What are the Top 8 BBQ Beers This Summer?

To start this off, I am writing this with the fan on max, the windows open, jeans have been swapped out for shorts and the sun shining. It’s currently 31 degrees which means only one thing… Summer is finally here and BBQ season has begun! 

Whether you are a casual BBQer who pops into your local supermarket for a disposable BBQ and sliced burger cheese, or you are a seasoned professional who orders their burgers from a butcher, your beer choice is important to make your BBQ a 10/10. So let’s take a look at our top 8 BBQ beers this Summer!

1. Under the Sun | Hazy Summer IPA | 4.7% ABV

Under The Sun could be considered the ultimate Summer IPA. The tropical fruit aromas paint a picture of Summer holidays whilst the hazy fruity flavours provide a thirst quenching delight. There’s nothing better than cracking open an ice cold can of Under The Sun on a hot day. Well… when you accompany that can of fruity beer with the perfect BBQ dish, you begin to open up a whole new level of Summer Legend status. 

The truth of the matter is, most of our sessionable beers would be great to drink during a BBQ get together, but we wanted to provide you with the best Wild Beer / BBQ food pairing advice. So what BBQ dish best pairs with Under The Sun?

Chicken Shawarma Kebabs! The smooth and tropical characters of this beer pairs beautifully with marinated shawarma. The mango and pineapple notes compliment the tangy and warm flavours of a chicken shawarma kebab. Add some garlic dip to your kebab to combat the coconut finish of Under The Sun and you’re in for a winner!

2. Sleeping Lemons | Lemon & Slat Gose | 4.5% ABV

Our brand new Sleeping Lemons comes in a 440ml can, perfect for Summer drinking in the garden for those of you that enjoy the sour side. We pride ourselves on creating unique sour beers in every style: fruity, funky, smoked or subtle, a sour beer for every pallet. But Sleeping Lemons is a real knockout. Expect a quick hit of sour lemon that is quickly balanced by the presence of Cornish sea salt.

This might be a little extravagant for a BBQ, but we would recommend drinking Sleeping Lemons with John Dory stuffed full of fresh herbs basted in dill butter. Realistically, any BBQ fish dish would be a suitable option considering the age-old pairing of fish and lemon. However, the slightly sweet flavour and flakey texture of a John Dory pairs beautifully with the sharp Sleeping Lemons punch.

Feeling a little bit adventurous? Co-Founder Brett suggests mixing your Sleeping Lemons with Tequila (3:1) to create a delicious Summer cocktail. 

3. Rolling Pils | Italian Style Pilsner | 4.7% ABV

For some, there is no better Summer drink than an old reliable pilsner during a BBQ. That crisp, lagery taste is a true Summer icon, but our core pilsner: Rolling Pils is something special in its own right. A firm yet enjoyable bitterness with strong citrus aromas creates the ultimate thirst quencher whilst you’re baking in the sun.

We suggest pairing Rolling pils with a lemon, garlic and thyme spatchcock chicken. The bitterness of the pilsner will cleanse the pallet and cut through the herbal and citrus flavours from the dish. Rolling Pils is perfect for calming down the char for a satisfying combination of flavour.

Alternatively, you could drink Rolling Pils with a Tandori paneer skewer with grilled vegetables and either a salsa or yogurt dip. Make sure to add a slight squeeze of lemon to the skewer for a light and refreshing experience.

4. Pogo Spritz | Light & Fruity Spritz | 2.5% ABV

A real winner this Summer so far has been Pogo Spritz. Inspired by our fruity pale ale Pogo, our spritzy beer alternative is a low ABV beer (2.5% ABV) with a really carbonated ‘spritzy’ mouthfeel. You get the same fruity hit as you do in Pogo, however, Pogo Spritz has become a real fan favourite for those who enjoy light beers with a unique twist. Expect hits of orange, guava and grapefruit with a distinct fruity sparkling water flavour.

This light craft beer pairs well with any spicy dish. The carbonation calms the spices making each bite a gratifying experience. We suggest cooking up a BBQ pork taco with spicy pineapple salsa. Chuck in some fatty guacamole to cool the spices whilst sipping on some Pogo Spritz to create a lovely flavour combination. 

5. Modus Operandi | Barrel Aged Sour Red | 7.7% ABV

Now it’s time for something a little bit premium. This is for your fancy BBQ where you want to show off to all your mates. A truly unique barrel aged beer - Modus Operandi. An influential beer that essentially started Wild Beer Co - a natural sour beer aged in our barrel library with flavours of cherries, berries and balsamic for a brisk acidity. Not all of our beers are designed to be sessioned, instead they are best enjoyed over time to capture the true flavours and essence of what beer can be. Modus is the perfect example of a luxury barrel aged beer at a reasonable price.

Everyone enjoys a glass of red wine with their steak, but we would argue Modus is an even better pairing. A BBQ steak and chips with a mixed salad slaw with a teku glass of Modus to wash it down paints a picture of beer heaven. It's rich notes, but balancing acidity matches the intensity of a well BBQ’d steak.

Roll with It | Medieval Apple Pale | 5% ABV

Ok, ok, I know this beer was made specifically to pair with sausage rolls, but it can pair with other food as well you know! Roll With It was a collaboration beer with Bin Day Brewing, co-founded by Robbie Knox (Youtuber and former Soccer AM). We used 400 degree rocks to boil the mash then introduced philly sour yeast and apple juice to the final product for a tangy and refreshing pale. 

Of course, your BBQ dish will need to be pork based for this one, so we have gone with a BBQ pulled pork roll! It’s probably as close as we could get to a sausage roll to be honest. We have also found that Roll With It also compliments the sweet flavour of BBQ sauce, so make sure you add a generous serving to your pork roll. Apple and pork have been a match made in heaven for as long as I can remember, so it’s a bit of a given that any BBQ pork dish would work with this beer. 

Bibble | Gluten Free Pale Ale | 4.2% ABV

Our core pale ale and Somerset favourite Bibble is now a gluten free craft beer! We wanted one of our most beloved craft ales to be enjoyed by as many people as possible, so we worked tirelessly to make sure each batch is free from gluten (less than 20ppm). This hoppy craft beer would make the perfect BBQ refresher. Get your buckets filled with ice and get drinking!

We have paired a few of our beers with some pretty ‘out there’ BBQ dishes, so for our classic pale ale, we needed to go with the classic BBQ munch: a cheeseburger! We share our brewery site with Westcombe Dairy, so tasting our beers with cheese is pretty much a daily occurrence at Wild Beer, and we know for a fact that Bibble would suit almost any cheese you decide to put in your cheeseburger. There is enough bitterness to cut through the fatty burger and enough malt character to match and compliment meatiness. Citrus hops play well with the garnishes as well. 

Or how about a grilled fig and blue cheese salad? Again, Bibble is fantastic with almost any type of cheese, but the satisfying big body and mouthfeel pairs with the sweetness you get from figs. 

Pineapple IPA Soda | Pineapple & Lime Craft Soda | <0.5% ABV

We will finish off our Best Beers For BBQs with… a soda! Yes, we know, it’s not necessarily a beer, but it does have beer in it, so we are counting it! This year we decided to really explore the world of craft sodas, but we wanted to include our own Wild twist. In January, we released the first ever IPA Soda - Grapefruit IPA Soda, which everyone seemed to love. The hoppy, fruity, fizzy flavours were so popular, we knew we had to expand the range. Introducing: Pineapple IPA Soda. At less than 0.5% ABV, this new low alcohol beer provides a hit of pineapple sweetness with a slight sour lime. A hoppy character and an overall refreshing beverage to enjoy at any time of the day.

The refreshing flavour of this soda really compliments any desert or fruity dish. If you are a fan of pineapple, try drinking this craft soda with a charred pineapple with maple syrup butter and vanilla ice cream. The zesty character pairs well with most fruit, creating a bold and exciting experience.

We would also recommend you to grill pork on the BBQ for an extra smoky flavour that pairs excellently with the zesty lime in the soda!

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