Our Summer beers are here, the sun is shining and the grass needs cutting, so you know what that means, it’s GRILLING SEASON!! Can you tell that we’re just a little excited about at OYB??
But seriously folks, there’s nothing quite like sipping on a crisp Old Yale beer while flipping your favourite burgers on the grill on a warm Sunday evening #amiright? If you’re a vet, you probably know all of the tips & tricks below and more and if you’re new to the grilling life, then welcome friend, but either way, we’ve put together our #OYBProTips to help you get the best BBQ experience this Summer… Here we go!
Tip #1: Come prepared.
At Old Yale, we like to look the part, especially when it’s in our very own backyard. We’re talking Old Yale branded tee, an apron to cover and protect that cool tee from grease, our favourite Old Yale hat and/or sunnies, more BBQ tools than we need, the perfect grilling beer (see tip #?????) AND our speaker to play some sweet sweet tunes while we grill it up. The first rule of Grill Club is you don’t talk about Grill Club… no wait that’s Fight Club. The first rule of Grill Club is Always. Be. Prepared.
Tip #2: So fresh and so clean.
Don’t let last night’s (or last Summer’s eeeeeek) salmon burgers add a little unwanted something something to tonight’s chicken. Make sure you clean your grill! We like to use a sturdy metal brush but up to you, either way, do it while it’s hot (safely), it’s SO much easier!
Tip #3: Patience is a Virtue
If you’re STARVING grab a quick handful of chips because you gotta give the grill a little time to warm up… Fire up the grill and let it get to work burning off some of that unwanted bacteria AND so that when you’re ready, it’s ready. For Charcoal Grills, heating up takes about 5 minutes, for gas grills, the sweet spot is anywhere between 10 and 15 mins. Like we said, a handful of chips will help curb that h-anger.
Tip #4: Beer Time!
Just so happens that the time it takes for a Grill to heat up (5-15 mins) is the exact amount of time you need to head to the fridge and select the perfect beer to sip on. Almost any Old Yale beer works for this tip BUT our current backyard BBQ favourites are our Knotty Blonde Ale, Moon Dance Mango Wheat, Poolside Peach Tea Radler AND of course our Fraser Valley Lager.
Tip #5: Don’t over Flip It & Reverse It (That’s a Missy Elliot reference in case you didn’t catch it)
In the words of this blog writer’s Dad “don’t flipping flip it too much”… But for real, the fewer times you flip what you’re cooking, the better - once is idea for most meats. OH AND #ProTip: If what you’re cooking doesn’t seem to wanna flip (aka it’s stuck in those grates), just let it cook a tad bit longer, it should come unstuck when it’s ready to be flipped.
Tip #6: Two is better than One
We’re actually not talking about beer here… but feel free to apply it there too. No, we’re talking skewers. We don’t know about you but EVERY single time we jam pack these back boys with meat and veggies AND start drooling at the thought of scarfing them down, when it comes time to flip them, we regret everything. So to prevent the #rAgrets, veggies falling through the grates and burned fingers after trying to flip them over and over and over again, we like to use two skewers per. They won’t slip and they’ll be easer to grab with tongs.
Tip #7: Eat your Veggies!
You gotta eat your veggies, friends! You gotta. Trust us, even broccoli and brussel sprouts taste good off the grill. Vegetables (when they aren’t on skewers) can be tough to grill, they’re small so they can easily fall through the rack OR overcook, so if you don’t have a veggie rack, wrap ‘em up in tinfoil. This prevents all most of those issues AND it also soaks in all those yummy juices and seasonings.
Tip #8: Give it a rest already…
Once your meat is off the grill, you gotta give it a little rest, for at least 5 minutes before you start slicing and dicing. .. like we said it’s all about patience. This gives all the juices a chance to settle back into the meat. Prop Tip: Use a cooling rack so you don’t lose those cool grill marks you worked so hard at.
Tip #9: Beer Pairings
The perfect beer pairing can make a delicious dinner an EXCEPTIONAL dinner. It’s science. No it’s magic. No, it’s both. That’s why we’ve created a wide variety of delicious hand-crafted beers to pair well with not just adventure but all sorts of yummy dishes! Here are a couple of our suggestions:
Smokie - Fraser Valley Lager
Steak - West Coast IPA
Prawn Skewers - Knotty Blonde Ale
Duck Breast - Moon Dance Mango Wheat
Juicy Homemade Burger - Off Trail Pale Ale
Tiger Prawns - West Coast IPA
BBQ Chicken Thighs - River Valley Amber (Pro Tip: Marinate with your favourite BBQ sauce AND a little bit of the Amber!)
Halibut - Head Shaker Honey Lager (obviously!!)
Corn on the Cob - Fraser Valley Lager
Tip #10: So fresh and so clean… AGAIN.
Like we said in tip #1, clean the grill while it’s still hot to easily remove the burned bits of food stuck to the grate. You’ll be so happy you did next time you head out to BBQ. OH AND make sure you give it a full clean between uses too, we’re looking at you drip pan (gas grills).
Okay, there you have it, some Old Yale tips and tricks to make the most out of your Summer BBQ experience. Got some tips that we missed OR need help pairing the right beer with your dinner?? DM us on social media or send us an email to info@oldyalebrewing.com
And friends… we LOVE seeing your adventures with OYB, so next time you’re grilling, beer-in-hand, snap a pic and tag us @oldyalebrewing or #oldyalebrewing. Cheers!