Cocktails and Mocktails for BBQ — the Best Drinks | The Rub Kitchen
A good BBQ deserves a good drink. Not just any drink – but one tailored to what you're grilling. A spicy Tex-Mex brisket calls for something fresh and tart. Korean BBQ pairs well with lightly sparkling, umami-friendly drinks. Churrasco and caipirinha are from the same culture. This is the drink guide to The Rub Kitchen's BBQ cuisine.
Cocktails per BBQ style
Tex-Mex & Mexican BBQ
Spicy, smoky meat calls for something fresh and tart to balance the heat.
- Margarita — the classic. Tequila, triple sec, lime juice. → Margarita recipe
- Paloma — tequila + grapefruit juice + sparkling water. Fresher than a margarita, less sweet.
- Michelada — beer with tomato juice, lime juice, Tabasco, and salt. The Mexican Bloody Mary — perfect with barbacoa.
Pairs with: Barbacoa, Tex-Mex BBQ Rub
American BBQ — Memphis & Texas
Smoky, slow-cooked meat pairs well with bourbon and whiskey-based cocktails.
- Whiskey sour — bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup, optional egg white. Balances the sweetness of Memphis-style rub.
- Old fashioned — bourbon, Angostura bitters, sugar. Simple, deep, perfect with brisket.
- Arnold Palmer — iced tea + lemonade (50/50). Non-alcoholic — the Southern classic summer drink for BBQ.
Pairs with: Brisket recipe, Memphis BBQ Rub
South America — Churrasco & Asado
Brazilian and Argentinian BBQ have their own iconic cocktails.
- Caipirinha — cachaça, lime, sugar, ice. Brazil's national cocktail, inextricably linked with churrasco. → Caipirinha recipe
- Fernet con Coca — Argentina. Fernet Branca + cola. The unofficial national drink with asado.
- Malbec — not a cocktail, but Argentinian red wine is the classic choice for asado and belongs on every list.
Pairs with: Argentinian Asado, Brazilian Churrasco
Korean BBQ
KBBQ culture has its own drinking rituals — soju is indispensable.
- Soju — Korean distilled spirit, light and neutral. Drunk neat with KBBQ, or mixed.
- Somaek — soju + maekju (beer). The most popular KBBQ cocktail — mix 1:3 soju to beer.
- Makgeolli — Korean rice wine, lightly sparkling and slightly sour. Surprisingly good with grilled meat with gochugaru.
Pairs with: Korean BBQ culture, Korean BBQ Rub
Mediterranean — Italian & Greek grilling
- Aperol Spritz — Aperol, prosecco, sparkling water, orange. Light and fresh — perfect with grilled vegetables and lamb.
- Negroni — gin, Campari, sweet vermouth. Bitter and complex with grilled lamb or Italian sausage.
- Ouzo with ice and water — the Greek standard with souvlaki and grilled lamb.
Pairs with: Italian grilling, Toscana Fire BBQ Rub
Mocktails for BBQ — non-alcoholic
Non-alcoholic options that fit just as well at the BBQ table — for children, drivers, or anyone who simply doesn't drink.
- Lemonade with smoked salt — fresh lemons, simple syrup, sparkling water, pinch of smoked sea salt. Surprisingly good with smoky meat. → Recipe
- Hibiscus iced tea — hibiscus blossoms, honey, lemon, ice. Fresh, floral, lovely with Middle Eastern BBQ.
- Kombucha — lightly sour and sparkling — the non-alcoholic counterpart to beer with BBQ.
- Virgin mojito — fresh mint, lime, sparkling water, simple syrup. Fresh with spicy dishes. → Recipe
- Ginger beer lemonade — ginger beer + lime juice + fresh mint. Spicy, fresh, no alcohol.
Beer with BBQ — which type suits which?
- IPA — bitterness cuts through fatty meat. Good with brisket, pulled pork, and sausages.
- Wheat beer — light, fruity, citrusy. Pairs with chicken, fish, and Mediterranean grilling.
- Stout or porter — roasted, dark — surprisingly good with beef short ribs and chocolate rub.
- Lager — universal and refreshing. The standard choice for any BBQ style.