A GUIDE TO GRILLING AND GROG
Here's a handy-dandy breakdown of what beers to serve with choice grilled fare, including poultry, red meats, pork, seafood, veggies, and to satisfy your sweet tooth, there's also dessert options.
PORK AND SAUSAGES
On the Grill: Pork chops
The Beers: Full-Colored Ales, Bocks, Porters, and later in the year, Oktoberfests
The Brands: Michelob AmberBock; Rogue Chipotle Ale; Rogue Dead Guy Ale; Samuel Adams Honey Porter; Samuel Adams Double Bock
On the Grill: Pulled pork
The Beers: Full-Colored Ales, Lagers, Light Beers, Honey-Flavored Beers
The Brands: Michelob Honey Lager; Michelob Lager; Rogue Chipotle Ale; Rogue Dead Guy Ale; Samuel Adams Honey Porter; Samuel Adams Black Lager; Samuel Adams Boston Lager; Samuel Adams Light
On the Grill: Sausages / Bratwurst
The Beers: Dark Lagers; Brown Ales; also, smoky Porters can work
The Brands: Brooklyn Brown; Samuel Adams Black Lager; Samuel Adams Boston Lager
POULTRY
On the Grill: Chicken breasts
The Beers: Lighter beers, Golden Lagers, Pilsners, Kolsches, and if you want to get really sophisticated, Saissons
The Brands: Duvel; Labatt Blue; Michelob Lager; Pilsner Urquell; Rogue Chipotle Ale; Rogue Morimoto Soba Ale
On the Grill: Turkey burgers
The Beers: Lighter beers, Golden Lagers, Pilsners, Kolsches
The Brands: Labatt Blue; Michelob Honey Lager; Michelob Lager; Pilsner Urquell; Rogue Chipotle Ale; Rogue Morimoto Soba Ale
RED MEAT
On the Grill: Steaks of various kinds
The Beers: Full-Bodied Lagers, Full-Colored Ales, Brown Ales, Altbiers, Amber Ales, Marzens, Bocks, Belgian dubbels, Barley Wines, Stouts, Steam Beers, Kolsches, Porters, and later in the year, Oktoberfests.
The Brands: Anchor Steam Beer; Brooklyn Brown; Chimay Blue; Michelob Amberbock; Michelob Marzen; Newcastle Brown; Samuel Adams Boston Lager; Samuel Adams Black Lager; Rogue American Amber Ale; Rogue Shakespeare Stout
On the Grill: Burgers
The Beers: Brown Ales, Altbiers, Amber Ales, Steam Beers, Summer Ales, and later in the year, Oktoberfests.
The Brands: Anchor Steam Beer; Brooklyn Brown; Chimay Blue; Michelob Amberbock; Newcastle Brown; Rogue American Amber Ale; Rogue Shakespeare Stout; Samuel Adams Summer Ale
On the Grill: BBQ (beef) ribs
The Beers: Full-Bodied Lagers; Honey-Flavored Beers
The Brands: Michelob Honey Lager; Michelob Lager; Samuel Adams Black Lager; Samuel Adams Honey Porter; also, Chimay Blue might work, depending on the sauces and spices you're using
On the Grill: Venison
The Beers: Full-bodied lagers
The Brands: Michelob Lager; Samuel Adams Black Lager; Samuel Adams Boston Lager
SEAFOOD
On the Grill: Fish
The Beers: Lagers; Amber Ales; Belgian Tripels; Blonde Ales; Pale Ales; Brown Ales for salmon; Light Beers; Summer Ales; Steam Beers
The Brands: Anchor Steam Beer; Michelob Lager; Newcastle Brown; Rogue American Amber Ale; Rogue Morimoto Soba Ale; Rogue Juniper Pale Ale; Samuel Adams Boston Lager; Samuel Adams Light; also, Samuel Adams Summer Ale specifically for tuna.
On the Grill: Shellfish kabobs
The Beers: Lagers; Wheat Beers; Belgian Wit Beers; Stouts; Summer Ales
The Brands: Blue Moon Belgian White; Michelob Lager; Samuel Adams Boston Lager; Samuel Adams Summer Ale; also, if you're cooking or steaming oysters or clams - perhaps not on the grill - consider Guinness.
VEGGIES AND SALADS
On the Grill: Grilled vegetables
The Beers: Lagers, Brown Ales, Maibocks, Summer Ales; Light Beers
The Brands: Brooklyn Brown; Michelob Lager; Newcastle Brown; Samuel Adams Boston Lager; Samuel Adams Light; Samuel Adams Summer Ale
The Dish: Any eclectic leafy salad with nuts, veggies, and maybe bits of fruit or berries
The Beers: Drier or Sweeter Brown Ales, Maibocks, Wheat Beers with Fruit, Summer Ales; Light Beers, White Beers
The Brands: Blue Moon Belgian White; Brooklyn Brown; Newcastle Brown; Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat
DESSERTS
The Dish: Anything with chocolate
The Beers: Stouts
The Brands: The Duck-Rabbit Milk Stout; Mackeson's XXX Stout; Rogue Shakespeare Stout; Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout
The Dish: Anything with fruit
The Beers: Lambics, Belgian Tripels, Fruit Beers; also, Hefeweizens for Key Lime Pie
The Brands: Duvel; Lindemans Lambic (comes in raspberry, peach, and other flavors); Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat; Westmalle Trappist Tripel
-Compiled by Colin Burch, for Weekly Surge