Steak and IPA: Best Grill and Beer Pairings

There is nothing quite like a warm afternoon spent grilling with a beer in hand. Whether you are grilling up burgers, steaks, sausages, or any other delicious variety of grill-worthy food, it is always worth it to pair your dish with a great beer. After countless hours of “research”, we put together a beer pairings guide that’ll help you pick that perfect brew every single time.

Grilling Burgers

This classic American staple is the perfect summertime meal and deserves an awesome accomplice to go with it. There’s tons of flavors all working together at once, so finding that perfect brew can be tougher than you might think.

Open an IPA – IPAs will add some welcome bitterness to your next burger tasting experience. We recommend going with a black IPA, the roasty malt flavor profile blends nicely with the char of the grill-cooked patty. There’s great similarity in flavor but just enough contrast to add depth and complexity, ensuring an excellent combination of food and drink.

Snag a Smoked Porter – Smoked Porters are a great option. They offer some of that complementary roasty bitterness of the black IPAs, but the smoky flavor brings it to a “whole-nother-level.” These beers are brilliant when paired with burgers topped with bacon, blue cheese, and barbecue sauce—natural friends of all things smoked.

Grilling Sausages

Honestly, sausages taste great with just about any beer. But you can never wrong with the classic combination of sausages and a good ol’ German lager.

Grab a German lager – Sausages cooked on the grill develop a wonderful caramelized crust that is just begging for the dense maltiness of amber or brown lagers like Märzen, Vienna, or Dunkel. These beers are known for their bready, caramelly, and toasty flavors, making them a wonderful compliment.

Reach for a Rauchbier – Smoky beers are a great option if you are looking for a brew to pair with sausages. With all of the awesome attributes of Märzen, Vienna, and dunkel lagers, Rauchbiers add a great smoky flavor that makes for a wonderful pairing experience.

Grilling Steaks

The king of all things grill: a good, juicy steak is your go-to backyard BBQ meal staple. With beautiful, big and beefy flavors, you need a beer that will play well with all of this meat’s best characteristics.

Pop Open a Stout or Porter – When juicy steaks are involved, always reach for a dry and roasted porter or stout that is somewhere in the 5 to 7% ABV range. The roasted bitterness from the malts that are used to create the flavor of the beer will offer a great contrast to the fatty flavors of the steak.

Try a Brown Ale – If you are grilling a steak that is on the leaner side, you want to stick with a less aggressive beer. Lightly roasted brown ales offer all of the same great flavors of a stout or porter, but aren’t quite as loud or in your face.

If you are interested in learning more about awesome food and beverage pairings, or just want to learn more about all things liquor in general, be sure to check out our blog. Then, swing by Julio’s Liquors in Westborough, MA to pick up the perfect brew for your next outdoor occasion!