At Duck-Rabbit we hear this statement all the time: “It’s too hot to drink a dark beer.” We agree that it is hot, with temperatures averaging around 90 this time of year, but we disagree that it is ever too hot for the right dark beer. This summer, we challenge you boldly to bring Duck-Rabbit to your next barbecue and proudly proclaim your enjoyment of dark beer in the summer!
Why drink dark beer in the summer? Besides the fact that beer is a delicious addition to any afternoon, think about the wonderful ways it pairs with food. The Duck-Rabbit Porter, for example, is a perfect complement to burgers, steaks, and vegetables hot off the grill. Full-flavored grilling techniques cry out for a full-flavor beer! Also, beer’s complex flavors and undertones become more pronounced as they warm. So go ahead and have a stout as you grill the steaks because the beer will taste better with each sip.
Perhaps you think that dark beers are just too thick and filling for the hot summer. While that’s a common misconception about dark beers, there’s such a wide variety of styles that you can certainly find the right beer for your palate. For the summer, a dark beer that is low in alcohol, dry tasting, with an excellent finish might suit your mood. May we suggest the Duck-Rabbit Schwarzbier as your go-to summer beer? It is very dark in appearance and wonderfully roasty in taste with a refreshing finish that is perfect for the summer. In fact, the Schwarzbier is traditionally a German summer lager. The Duck-Rabbit Milk Stout is also a wonderful beer choice for the summer. All the roasty and smoky qualities of a stout are beautifully balanced by the sweet milk sugar in this brew. It’s hard to find dark beer that’s more refreshing than the Duck-Rabbit Milk Stout. Tasting Table named Duck-Rabbit Milk Stout as one of their favorite stouts of the summer.
Now that we’ve busted some of the common myths of dark beers, there are no more excuses! During these remaining months of summer heat, we urge you to step away from the ordinary and instead go for one of our extraordinary dark beers. The flavors you’ll discover just can’t be beat!
-Robin