Sear & Beer
Most of us have go-to beers that we like to drink on summer evenings. If the menu includes barbecue, those beers usually go along for the party. But as homebrewers, we have much more control than that. We can make or select beers for a particular barbecue supper and enjoy the heightened pleasures of well-matched pairings.
In food-beer pairings, there are two basic strategies that can work very well. The first of these is to provide deliberate contrasts between the beer profile and the food. The second is to look for complementary or matching characteristics between the two. These characteristics can include aromas, flavors, and mouthfeel elements that all combine to make the whole greater than the sum of the parts. A well-chosen pairing of great beer with great barbecue brings pleasure that is a kind of synergy, better than you would have expected tasting the components separately.
For this article, I will use a very broad consideration of “barbecue.” As a signature food style throughout North America, barbecue has local and regional partisans who passionately defend their version as true barbecue and dismissing others. Since I cannot predict what you might be cooking on the patio or deck this summer, I’ll go with this line from Wikipedia’s article on the subject: “Barbecuing techniques include smoking, roasting or baking, braising and grilling.” Although beef, pork, and chicken are very popular, I also grill or smoke turkey, lamb, sausages, seafood, portabello mushrooms, and other vegetables.
Despite the diversity of ingredients and techniques, barbecued foods exhibit common characteristics that allow this kind of consideration. Smoke aromas and flavors are defining characteristics. All the way from long, low-temperature smoking over hickory or cherry wood to the quick grilling of a fish fillet on a charcoal or gas grill, smoke plays a part in most barbecue. From the wood, of course, the addition of smokiness is deliberate. With fish, vegetables, and meats on a grill, the smoke character comes about from direct charring of the food on the grill bars and smoke that rises from drippings sizzling on the burner shields or hot coals. Evaluate your smoke for source, aroma, and intensity and pair your beers accordingly.
Another common theme in barbecue is fat. Fatty foods smoke and braise to tender perfection and — if you keep them from igniting — grill to a deliciously juicy outcome. More a mouthfeel issue than a flavor, the fattiness of your barbecue becomes a factor in comparison with the mouthfeel of your beer. Other barbecue factors often come into play and might affect your beer pairing. These include a variety of spices and rubs, frequent use of tomato sauce in barbecue bastes, vinegar-based sauces, use of honey or brown sugar, and even grilling fruits such as pineapple or peach to garnish barbecued meats. As you contemplate the widest possible range of barbecue, let’s think about beer.
To engage with both complement and contrast, I have selected five beer strategies to plan with your barbecue. These are groups of beer styles that share some common features that promise pleasurable pairing. Group one is pale and amber ales, two is pale and amber lagers, and three is dark beers. Groups four and five stretch the boundaries a bit further, with smoked beers comprising group four and a combination of beers with fruits, spices, herbs, and vegetables making up group five.
For each grouping I will include references to styles as described in the 2015 Style Guidelines of the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP). I am a certified judge and I wholeheartedly endorse their point that style guidelines are not specifications. They do, however, provide a useful point of reference in communicating about beers, and these descriptions can be very helpful when considering the food to pair with each beer style.
So, let’s get pairing!
Group 1: Pale & Amber Ales
For this group, the pairing characteristics can be seen clearly in the American pale ale style. The first sentence in the BJCP category description captures my concepts for pairing this group: “A pale, refreshing and hoppy ale, yet with sufficient supporting malt to make the beer balanced and drinkable.” Other styles that share similarities with American pale ale include American blonde ale, American amber ale, and California common. We can also find the hoppy notes, refreshing character, and malt support in ales with European origins. Among them are British bitters, golden ale, lighter Scottish ales, and Irish reds. Going a bit further into hop bitterness and higher in alcohol, American and British IPAs carry a bigger punch than pale ale, but the overall balance will allow similar considerations for barbecue pairing.
Pairing in this group is mostly about contrast, with crisp mouthfeel and clean bitterness balanced opposite food features like fat and smoke. After a bite of fatty pulled pork or smoked beef brisket, the hop bitterness clears the palate and provides a refreshing break. At the same time, the malt backbone of the beer can come into play to heighten the pleasure of the match further. If your particular barbecue has fruity notes or brown sugar in the sauce, the malt flavor in the mid-palate of the beer can complement and enhance those flavors, highlighting the food and the beer. If you are leaning in that direction, the British and amber styles are likely better suited than pale and dry. If you are trying specific beer pairing with barbecue for the first time, a hoppy pale ale will likely work with just about any fatty, meaty, or smoky meats on the menu. For chicken, fish, or vegetables, you might get more enjoyment with my second group: Pale and amber lagers.
Group 2: Pale & Amber Lagers
This group of beer styles shares some characteristics with group one: They are crisp and refreshing, with various levels of hops and malt. My favorite of these to homebrew doesn’t have its own category any more. In the 2008 BJCP guidelines, it was Category 2C, Classic American Pilsner. It can still be found in the 2015 guidelines, but you need to search for it within Class 27, Historical Beer. Now called pre-Prohibition lager, it is still a beer I love to brew, described as “A clean, refreshing, but bitter pale lager, often showcasing a grainy-sweet corn flavor.” Included at the end of this article is a recipe for one of my favorite homebrews of this kind, Western Hills Pre-Prohibition Lager. It uses traditional six-row barley malt, corn, and rice — offset with a modern American hop, Simcoe®, for a piney and citrusy aroma. The name was inspired by the coastal hills between my house and the Pacific Ocean in Sonoma County, California. Brew it, and fire up the grill!
The other lagers in this group for pairing with barbecue include the very popular commercial styles American light lager and American lager. With a bit more complexity, there are international pale and amber versions as well. These range from Czech pale lager, through German helles, to another personal brewing favorite, amber Vienna lager.
For barbecue pairing, Vienna and other amber lagers bring what the guidelines describe as “a soft, smooth maltiness and moderate bitterness, yet finish relatively dry.” For me, that makes a perfect companion to spicier barbecue, with the sweet malt offering a cooling refreshment on the palate. Whether it is heavily black peppered chicken wings, Louisiana hot links, or Mexican-style carne asada with jalapeño salsa, that slightly sweet maltiness will cool off your mouth. The dry finish returns us to refreshment and you are ready for another bite.
The lighter colored lagers also have potential sweetness, as noted for corn notes in the pre-Prohibition lager. Helles is described as having “a smooth grainy-sweet malty flavor and a soft, dry finish.” It has sufficient hops to balance and keep it in the category of refreshing beers.
Lager characteristics allow us to go in two directions with our pairings. On the one hand, we have a fairly light body and a crisp, clean finish. The seafood, chicken, or vegetables mentioned earlier, especially if simply prepared on the grill, will match that lighter character with flavors allowed to shine in both beer and food. The second is the spiciness noted above. With that, look particularly for the lager styles with some notable maltiness in your pairing.
Group 3: Dark Beers
My third group may surprise some barbecue fans as pairings: Dark beers. Here I am including dark lagers and dark ales, as the dark malt character forms so much of the impression on these beers. Lager styles include international dark lager, Czech dark lager, Munich dunkel, and schwarzbier. English porter, Irish stout, oatmeal stout, and tropical stout are among the dark ales.
In pairing with barbecue, dark beers stand out for providing complementary toast, roast, and slightly burnt flavors and aromas. While often described as coffee, chocolate, or mocha notes, these beer characteristics also reflect the burning and roasting of barbecue meat preparation. Burnt ends from smoked brisket, blackened salmon, and rotisserie chicken all have notes that are well-balanced in a dark, roasty beer. Especially with spicier barbecue, the sweeter versions of dark beer, like porter or sweet stout, can provide the same cooling contrast as amber lagers. In tropical climates, heavy use of chili peppers can be found alongside an appreciation of sweet stouts. A long time ago in West Africa I enjoyed some spit-barbecued goat, turned over hot coals and mopped with red chili flake oil. Spicy and burnt notes combined perfectly; I now think a tropical stout would have been a delightful pairing. (The international style lager that was available then was not bad, either). The same malty sweetness that balances against heat in your barbecue can enhance a sweet note, as from maple sugar or honey in a sauce.
Most of the dark beers are not very hoppy and do not provide a bitter contrast to fatty foods. Some, however, can be surprisingly refreshing and rise to the pairing. One of these is the black lager style schwarzbier, which my wife considers her favorite style. With her taste in mind, I have homebrewed a number of schwarzbiers. These beers have some of the roasty malt notes of the porters and stouts, but have the lighter body and crisp mouthfeel of a typical lager. In this case, rather than having a sweetness for the cooling affect on spicy foods, you get the pleasant contrast character of the other lagers. All the while, you have the underlying roast character that echoes cooking with fire. If you haven’t tried dark beers with barbecue, I recommend giving it a go.
To help you along, I have included my recipe for Sailing Away Tropical Stout at the end of this article. This malty, roasty beer uses chocolate malt and black patent for dark character and non-fermentable lactose to keep it sweet.
Group 4: Smoked Beers
The smoked beer category offers homebrewers lots of room for creativity. In the BJCP, we find Classic Rauchbier Style (6B). More broadly, there is Category 32 Smoked Beer that contains classic style smoked beer and specialty smoked beer. In some cases, the wood beers of style 33 also show smoky character, depending on the wood used and how it is prepared. The BJCP says of rauchbier that it is “an elegant, malty German amber lager with a balanced, complementary beechwood smoke character.” Beechwood smoked Vienna-style malt makes from 20% to 100% of the grist and brings very characteristic aromas and flavors to this otherwise Märzen-style beer.
For brewers who want to explore smoke with fewer limitations, the smoked beer category awaits. In subcategory A, you can add smoked malt to any classic style. As always, the beer should remain balanced and pleasant to drink. In B, you make it a specialty smoked beer by either not using a classic style as the base, or adding other ingredients such as spices or fruits. Beyond beechwood, commercial smoked malts are made with cherry wood, apple wood, mesquite, peat, and others. If you have a smoker (or can improvise one), you can smoke your own malt at home (see sidebar to the right). Beers that result have the strong common element of smoke aroma and flavor.
For pairing, smoke is clearly the main point. Smoked fish, smoked cheese, and cured ham all pair beautifully with a classic rauchbier. With the specialty smoked beers, you might brew a smoked porter to pair with something spicy and smoky, like a chipotle-based barbecue sauce (a chipotle is a dried, smoked, ripe jalapeño pepper). Fatty smoked meats? You might try a crisp, refreshing smoked Pilsner. With any of these, the smoked malt provides a complementary smokiness, while your other beer features can either match or contrast with the barbecue food.
Smoking Malts at Home
Smoked malts are available from numerous suppliers, but if you want to put your own touch on your homebrew, smoking your own is a chance to indulge those experimental urges and produce a truly unique beer.
The first decision is what wood to use in smoking the malt. Beech is classic for Bamberg Rauchbier, but almost any hardwood will serve and brewers have had success with applewood, hickory, mesquite, alder, oak, and many others. Each wood will give a different smoked character. Smoking woods in the form of pellets, chips, or chunks can often be found at retailers that sell barbecue equipment or online. You could also source other forms of untreated wood from lumberyards, or if you have a fallen hardwood tree nearby.
As far as equipment goes, all you need is a smoker where the malt can sit well above the fire since you want to smoke the malt, not burn it! Bearing this in mind you could use a grill, but a purpose–built smoker is obviously ideal. You want to have as little fire as possible because you want to cool-smoke the malt, just as is done in making smoked salmon. This is especially true if you want to make the smoked malt your base grain since heating it will destroy the enzymes you will need to be present to get good conversion in the mash. To limit the flames, many home smokers treat the wood to a water bath prior to burning. Let it soak long enough for the water to penetrate. This will cause the wood to burn slowly and create more smoke when ignited. Another option to limit flames and create a lot of smoke is focusing on oxygen control. Or, you can do both approaches.
The exterior of the malt should also be wetted prior to smoking. This will help the smoke stick to the malt, as smoke molecules will dissolve into the water and then remain on the malt once it is dried. The amount of water used to wet the malt will be dependent on how long you plan to smoke the malt (based on how much smoke flavor you want the malt to have). For a quick smoking session, 3–4 oz. per lb. (198–262 mL/kg) of grain should be sufficient, but use up to twice that for longer smoking sessions. It may also be desirable to dampen it with water at intervals during smoking. Use distilled water for this, as chlorine can react with chemicals in the smoke giving some very unpleasant flavors. The grain can be laid out on a screen, in aluminum foil or aluminum plates with many punctured holes. Layer the grain about an inch (2.5 cm) thick and turn the grains over every 15 minutes or so to allow them to more evenly absorb the smoke. The grains are usually smoked for 30 minutes to two hours, depending on desired characteristics.
Once the malt is dry, store it in a brown paper bag for a few days to let the flavors mellow a bit.
Group 5: Spice, Herb, Vegetable & Fruit Beers
My final group is the adventurous collection of beers with spices, herbs, vegetables, or fruit. Officially, BJCP breaks these beers into multiple categories: Fruit Beer, Fruit and Spice Beer, Specialty Fruit Beer, Spiced Beer (including A, spice, herb, or vegetable beer; B, autumn seasonal beer; and C, winter seasonal beer).
Throughout this diverse group, the emphasis is on making a balanced, drinkable beer that showcases the specialty ingredients. With that in mind, you can take your barbecue pairings to new levels of matching and contrasting. For instance, a brightly citrusy beer pairs well with grilled fish in the same way lemon juice does.
During a Hawaiian vacation, I helped brew a coconut-lime Saison that paired beautifully with grilled fresh local Ono (Wahoo). We used just salt and pepper on a large fillet of Ono, cooked it on the gas grill, and sliced to serve. The smooth, silky fish presented a delightful contrast to the brisk, slightly tart saison. Meanwhile, the overall tropical feel of the fresh fish and coconut notes heightened the experience.
Similar matches could be made by making, say, a fresh peach brown ale and then grilling peaches alongside pork chops. I have brewed a black pepper Pilsner that would make a nice companion to a home-smoked peppery pastrami brisket.
I have even combined these last two groupings in one beer when I made a smoked chipotle American wheat beer, using cherry wood smoked malt as part of the grist along with wheat malt. With smoked chilies and smoked malt in the combination, I got a spicy/smoky/fruity beer. I didn’t try it at the time, but I will have to brew it again and pair it with grilled sweet peppers and fatty grilled lamb chops.
OK, now I’m hungry. Time to go grill something and choose a beer to match!
BBQ-Friendly Recipes
Western Hills Pre-Prohibition Lager
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.060 FG = 1.014
IBU = 42 SRM = 7 ABV = 6.2%
Ingredients
6 lbs. (2.7 kg) German Pilsner malt
3 lbs. (1.4 kg) US 6-row malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) Victory® malt
1.25 lbs. (0.57 kg) flaked maize
1.25 lbs. (0.57 kg) flaked rice
1 oz. (28 g) acidulated malt
7 AAU Simcoe® hops (60 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g. at 14% alpha acids)
4.2 AAU Simcoe® hops (30 min.) (0.3 oz./8 g at 14% alpha acids)
1⁄2 oz. (14 g) Simcoe® hops (0 min.)
Whirlfloc tablet (15 min.)
Wyeast 2007 (Pilsen Lager) or White Labs WLP840 (American Lager) or SafLager W-34/70 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar if priming
Step by Step
Be sure to make an appropriate-sized yeast starter a day or two prior to brew day if using liquid yeast. If using dried yeast, be sure to pitch two sachets of yeast.
Mash grains in 4 gallons (15 L) of water at 148 °F (64 °C) for 90 minutes (including flaked maize and rice). The mash duration and temperature are key to assuring proper attenuation by the yeast. Mash out and sparge at 170 °F (77 °C) to collect 6 gallons (23 L) of wort in the kettle. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops as indicated. Cool to 70 °F (21°C) to pitch yeast, then gradually cool to 50–60 °F (10–16 °C) for primary and secondary. Apply a 24–48 hour diacetyl rest at 70 °F (21°C) prior to lagering.
Lager at 30 to 34 °F (-1 to 1 °C) for 3 to 6 weeks prior to packaging.
Western Hills Pre-Prohibition Lager
(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.060 FG = 1.014
IBU = 42 SRM = 7 ABV = 6.2%
Ingredients
3.5 lbs. (1.6 kg) Pilsen dried malt extract
3 lbs. (1.4 kg) US 6-row malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) Victory® malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) flaked maize
1 lb. (0.45 kg) flaked rice
1 oz. (28 g) acidulated malt
7 AAU Simcoe® hops (60 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g. at 14% alpha acids)
4.2 AAU Simcoe® hops (30 min.) (0.3 oz./8 g at 14% alpha acids)
1⁄2 oz. (14 g) Simcoe® hops (0 min.)
Whirlfloc tablet (15 min.)
Wyeast 2007 (Pilsen Lager) or White Labs WLP840 (American Lager) or SafLager W-34/70 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar if priming
Step by Step
Be sure to make an appropriate-sized yeast starter a day or two prior to brew day if using liquid yeast. If using dried yeast, pitch two sachets of yeast. Due to the large partial mash, be sure to use an appropriately-sized pot/cooler. At a minimum you will need about 2.5 gallons (10 L) of space for the mash.
Place crushed and flaked grains in a large mesh grain bag. Mash grains in 2 gallons (7.8 L) of water at 148 °F (64 °C) for 60 minutes. When conversion is complete, remove the grains and if possible wash with 2 gallons (7.8 L) of hot water. Top kettle off to 6 gallons (23 L) and bring to a boil. Remove kettle from heat and stir in the dried malt extract. Once all the extract is dissolved, bring wort back to a boil. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops as indicated. Cool to 70 °F (21°C) to pitch yeast, then gradually cool to 50–60 °F (10–16 °C) for primary and secondary. Apply a 24–48 hour diacetyl rest at 70 °F (21°C) prior to lagering.
Lager at 30 to 34 °F (-1 to 1 °C) for 3 to 6 weeks prior to packaging.
Sailing Away Tropical Stout
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
SG = 1.072 FG = 1.020
IBU = 54 SRM = 35 ABV = 6.8%
Ingredients
10 lbs. (4.5 kg) English pale ale malt
8 oz. (0.23 kg) wheat malt
8 oz. (0.23 kg) Carapils® malt
8 oz. (0.23 kg) caramel malt (40 °L)
4 oz. (113 g) black patent malt
12 oz. (0.34 kg) British chocolate malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) dried rice extract
4 oz. (113 g) lactose powder
7.2 AAU Willamette hops (60 min.) (1.5 oz./ 43 g at 4.8% alpha acids)
5 AAU Fuggle hops (60 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 5% alpha acids)
2.5 AAU Fuggle hops (30 min.) (0.5 oz/14 g at 5% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Willamette hops (dry hop)
3 Whirlfloc tablets (15 min.)
Wyeast 1968 (London ESB) or Wyeast 1084 (Irish Ale) or SafAle S-04 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Be sure to make an appropriate-sized yeast starter a day or two prior to brew day if using liquid yeast. If using dried yeast, you may opt to pitch two sachets of yeast.
Mash grains in 4 gallons (15 L) of water at 155 °F (68 °C) for 60 minutes. Mash out and sparge at 170 °F (77 °C) to collect 6 gallons (23 L) of wort in the kettle. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops as indicated. Add rice extract, whirlfloc, and lactose directly to the boil with 15 minutes left.
After the boil is complete, cool to 70 °F (21 °C) to pitch yeast, then ferment at 68 °F (20 °C) for two weeks. Rack the beer into a secondary vessel with the dry hops. Allow 3–7 days contact then bottle or keg as usual.
Sailing Away Tropical Stout
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
SG = 1.072 FG = 1.020
IBU = 54 SRM = 35 ABV = 6.8%
Ingredients
6 lbs. (2.7 kg) extra light dried malt extract
8 oz. (0.23 kg) Carapils® malt
8 oz. (0.23 kg) caramel malt (40 °L)
4 oz. (113 g) black patent malt
12 oz. (0.34 kg) British chocolate malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) dried rice extract
4 oz. (113 g) lactose powder
7.2 AAU Willamette hops (60 min.) (1.5 oz./ 43 g at 4.8% alpha acids)
5 AAU Fuggle hops (60 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 5% alpha acids)
2.5 AAU Fuggle hops (30 min.) (0.5 oz/14 g at 5% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Willamette hops (dry hop)
3 Whirlfloc tablets (15 min.)
Wyeast 1968 (London ESB) or Wyeast 1084 (Irish Ale) or SafAle S-04 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Be sure to make an appropriate-sized yeast starter a day or two prior to brew day if using liquid yeast. If using dried yeast, you may opt to pitch two sachets of yeast.
Place the crushed grains in a large mesh bag and submerge in 6 gallons
(23 L) of water. Heat the water and when the temperature hits 170 °F (77 °C), remove the grains allowing the liquid from the bag to drip back into the kettle. Remove from heat and stir in the dried malt extract. When all the extract has dissolved, bring wort up to a boil for 60 minutes, adding hops as indicated. Add rice extract, whirlfloc, and lactose directly to the boil with 15 minutes left.
After the boil is complete, cool to 70 °F (21 °C) to pitch yeast, then ferment at 68 °F (20 °C) for two weeks. Rack the beer into a secondary vessel with the dry hops. Allow 3–7 days contact then bottle or keg as usual.
