Rain, howling gales, temperatures that barely rise above 15 Celsius. This can only mean one thing. Summer is here!

With the season of optimism finally upon us, now's your chance to fire up the barbie, gather round and hope you're fortunate enough to experience at least 30mins of slightly less Baltic weather.

British weather aside, there's never been a better time to try your hand at food and beer pairing. A stand-around style social matched with a invariable hot potch of veg, meat and anything else that looks vaguely edible from Iceland, BBQs mean there's plenty of opportunity to get creative with your pairings without the formality of the dinner table.

To get you started we've put together a couple of suggestions that will provide a complement or contrast that anyone will be able to appreciate.

So first on the menu...

Hot and Spicy vegetable kebabs: Great as a side or a main dish for those of the vegetarian persuasion, spicy veg kebabs can be slung together out of your usual kitchen culprits like peppers, red onion and cherry tomatoes. A generous sprinkling of chili powder and a squeeze of lime juice is perfect for creating that fiery buzz. We recommend you accompany this dish with a lightly chilled bottle of Punk IPA given the relatively high alcohol content and fruity aftertaste provides a much needed contrast to the chili whilst refreshing the palette at the same time.

Aberdeen Angus beef burger: Another dish where you can create a culinary contrast is with this BBQ classic and a serving of our very own 77 Lager. Light, fizzy and packed full of Amarillo and Chinook hops that boast a fruit burst to be reckoned with, pairing this lager with the likes of a rich red meat makes for the ultimate juxtaposition.


Buffalo wings & ribs: No BBQ would be complete without good ol' buffalo wings or spare ribs getting a look in. Traditionally coated in a rich Mexican marinade, wings and ribs are the perfect partner to a bottle of our iconoclastic amber ale, 5am Saint. Sweet, smooth and thirst quenching at the same time, 5am Saint works with the richness of the marinade to create a well rounded taste experience, topped off by an aromatic sting in the tail courtesy of some generous dry-hopping.

White fish skewers: Fed up with red meat and looking for something a little more adventurous? Why not try your hand at white fish skewers made out of ethical fish of the moment – coley. Sling these skewers onto the coals for an even smokier taste or wrap in a layer of foil and cook until appetisingly crumbly. Either way, the notes of pineapple and passionate to be found in our infamous blonde beer – Trashy Blonde – is complementary from the offset when paired with such a smoky and strong tasting fish.

Baked banana: A wild card of a dessert, why not create a talking point with a combination of baked banana and a side of Tokyo*? With notes of coffee and chocolate, this intergalactic fantastic stout lends itself – without a doubt – to any BrewDog BBQ finale. Aged on toasted oak chips and weighing in at 18.2% ABV, the sweetness of the banana against the warmth of this full bodied stout will go down a treat and set you up for the rest of your evening.

Let us know about your forays in beer and food pairings! Whap your comments in the box below, we read every one of 'em.

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