BBQ Beers. There’s always that week in April. The Daily Mail heatwave, the “hotter than Ibiza” weather reports and red faced men in vests. A few days of sunshine and madness then back to winter.
We’ve just had another balmy weekend but this time it looks like summer is finally here. Time to get used to the sun and make plans to enjoy it with friends, barbecues and of course beer.
Here are our recommendations for perfect summer BBQ beers available in store and straight from the fridge.
Brouwerij Boon – Geuze Mariage Parfait – 750ml – £11.60
Belgian Lambic from one of its best producers. Spontaneously fermented using the natural yeast that lives in the atmosphere in the brewery, Lambic’s are often considered to be some of the best beers of the world. Hops are used solely as a preservative with deep complex flavours created by the yeast over a clean wheat base.
Different ages of Lambic are blended giving different flavours, the young is zingy, acidic and dry, the vintage savoury, tart and fruity. These flavours are blended in the perfect marriage. More than just a sour beer it is complex but not heavy, tart sour and refreshing, you’ll notice different flavours the more you drink.
Geuze will cut through greasy burgers and accompany more subtle flavours like grilled salmon.
In a 750ml bottle it is perfect for sharing, top up glasses with half of the bottle then fill with the rest and see how the yeast settled in the bottle changes the taste.
Burning Sky – Printemps Lees – 750ml – £13.20
In my opinion Burning Sky are the UK’s best producers of Belgian beer. Brewed over winter, when wild yeasts and other bacteria are less abundant to alter beer, to drink over the summer by farmworkers, Saison’s are dry, savoury, grainy and lightly hopped. Some can possess a hay like “farmyard” finish, some have a tartness with wild yeasts, these develop over time into more complex fruity or sour flavours. Many brewers add herbs and spices to add complexity.
Burning Sky have taken their regular spring saison and aged it in a barrel formerly used to hold natural wine. The “bacchus” still contains the leftover yeast as Lees, these further ferment the ageing beer to create an acidity and delicate floral note. The light addition of black pepper and ginger compliment the many flavours contained in this Saison.
Buy this to share with the white wine drinkers. The pepper and ginger work well with butcher sausage hot dogs and aged cheeses.
Black Iris Four Pack – 440ml x 4 – £17.80
A selection of amazing craft pale ales from Nottingham Legends Black Iris.
Endless Summer: 4.5% session IPA with all the flavour of an IPA at a percentage to enjoy all day.
Divine Elements: Nottingham’s highest rated IPA and a stunning fruity beer with a touch of bitterness.
Circle of Snakes: Juicy and hazy New England Double IPA packed with citrus flavours and hardly any bitterness.
Ride The Lightning: Full bodied wheat pale packed with juice and a rich refreshing body.
Mini Keg – Welbeck Abbey Cavendish/Henrietta – 5%/3.6% – £22.00
Welbeck Abbey Mini Kegs are perfect for the BBQ. Containing 8 pints these balanced golden ales are uncomplicated and at a sessional percentage. Not every beer needs to blow your mind, especially when you’re bringing beer to a barbecue and want it to suit many different people. Traditional drinkers will enjoy both Henrietta and Cavendish while contemporary craft beer heads won’t be disappointed.
Omnipollo/Buxton – Original Rocky Road Ice Cream – 10% – £8.80
Pastry stouts are not the type of beers that immediately come to mind for a summer drink. Rich decadent 10% liquid chocolate cake, flavoured with Marshmallows for a sweet finish. Who could resist any time of year.
Take it up a notch for the warm weather. Pour into a glass and use a scoop of vanilla ice cream to create a cooling delicious float, breaking up the richness and completing this dessert in a glass.
Whatever you choose make sure to get out in the sun and share BBQ beers in good company.