Brews for the ‘cue

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 05/06/2021 (1980 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Back in the days of lawn darts, stubby beer bottles and cheap aluminum lawn chairs, barbecued fare consisted primarily of either burgers or hotdogs, blackened by the flame of lighter-fluid-soaked charcoal briquettes. (At least that’s how this child of the 1980s remembers things.)

But our culinary landscape (and lawn chair selection) has greatly expanded; adventurous grillers are now barbecuing all manner of dishes, with delicious and exciting results.

The beer landscape has also changed big-time — we’re not confined to the run-of-the-mill lagers from big corporate breweries anymore. Local brewers are pumping out new styles of brews at a pace that can be tough to keep up with — a good problem to have.

No matter what you’re grilling, there’s a beer to go with that. Here are a half-dozen new brews to pair with a wide range of grilled fare on a hot day. For those not brewed in their own facility, the brewery where they are made (and available) is noted.

● The Trans Canada Brewing Co. Raspberry Sour (Winnipeg — $4.25/473ml cans, brewery, Liquor Marts, beer vendors) is the latest in the local brewery’s County Sour series. This Berliner weisse is deep pinkish in colour and slightly hazy, and aromatically delivers tart raspberry/raspberry jam notes as well as light malt, wheat and saline notes. It’s mainly dry with a solid sour component; racy acidity picks up that almost-salty note, which works quite well with the tart raspberry and subtle lemon flavours and the modest 4.3 per cent alcohol. Try this with grilled shrimp or, even better, a fresh summer salad in a fruit-based vinaigrette (ideally raspberry, obviously). 3.5/5

● The Good Neighbour Premium Pale Lager (Winnipeg — $3.99/473ml can, brewery, Liquor Marts, select beer vendors) is a pale straw-coloured Czech-style lager that leads with fresh malt, lemon rind, floral and subtle corn aromas. It’s dry, crisp and light-bodied, with just a hint of bitterness that accentuates the malt and hop notes and crisp, clean finish with the approachable 4.5 per cent alcohol. This is the post-lawn-mowing beer you want in your fridge; it would also work really well with pickerel cooked in foil with some lemon. Brewed at Oxus. 3.5/5

● The Sookram’s Brewing Co. Time Loop Session IPA (Winnipeg — $4.19/473ml can, brewery, select beer vendors) brings the flavours of a big IPA in a lighter, crisper and lower-alcohol style. It’s pale gold in colour and slightly hazy, and the Mosaic and Centennial hops are big and bright on the nose, delivering grassy/herbal/piney notes over top of the citrus and fresh malt components. It has plenty of intensity on the light-plus bodied palate, with the citrus and hoppy flavours singing out without the big, high-alcohol finish of many IPAs (this is 4.9 per cent alcohol, which makes it a “sessionable” IPA). Try with grilled chicken (or tofu) in a Sriracha-type marinade or, for those who prefer less spicy, Greek-style seasoning. 4/5

● Unlike many of its previous brews, the Vessel Beer Co. Times Change(d) High & Lonesome Ale (Winnipeg — $3.79/473ml can, brewery, Liquor Marts and beer vendors) is relatively straightforward. The British-style golden ale is medium-gold and clear in appearance, with big malt aromas front and centre, secondary floral notes and hints of corn and red apple in there as well. It’s dry and medium-bodied, bringing deep malty flavours, very low bitterness and a clean but robust finish (alcohol-wise it’s five per cent). Since you can’t yet enjoy it at Times Change(d)’s outdoor beer garden, enjoy with a pork tenderloin or glazed salmon. Brewed at Nonsuch. 3.5/5

● The Grain to Glass Bat Country IPA (Winnipeg — $4.19/473ml can, brewery, Liquor Marts, beer vendors) is the latest commercial offering from the St. Mary’s Avenue home-brewing outfit, and it’s a winner. Medium gold and hazy in appearance, there’s a complex mix of fresh grass, pear, malt and lemon zest notes that come through aromatically. On the robust, medium-bodied palate the hops never overpower, but rather deliver lovely floral, grassy and melon notes that work really well with the rich, malty core of this brew. At 6.7 per cent alcohol, it all comes together nicely — this is your steak-and-potatoes IPA. Brewed at Torque. 4.5/5

● The Kilter Fog Machine Azacca Double IPA (Winnipeg — $4.79, brewery, beer vendors) is medium-straw in appearance and plenty hazy, with a chalky candy note (think Flintstones vitamins, Gen Xers) that’s fun with the pineapple, grapefruit pith and fresh malt aromas. It’s big and mainly dry, with the Azacca hops bringing a compelling, smoky, almost-peaty punch that deftly counteracts the big pineapple/mango/tropical flavours. Take the peatier path and pair with ribs or brisket, or go the tropical route with blackened chicken in a fruit salsa. Just be careful — the eight per cent alcohol is deceptively potent. 4/5

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