: http://www.ironcitybrewingcompany.com
Pabst! It won a gold ribbon once and that's good enough for me. NO Bud products. It's brewed with rice so the hangover blows.Do they still make Iron City? That's a greasy beer that goes good with meat.
by Bud products, do you mean all of anheiser-busch? b/c that would mean no MGD, which i think is a pretty okay beer. certainly not the best, but…
and yes, iron city still exists: http://www.ironcitybrewingcompany.com