Having a spring picnic is one of those activities that works for any occasion – a family outing, a date, smoothing things over with an enemy… And since a picnic is a form of a meal, there’s no denying that it should involve alcohol every time. While for some white wine might be the obvious spring choice, a crisp beer can also be a nice thing to bring to a feast on the lawn. Here’s a countdown of 7 of our favorites.
Stella Artois
There’s no denying that Stella Artois is a great food beer. This Belgian pilsner is perfect for the outdoors, because it’s grassy, a little floral, and kind of smells like weed. Crisp and low in alcohol, it’s great with lunchtime staples like sandwiches and cheese.
Trader Joe’s Stockyard Oatmeal Stout
Inexpensive and sweet with hints of chocolate and cherry, this is an excellent example of how stouts don’t need to be thick. This beer is fairly light bodied and won’t overwhelm delicate finger foods.
Saranac Blueberry Blonde Ale
This isn’t a cider, so don’t get any ideas about sweetness. Instead, you can enjoy a very wheated flavor with notes of blueberry candy. That isn’t to say the blueberry taste is bad, but it’s more akin to laffy taffy than fresh blueberries. We like candy, though.
Allagash White
This is an outstanding wheat beer bursting with citrus and spice. You can drink this with anything from seafood to dessert, but it makes an excellent complement to crackers or bread.
Crispin Pear Cider
Crispin, formerly Fox Barrel, makes a succulent pear cider that doesn’t overwhelm the palate with sweetness (while still being deliciously juicy). The only danger with this cider is just how much of it you’ll want to drink. Sip with light cakes and cookies.
Bell’s Two Hearted Ale
This IPA is bitter, complex, and it smells like the ocean (so you should probably picnic by a sea port). Look out for a full hoppy flavor with honeyed sweetness. The unique, deep yellow color and fruity notes also make this IPA wildly different than many in its class.
Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA
This simply tops the list of things to drink at a picnic. Not only is it obviously really, really good (think pine, grapefruit, and caramel), but it’s just the right amount of boozy. Whopping in at a lovely 9%, this beer is perfect drinking for when you want to tune out the other picnic goers and settle into a nap (though it’s not quite as intense as their 120 Minute IPA).