With all this hot weather, Nanaimoites are cooking outdoors whenever they can. With a little imagination and tin foil, pretty good meals can be turned out on the barbeque.

Surprise, surprise, hot weather can make us a tad thirsty too. Not so much for wine but for that carbonated stuff that’s a little lower in alcohol, but is a true thirst quencher.

Enter the art of beer and food pairings.

Just as with wines, certain beers can either compliment or over-power some foods.

Should you be turning out chicken quesadillas in foil on your BBQ, the best beer would be an amber or red ale. An excellent craft beer would be Dageraad Amber Ale. Its medium body is balanced by toasty malt that boosts the cheesy goodness of the quesadilla. Check out how is beer made if you’re interested in craft beer.

Dageraad Amber’s slightly dry and bitter finish accents the quesadilla spices. A little bit more beer improves the taste of the chicken! Pretty much a match made in heaven! A large bottle that shares well between two people, it’s easy on the pocket book, big on flavour.

What would a barbecue be without burgers? Beef or salmon burgers are well paired with a dark lager. The dark roasted malts in the Okanagan Springs Brewmaster mirror the richness of beef or salmon.

The Brewmaster’s crisp, clean finish cleanses your taste buds for another big bite. Great for entertaining!

If barbecued seafood is your thing, look no further than a refreshing Hefeweizen or Witbier wheat beer. Kronenbourg Blanc is an ideal choice. Light and slightly tart with an exciting effervescence, this pale wheat beer delivers lemon/lime flavours with a hint of coriander and orange peel. The subtle flavors let your seafood shine through. Kronenbourg Blanc is so refreshing it makes a good aperitif.

An over-all crowd pleaser that works with a wide range of dishes is pale ale. Not too heavy, not too malty, not too bitter, it’s a good smooth beer that works with most foods. Bring it with you to the potluck.

A couple of beer styles should be avoided when cooking on the BBQ. Strong ales and barley wine, for instance, will overwhelm most foods. These beers go well with bold cheese, game and some deserts, but are difficult to pair with most foods, especially off the grill.

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