Backyard BBQ Beer Poems

A six pack built with beers perfect for those backyard summertime bbqs.  

backyard beers that are perfect for a bbq

Summer is here! Well, almost. And in anticipation, I made a pick 6 of beers I thought would pair perfectly with burgers, brats, and other cookout classics. Then I got drunk and wrote a poem to honor these beers and the summer bbq.  

Revolution – Sun Crusher – 5.3% –  Wheat ale 

“A crushable ale to celebrate the end of winter and rejoice the coming of warm weather! This Hoppy Wheat Ale is brewed with Apollo and Amarillo hops, with a dry-hop blend of Crystal, Amarillo, and Mosaic, resulting in a mellow bitterness and pronounced flowery and citrus aromas.” 

Tastes like the summer sun itself. Sun Crusher comes with a milder hop flavor, with notes of citrus and what tastes like tropical, juicy, mosaic hops of melon and grapefruit. But unlike an IPA, the hops aren’t overbearing, the bitterness is minimal, and it’s followed by a grainy, wheat malt that balances the beer. Overall, the fruit/citrus flavors with light bitterness make it a refreshing and easy to drink summer beer.  

3 Sheeps – Tiki Torch – 4.5% –  Blond/Fruit Ale  

“Whether it’s a day at the pool, on the lake, or a backyard BBQ: we made Tiki Torch for our laid-back Wisconsin summers. We brought together some tropical hops and a boatload of fresh passionfruit to brew a citrusy golden ale that’s a little sweet and extremely refreshing. It’s smooth, drinkable, and packed with fruit-forward flavors, with a surprising complexity to round it all out. Tiki Torch is the perfect complement to our precious summers.”  

Tiki Torch floods you with a burst of passionfruit flavor and juiciness before settling in to a sweet biscuit/caramel pale malt background. It’s refreshingly sweet, and all the fruit flavor screams summer.  

Lakefront Brewery – Citrica – 5.8% – Blonde 

“Brewed with key lime purée and orange peel, this Mexican-style ale serves up the perfect citrus-forward flavor to pair with warm and sunny Wisconsin summer days.” 

I wasn’t sure what to expect with the Citrica, but instantly fell in love with it. It has perfect summer flavor with a refreshing abundance of lime juice and citrus. It reminds me of Dogfish Head’s SeaQuench, but slightly less tart, and with more citrus bitterness. 10/10 would make a great stadium beer.  

Third Space – Summer Home – 4.8% –  Blonde 

“Generous dry hopping gives this blonde ale hints of orange, mango and melon. Low bitterness makes it the perfect summer brew.” 

Another fruit forward blonde, Summer Home has notes of lemon, melon, citrus, and grassy hop bitterness that leads into a biscuity light malt background. It’s another mildly-hopped ale that is perfect for porch drinking.  

Central Waters – Brut Pils – 5.5% – Pilsner  

“Light, crisp, and refreshing with an extra dry finish for insane drinkability- plus at 5.5% ABV, only 130 calories and 2 grams of carbs, it won’t kill that beach bod you’ve been working on all winter.”  

This takes what I love about brut IPAs and applies it to a pilsner. It’s the best of both, coming off as extra dry and with classic pilsner notes of grainy, corn like flavor and hints of peppery spice. It’s the champagne of pilsners and a perfect pairing for some grilled meats.  

Epic –  Los Locos –  4.8% –  Lager  

“A Mexican-Style Lager with corn, natural lime juice and just a hint of salt.” 

Another summertime favorite of mine. Like the Citrica, it’s filled with citrus and tart lime, and hints of saltiness, along with floral hops and then a subtle malt sweetness. It’s the whole flavor of a backyard cookout summed up in a beer.  

Beer, Barbecue Sauce, and Sunsets  

'It was a late May day which brought about 
Our impromptu barbecue, sitting on the second story porch  
Surrounded by friends and smoke from grilling meats, also the summer sticky heat  
We ate off paper plates and spilled from solo cups  
The Ramones shouting from the speakers inside  
as more and more arrived  
Then the sun began to set we made another trek  
Off to the liquor store for beer as the supply neared  
It's initial end.  

We had cheap bum wines paired with savory ribs slathered in  
Rich molasses sauces tangy kicks, there were grilled shrimps, brats and burgers too  
Ice cold beers late into the night. It's little things like summertime twilight  
And beer and barbecues that make it great to be alive.'  
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