BBQ Drinks — which beer, wine, or cocktail pairs with your rub?
A good BBQ deserves a good drink. Not just any beer from the fridge, but a combination that enhances the flavours of your rub and completes the meal. For each rub, we give you the best choices — from craft beer to natural wine and summery cocktails.
🍖 Memphis BBQ Rub — sweet and smoky
The deep, smoky sweetness of Memphis calls for drinks with body and a slight bitterness to balance the sugar.
- Beer: Amber ale or American brown ale — the caramel notes align with the brown sugar in the rub. Think of a Texels Skuumkoppe or a local craft amber.
- Wine: Zinfandel or Shiraz — full-bodied red wines with ripe fruit flavours and a smoky undertone that pairs perfectly with spareribs.
- Cocktail: Whiskey sour — the acidity cuts through the fat of pulled pork, the whiskey enhances the smoky notes.
- Soft drink: Iced tea with lemon — classic American, refreshing without overpowering the flavours.
→ All about Memphis BBQ Rub | Order Memphis — €9.95
💛 Carolina Gold BBQ Rub — golden, slightly acidic
The mustard tang and slight acidity of Carolina Gold require drinks that are fresh and fruity without being too heavy.
- Beer: Wheat beer or saison — the spicy, slightly sour notes of a saison beautifully complement the mustard and apple cider vinegar. Try a La Chouffe or a local saison.
- Wine: Vinho Verde or dry Riesling — fresh white wines with a slight acidity that complements the golden bark.
- Cocktail: Aperol Spritz — the bittersweet orange surprisingly pairs well with the turmeric and mustard of Carolina Gold.
- Soft drink: Ginger lemonade — the warmth of ginger aligns with the spicy undertones of the rub.
→ All about Carolina Gold BBQ Rub | Order Carolina Gold — €9.95
🧆 Shawarma BBQ Rub — warm and aromatic
The Middle Eastern spices of Shawarma — cumin, coriander, cinnamon — call for drinks that support the warmth and complexity.
- Beer: Lebanese pale ale or a light IPA — the floral hop notes of an IPA pair well with the aromatic spices. Avoid overly bitter IPAs.
- Wine: Rosé from Provence or a light Grenache — dry and fruity, without overpowering the delicate spices.
- Cocktail: Mint mojito or lemonade with cucumber and mint — the freshness of mint is a classic Middle Eastern combination.
- Soft drink: Ayran (Turkish yogurt drink) or lassi — traditional and refreshing alongside spicy herbs.
→ All about Shawarma BBQ Rub | Order Shawarma — €9.95
🌶️ Korean BBQ Rub — fruity heat
The gochugaru heat and sesame depth of the Korean rub call for drinks that cool and enhance the fruity sweetness.
- Beer: Lager or Hite (Korean beer) — light and fresh, cools the heat of the gochugaru. A Japanese Sapporo or Asahi also works excellently.
- Wine: Dry Gewürztraminer or Viognier — the floral, slightly sweet notes balance the spiciness of the rub.
- Cocktail: Soju cocktail with yuzu and ginger — authentically Korean and perfect with sesame and gochugaru. Or a Moscow Mule with ginger beer.
- Soft drink: Yuzu lemonade or ginger beer — the citrus and ginger align with the fruity heat of the rub.
→ All about Korean BBQ Rub | Order Korean BBQ Rub — €9.95
🔥 Jamaican Jerk BBQ Rub — fiery and Caribbean
The intense heat and Caribbean spices of Jamaican Jerk call for drinks that cool, are fruity, and enhance the tropical vibe.
- Beer: Red Stripe (Jamaican lager) or a fruity wheat beer — light, fresh, and authentically Caribbean. The fruitiness tempers the scotch bonnet heat.
- Wine: Dry rosé or a light Pinot Noir — the fresh acidity cuts through the heat without dominating.
- Cocktail: Dark 'n' Stormy (dark rum + ginger beer) or a classic Rum Punch — Caribbean through and through, the rum enhances the allspice and cloves.
- Soft drink: Coconut water or mango lemonade — tropical, cooling, and perfect with the fruity heat of the scotch bonnet.
→ All about Jamaican Jerk BBQ Rub | Order Jamaican Jerk — €10.95
🌮 Tex-Mex BBQ Rub — spicy and smoky
The robust cumin-chilli combination of Tex-Mex calls for drinks with character — fresh enough to tame the heat, but with enough body to keep up with the smoky depth.
- Beer: Mexican lager with lime (Corona, Modelo) or a smoky porter — the lime refreshes, the porter enhances the smoky notes of the smoked paprika.
- Wine: Malbec or Tempranillo — full-bodied red wines with spiciness that pairs perfectly with the cumin and chilli.
- Cocktail: Margarita (classic or with jalapeño) — the acidity of lime and the warmth of tequila are the perfect Tex-Mex combination. A Paloma (tequila + grapefruit juice) also works excellently.
- Soft drink: Agua fresca with watermelon and lime — Mexican, refreshing, and perfect with the heat of the rub.
→ All about Tex-Mex BBQ Rub | Order Tex-Mex — €9.95
General tips for drinks with BBQ
- Acidity cuts through fat — for fatty dishes such as pulled pork or spareribs, acidic drinks (wine with high acidity, citrus cocktails) work best to keep the flavour fresh.
- Freshness tempers heat — for spicy rubs (Jamaican Jerk, Tex-Mex, Korean) choose light, fresh drinks. Alcohol enhances the heat — so for very spicy food, soft drinks are sometimes better.
- Region matches region — a Mexican beer with Tex-Mex, rum with Jamaican Jerk, soju with Korean. Regional logic almost always works. Serve cold — for summer BBQ, temperature is everything. Make sure drinks are ice cold, especially with spicy dishes.