Step away from the corkscrew. Put the bottle back in the fridge. Set down your wineglass.
Today, in honor of National Beer Day, we’re renouncing wine and sidling up to a delicious microbrew. Join us–we promise you won’t regret temporarily stashing the vino.
In case you haven’t been paying attention, beer is bigger than ever right now, and we’re not talking Budweiser or the easy cans of Coors Light my dad and uncles drank at summer barbecues. That watered-down stuff will never go away (there is a time and place, after all, for domestic favorites), but if you’ve been rejecting the cold suds because of limited exposure or preconceived notions, it’s time to get with the program.
You know the saying, real men wear pink? Well, real women drink beer. Having shed its simplistic dive bar-or-backyard-only reputation, the ice-cold beverage is coming into its own and demonstrating interesting and complex characterizations. And it gets better: there’s so much awesome beer out there now that it’d take you a lifetime to taste it all. Sip a pint of craft ale and discover a whole new world: from pilsners to IPAs to pale ales and stouts, America’s breweries are responsible for bringing beer to the forefront of the foodie conversation.
The next time you decide to throw a potluck, enourage your guests to bring along a unique 6-pack instead of a bottle of wine. You’ll probably be pleasantly surprised by just how well and easily beer pairs with your favorite food items, and you won’t even miss the Pinot Grigio. Just watch out for those ABVs (alcohol by volume), especially if you’re partial to a hoppy IPA.