Date Night Grilling Pairings
Your backyard grill outs may not always be burgers and dogs for the masses. Sometimes grilling up dinner for two on a hot summer night is just what the doctor ordered! And just because you’re grilling doesn’t mean you have to drink beer.
Checkout our collection of dishes, each paired with a cocktail, beer, and a wine, because you never know what the mood might call for.
Steak
A good grilled steak is rich and fatty with a lingering smokiness that demands a beverage just as big and bold. A higher level of acidity can help cut the fatty richness revealing more of the meats true flavor.
Cocktail Pairing: Rob Roy
Ingredients
- 2 oz. Scotch
- 3/4 oz. sweet vermouth
- 3 dashes Angostura bitters
- Brandied cherry for garnish
Directions
- Add all the ingredients into a mixing glass over ice and stir.
- Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
- Garnish with 2 speared brandied cherries.
Beer Pairing:
Wine Pairing:
Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Fiole Du Pape Père Anselme
Bratwurst
Bratwurst, or any sausage for that matter, pairs well with an acidic beverage ingredient as it does a wonderful job of cutting through the fat.
Cocktail Pairing: Rosa & Soda
Ingredients
- 4 oz. Cocchi Rosa
- 2 oz. sparkling lemon water
- Lemon wheels
- Ice
Directions
- Place ice cubes in a rocks glass, add Americano Rosa and soda.
- Stir well with a bar spoon.
- Add a lemon wheel and serve.
Beer Pairing:
Clown Shoes Clementine Wheat Ale
Wine Pairing:
If you’re adding a spicy mustard or any spicy element to your brat, you’ll need something to counter the heat. A Gewurztraminer, with its floral and fruity flavors of white peach and nectarine is a wonderful complement to spice.
Seafood (kebabs & fish tacos)
Acidity plans an important part in seafood dishes as well. The salty brine of most seafood dishes is counterbalanced by the acidity found in certain beverages.
Cocktail Pairing: Classic Margarita
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz. blanco tequila
- 1 oz. orange liqueur
- ½ oz. fresh lime juice
- Ice
Directions
- Place the tequila, orange liqueur, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
- Shake for 10 seconds, and then strain into a prepared cocktail glass filled halfway with ice.
- Garnish with a lemon wedge if desired.
Beer Pairing:
Dogfish Head Seaquench Session Sour
Wine Pairing:
Assyrtiko Santorini is a Greek wine that provides a lovely savory component to seafood while maintaining a high acidity.
Grilled Veggies
Grilled vegetables are typically seasoned with herbs and spices which can make overpowering them all too easy. That’s why you need a drink with an herbaceous quality that won’t fight with veggies but rather complement and lift their delicious qualities.
Cocktail Pairing: Boulevardier
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ oz. Bourbon
- 1 oz. Campari
- 1 oz. sweet vermouth
- Garnish: orange peel
Directions
- Add all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice and stir until chilled.
- Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with an orange peel.
Beer Pairing:
Deschutes Black Butte Porter - the darker coffee notes work well with the char on your veggies.
Wine Pairing:
Fire Road Sauvignon Blanc - the herbal and fruit notes help it pair with dark greens as well as sweeter veggies like carrots.
