They call them lawnmower beers in the United States. Light, golden and thirst-quenching, they're the type of cool beverage knocked back when the sun comes out and the barbecue gets dusted off.
Usually a kind of lager or pale ale, they’re low in alcohol and a pretty bland bunch of beers, it has to be said.
But that’s the great thing about this whole craft beer movement – for every mainstream style you can get a craft version that will have a little more of a story, and definitely more flavour.
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So if you’re planning a barbecue and going to all the effort of getting good chicken or beef sourced from Irish farms, make sure to give your beer selection some love too.
For an Irish lawnmower beer alternative – tasty, easy-drinking and balanced – try Mountain Man's Hairy Goat. This is an English-style India Pale Ale with a medium bitterness and a good grapefruity aroma. At 4.5% it's not too strong either (worth keeping an eye on when choosing beers for afternoon or early-evening barbecues).
For something with a little more bite, grab a few cans of Black's Kinsale Pale Ale 5%, which has a good, crisp hoppiness and balance that will stand up to stronger flavours if you've got spicy sausages or chicken on the menu.
Beer Garden Wit is a seasonal beer worth checking out from the Longford brewery, St Mel’s. This is a 5% Belgian-style witbier with orange peel, coriander and elderflower with an earthy flavour and a summery golden haze.
For something totally different try Lindeman’s Pecheresse – this is a 2.5% Belgian lambic which mixes sweet and sour with a hint of peach.
I tried it one evening recently and even though the rain was coming down outside I swear I could hear the sound of a lawnmower going in the distance.
@ITbeerista
