Subcultures of Beer and BBQ

Are beer and BBQ two ingredients in your perfect summer? Imagine the sight and sound of a fresh beer being poured into a pint glass and the smell of hickory smoke on the breeze. Good, yeah? Whether your brew of choice is an Imperial stout or an American light lager or your idea of BBQ is done on a Weber One Touch grill or a reverse-flow custom crafted smoker, I assure you, it’s all good. The subcultures that embrace beer and BBQ are alive and well in Douglasville and Douglas County!

Before anyone thinks I’m calling people names, let’s define subculture:  an ethnic, regional, economic, or social group with characteristic patterns of behavior and ideals that distinguish it from the rest of the culture or society. Whether you call them hobby groups or subcultures, they’re all around us:  golf, wine, cigars, gardening, video games and the list goes on. What characterizes us are the places we prefer to shop, the particular items we seek,  t-shirts we wear, forums and e-lists we frequent, festivals we flock to and a jargon we speak fluently. Some even call these hobbies an obsession.

Beer and BBQ are popular and growing subcultures and that’s what this blog will be about.  On the subject of beer, I hope to point you in the direction of good beer including limited release beers found locally, beer festivals, and beer info on the internet or elsewhere. I’ll stick to beer that’s distributed in the state of Georgia or adjacent states. It’s hard to justify a review of something that you can’t get in this state. I’ll also talk about other issues related to beer including the etiquette of craft beer, beer/food pairing, beer glass selection, and other fun beer topics.

As for barbecue, I know that’s a term that some may want to argue. While a few people like to differentiate the fine line between grilling and smoking (I am one of those people), please allow me to use the term “barbecue” as a catch all phrase for food, usually meat,  cooked on a grate or a spit over fire. In this part of the blog, again, I’ll try to point you in the direction of great BBQ supplies found locally, area festivals, great online forums and I am always open to hearing about your sauce or rub recipes.

Remember I said this blog was about beer and BBQ in Douglasville and Douglas County? I’m also looking for a few people to write about. If you have a sophisticated homebrew rig, build custom smokers or grills, have a competition BBQ team, or have won ribbons in beer competitions, have a passion for beer festivals or host beer tastings,  let me know.  Now on to some good stuff…

Recently spotted: 
Sweetwater Waterkeeper Hefeweizen – find it on tap at Taco Mac, it’s one of their June beers of the month or buy it in 22 oz. bottles at Arbor Place Beverage Depot,  Hop City in Atlanta or other establishments known for selling craft beer.  This tasty German-style wheat beer is a great summer brew and pairs nicely with grilled bratwurst or burgers.  5.7% abv.

Dogfish Head Squall IPA – This unfiltered, bottle-conditioned Imperial IPA has been spotted at Arbor Place Beverage Depot, Hop City and other craft beer retail outlets.  Packaged in a 750 ml bottle, this ale is dry-hopped with six different hops and is only available for a short time.  This cloudy brew has a complex taste, definitely not your typical IPA.  9.0% abv.

Dizzy Pig BBQ Rubs – Find these at Brown’s Pool Supply locally or order online. Created by two guys looking to market a BBQ rub made with fresh, wholesome ingredients, this line of uniquely flavored rubs is worth a try.  With creative names like “Swamp Venom,” “Red Eye Express,” and “Dizzy Dust,” these rubs are good on meats, fruit and other foods bound for the grill.  A few varieties are available in salt-free versions.  

Upcoming beer fests: 
Atlanta Summer Beer Fest:  June 25, 5-10pm, tickets available online: http://www.atlantabeerfestivals.com/
Suwanee Beer Fest:   July 23, 1-5 pm, tickets available online:  http://www.suwaneebeerfest.com/