How to Plan a Drink Menu for Your Next Barbeque

Are you planning a barbeque for family and friends this summer? If so, you’ll want to arrange a menu that might include t-bone steaks, wagyu beef hamburgers, chicken-and-veggie shish kabobs, corn on the cob, and maybe some meat substitutes for any vegans who’ll be in attendance.

But while you’ll want to serve some good eats at the gathering, what about the drinks? That shouldn’t be an afterthought. Sure, you might want a steady supply of water, sweet tea, and soda, but many other options are also available.

Keep reading for tips on putting together a drink menu for your next barbeque. Your family and friends will be impressed!

Beer

If you plan to throw some quality cuts of tomahawk, New York strip, or boneless ribeye steaks on the grill for your hungry horde, you’ll have many good drink options to consider. Dark beers,
like stouts and porters, are a great fit with beef. You can get your favorite types of beer and enjoy with whatever beef you cook on the barbeque. Dark beers’ sweet, rich flavor will go down well with beef steaks, burgers, and hotdogs.

Sparkling Wine

Sparkling wine is great to enjoy when everyone first arrives and while the food is being cooked on the barbeque. Something light and fruity like a Prosecco will add some fizz to your gathering and put everyone in a bubbly mood. Sparkling wine will also pair well with barbecued chicken and accompanying salads so can be enjoyed throughout the barbecue.

Wine

Perhaps you’re more of a wine drinker than a beer drinker. If so, there are plenty of options if you’d like to serve wine at your next barbeque. If you and some other attendees will be tucking into medium-rare or well-done steaks, you can pair those steaks with red wine. It’s a classic pairing that can’t go wrong if you like tucking into steak and sipping wine. But red wine isn’t the only type of wine that’s a winner with a fine cut of steak cooked to perfection. You can also enjoy some white wine. Full-bodied white wines go well with the flavor of steak. Try a chardonnay.

Whiskey

If you like a more potent beverage at a barbeque, you can add whiskey to your drink menu. Of course, whiskies typically have higher alcohol by volume (ABV) numbers than beer. In fact, the ABV for a typical whisky will usually range from 40% to 60%, while the ABV for a typical beer will be approximately 5%. So, you’ll want to be careful. But if you have a barbeque and serve whiskey, enjoy the beverage moderation.

Non-Alcoholic Beverages

Of course, you don’t need alcohol to enjoy a barbeque. Plenty of non-alcoholic beverages go great with whatever meat or non-meat food you’ll serve at your gathering. Pomegranate and cranberry juice, for example, are great options. The acidic properties of these beverages pair nicely with the heaviness of red meat.

Soda pop is also a staple at barbeques. If you’re cooking up some burgers, whether meat or meat substitute, you might fancy serving only soda with the food. And that might be all that you, your family, and your guests want.

Consider going with whatever soda brands are popular in your neck of the woods. And while soda can be a convenient option, add other non-alcoholic beverage options like iced tea and lemonade. And don’t forget to include plenty of bottled water so that people stay hydrated. Nothing beats fresh water, especially when it’s hot outside.

If you’re planning a barbeque this summer, don’t forget to put as much time into planning the beverage menu as you put into planning the food menu. Offering the right foods and beverages will ensure everyone at your barbecue has a good range of options.