The summer is very nearly upon us and one word on everyone’s lips will most certainly be ‘barbeque’. That’s right, for as soon as the warm weather hits many of us cannot wait to dust down our BBQ’s, open up a bag of charcoal and get cooking – with friends invited over of course.
One of the most vita components of a good BBQ isn’t the meat or the salads, but the drinks so if you’re wondering what are the best drinks to serve at a BBQ then look no further.
Beer
Beer is the drink of choice for most BBQ goers with lagers like Budweiser and Corona proving popular. Lagers are especially good for their crispness and their ability to stay chilled during a hot summer afternoon. The general crisp and slightly bitter taste of lager helps cleanse the palette from many strong tasting BBQ favourites such as hot wings so you can enjoy the next plate. Other beers can be good too with pale ales paring well with smoky meats but lager is the go to BBQ drink and a must have for your event.
Sangria
Sangria is that much loved Spanish blend of wine and fruit is a fantastic accompaniment to any barbeque. First of all, it is easy to make with the base ingredients consisting of red or white wine depending on tastes. Choose something that is light and fruity or zesty like a Rioja for red or a Torrontes or PinoGrigio for the white. Then add sliced seasonal fruits orange, apples, lemons or whatever takes your fancy and then add some sugar, mix and top up with soda water. The great thing about Sangria is that it looks sweet and summery when served in a jug and you can reduce the alcohol level by adjusting the wine to fruit/soda ratio which makes it a great choice to serve during afternoon or early evening barbeques. You can always swap out the wine for vodka or a fruit flavour schnapps to have a fruit punch to serve at your barbeque.
Blender Cocktails
Nothing screams summer like an over the top cocktail that requires a blender to make. Summer favourites like Margaritas, Daiquiris and Pina Coladas all have their place as perfect cocktail choices for your barbeque. The best thing is that these classic cocjtails are easy to make as the blender does all of the hard work. Choose your favourite tequila (for the margarita) or rum (for the daiquiri and pina colada), add fruit, ice and blend is pretty much all you need to know in order to make a freat tasting impressive blender cocktail for your barbeque. Brands such as Jose Cuervo even make their own mixers so you don’t even have to bother cutting fruit, just add ice and blend.
The great thing about barbeques and drinks is that you call the shots, literally. Drinks can be made as light or as potent as you want them to be by shifting the balance of ingredients accordingly. Lighter and fruitier drinks are better for your barbeque to fit in with the summer vibe and pair well with the generally smoky and sweet taste of traditional barbeque foods.
So enjoy your barbeques this summer. Cheers.
