logo
Six of the best barbecue beers — chosen by our expert

Six of the best barbecue beers — chosen by our expert

Times10-07-2025
W hat makes a beautiful barbecue beverage? That's in the eye of the beer-holder. For me, nothing pairs better with barbecued food than beer — but which one?
No one can say you've got beer wrong if you just want a few cold tinnies in the sunshine. And when the food comes out, the chilled, fizzy bite of a lager cuts through fatty sausages and burgers and refreshes the palate.
But there are beers that can do much more, enhancing the occasion in different ways. Good barbecue beers transcend traditional categories and styles. Depending on how ambitious you're feeling, pretty much any beer could play a role.
If it's hot, of course you'll want something cold and refreshing. But if you're starting early you may also want to go steady on the buzz. Few hangovers are worse than those that start while you're still in the full glare of the summer sun. So maybe choose something relatively low in alcohol, that's still crisp and satisfying.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Lamb ribs that are 'all but inedible' and 'drab and watery' spinach – TOM PARKER BOWLES thinks this vibey new East London Thai joint needs time to settle in
Lamb ribs that are 'all but inedible' and 'drab and watery' spinach – TOM PARKER BOWLES thinks this vibey new East London Thai joint needs time to settle in

Daily Mail​

time11 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

Lamb ribs that are 'all but inedible' and 'drab and watery' spinach – TOM PARKER BOWLES thinks this vibey new East London Thai joint needs time to settle in

Mrs Kirkham's Lancashire is one of the country's finest cheeses, made on the outskirts of Goosnargh. In 2008 Ruth Kirkham's son, Graham, decided to move the dairy from an old stone piggery to a modern, state-of-the-art dairy. But there was a problem. The first batch didn't taste quite right, nor the second, despite using exactly the same milk and traditional cheesemaking process. All those lovely bacteria and yeasts that had built up over the years had yet to develop in their new home, and it took a little time for Mrs Kirkham's to return to its former glory. The same can be said of the new Singburi in Shoreditch, because the Leytonstone original was one of the country's great Thai restaurants, tiny, unadorned, perennially packed and making no concession whatsoever to timid Western palates. I loved it. But now Singburi has moved to a large, exposed-ducts and-concrete industrial space beneath a railway arch. There's much to love. Their watermelon salad now comes with strawberries and is as fierily refreshing as ever, with pork floss adding texture and depth. Charred chicken thighs are astonishingly good, with crisp skin and succulent flesh all gently scented with wild ginger. Smoked pork belly is another cracker, and their take on nam tok, the chunks of soft flesh mixed in a herb salad that's sharp, sweet and hot. Roasted sticky rice powder adds nutty crunch. There's a punchy ka prow, the street-food classic, minced beef topped with a frazzled fried egg. And a beautifully cooked lozenge of halibut with a lake of verdant nam jim, heavy on the lime and coriander. Best of all is a southern prawn curry, the sauce rich, complex and languorously spiced. Raw beef larb has a decent heat, and the meat is excellent quality. But there's not enough acidity, and it feels more like tartare. Stir-fried Malabar spinach is drab and watery. Lamb ribs are chopped into bite-sized bones, but the fat hasn't rendered enough. They're all but inedible, and are rightly removed from the bill. Strangest of all, we're refused prik nam pla (fish sauce, lime juice and chillies) that comes as standard in any Thai restaurant on earth. The chef simply refuses to send any out. Singburi, then, is still a work in progress, but there's brilliance behind the burners. Have faith, and watch this space.

Millions of households to be hit by internet summer slowdown as map reveals full list of affected locations
Millions of households to be hit by internet summer slowdown as map reveals full list of affected locations

The Sun

timea day ago

  • The Sun

Millions of households to be hit by internet summer slowdown as map reveals full list of affected locations

MILLIONS of households have been warned they may notice slower internet speeds over the rest of summer as every kid is expected to spend an extra 76 hours online on average. Research by USwitch has revealed the worst affected areas across the UK, according to reports from parents who notice an impact on their broadband. 2 More than a quarter said they experienced slower broadband speeds during the summer months. Some of the common problems include websites taking longer to load, streamed videos buffering and pausing, as well as longer download times. A map shows the worst affected parts, based on a poll of 2,000 adults. Edinburgh appears to come out as the heaviest hit, with 26 per cent saying they notice their speed is slower over the summer. London comes second, with 23 per cent. Plymouth, Leeds and Sheffield round off the worst five areas. However, it's not bad news for everyone - Cardiff, Bristol, Belfast, Southampton, Newcastle came out better. USwitch estimates that around 9.4million Brits will experience sluggish broadband compared to normal based off the poll results. Although it's thought younger users often drive the trend, over half of British adults admitted they were actually the biggest bandwidth hogs in their homes. "With more devices online than ever, households need to make sure that their broadband is up to the task this summer," said Ernest Doku, broadband expert at Are you owed cash from an outage? 'When kids are home from school, the sheer volume of simultaneous streaming, gaming, and video calls puts immense pressure on shared networks, leading to noticeable slowdowns and buffering at all times of the day. 'Simple fixes like limiting the number of connected devices, disconnecting any you're not using, turning off HD streaming or scheduling online gaming to off-peak hours can also make a real difference. 'If you're still facing slow speeds, it's a good idea to run a speed test and make sure you're getting the speeds you pay for within your package. 'Your provider should always give you a minimum guaranteed speed for your broadband service. For superfast broadband products, this is now based on the capability of the line going directly into your home or office. 'If you think your broadband is slower than it should be, contact your provider to identify the problem. If the issue lies within their network, and they can't fix it within 30 days, they must offer you the right to exit your contract without being penalised.'

Shish kebabs, peri peri chicken and antipasti: chef Hasan Semay's barbecue feast
Shish kebabs, peri peri chicken and antipasti: chef Hasan Semay's barbecue feast

The Guardian

time2 days ago

  • The Guardian

Shish kebabs, peri peri chicken and antipasti: chef Hasan Semay's barbecue feast

I spent a lot of my childhood sitting in the passenger seat of my dad Kamil's Volvo, on the barbecue run, listening to Turkish radio. We would usually get the same things: chicken breasts for mum, boneless thighs for the rest of us, and some sort of lamb on the bone for dad. He would purposely butcher it poorly, leaving bits of meat on the bone to grill slowly and pick at as he cooked for the rest – a 'trick' he had learned from his dad. My love for barbecues, cooking over live fire, and entertaining, definitely stems from him. Barbecues would always start with an impromptu announcement at the table after Sunday morning family breakfast. Mum would begrudgingly agree, knowing the mess my dad can produce in about 20 minutes. It didn't take much persuading in my house to get the mangal [Turkish barbecue] lit. We didn't need perfect blue skies. A dry day and enough sunlight to see us through to the evening would be enough to seal the deal, although dad has been known to barbecue under a tree in a bin bag if the weather didn't cooperate. One of us kids would get dragged to the Yasar Halim mediterranean market in Haringey, north London. Excuses of 'but I've got homework!' and 'football's on!' would be thrown around the table, leaving me, the youngest, in the firing line. Dad's finger would point straight down the table to me. 'Put on your shoes, boy.' We had a routine: we would split up to shop. I would grab the herbs, vegetables and rice or bulgur. Dad would be talking to the butcher, eating the unwashed grapes in his basket, and pulling off bits of bread. As Turks, hospitality was always a big thing in our household. It's a value I've inherited, and live by as an adult. Guests are a blessing, and watching my friends and family stuffing their faces while I sit in front of a mangal in a vest, socks and sandals, with a semi-dirty tea towel over my left shoulder, is my happy place. These days, I don't always have the time to be running around supermarkets for a last-minute barbecue, so I plan ahead just a little bit more. Ordering from Ocado means I can get the essentials sorted quickly, while knowing everything I'm serving is good quality. If there's one thing I've learned in my many years at the grill, it's to strategise. I like to take my time with barbecues, but I don't want people starving while they wait so I fill a table with picky, dippy and pully bits. Guests arrive, you say hello, hand them a drink, usher them over to the grazing table and leave them there. Antipasti, cured meats, dips to dunk breadsticks in – Ocado Moroccan inspired houmous is a go-to – and something pickled to keep the palate entertained before the show starts. For the starters table M&S Collection red pepper & walnut dipM&S grilled Turkish olivesM&S sundried tomatoesOcado Moroccan inspired houmousM&S sunburst peppers Ocado Spanish mild chorizo ringUnearthed Spanish style picklesRamona's original houmousOcado pitted green olivesM&S balsamic marinated onions The secret to barbecuing meat is choosing cuts with a high fat content. Fat + charcoal = smoke which leads to flavour. Crispy bits of dancing fat and acidic garnishes for me are the memories of my childhood, think chimichurri (this one from Ocado hits the spot), salsa verde, or just a squeeze of lime to give meat vibrancy. Something to eat alongside a nicely dressed salad or way too much potato salad … For the mains M&S lamb merguez sausagesM&S grill new yorker chicken flattiesM&S 4 lamb shish kebabsChimilove medium chimichurriM&S spicy pickle potOcado peri peri chicken grillsM&S Grill 4 king prawn skewers with nduja marinade We often finish barbecues at mine with fresh fruit. Growing up, the fruit of choice was always watermelon. There's nothing like biting into a slice and letting the juice cleanse your palate – plus, it helps keep everyone hydrated. Watermelon can be hit or miss in the UK, but Ocado fruit is fresh and tasty. That being said, with the sun shining bright and a stomach full of delicious things, who can actually say no to ice-cream … And for afters Ocado watermelonHäagen-Dazs crunchy cookies & cream stick barTwister pineapple lemon-lime and strawberry mini ice-cream lollies Choosing the right charcoal is just as important as selecting the right food – and being able to order it from Ocado alongside everything else keeps things fabulously simple. Make sure your charcoal is running white hot and spread it evenly in your barbecue to avoid flare ups and inconsistent cooking. Eating barbecue is almost as messy as cooking it, and nobody likes to be patronised by a grownup drink in a child's cup, so make sure you've got the essentials in order, too … Equipment Villeroy & Boch white wine glassesLemon Fresh picnic dinner plateBig K 5kg hot brix grade briquetteEmma Bridgewater polka dots napkins Life Delivered. Shop your barbecue essentials at Ocado now

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store