The best cold drinks to pair with summer dishes

Summer drinks

A fragrant, ice-cold drink will complement your summer meal. Raise your glass to these perfect pairings.

Burgers

Burgers and beer are probably a given. Choose a malty brown ale to complement the seared beef.

Recipe: Cheeseburger with cheese sauce and green chili peppers

Brown Ale

For lovers of dark beer, highly aromatic malt and a refreshing bitterness are the key to a great ale. Besides the original English brown ale, there are also other variations, such as coffee-flavored and nutty.

B-B-Q

For barbecue, the choice is to balance the sweetness with a beer like an IPA with a bold hop flavor, or go for a very sweet tea.

Recipe: Wet BBQ Pork Ribs

IPA

A hoppy IPA (India Pale Ale) is a light pale ale, slightly more bitter than the classic version. Some varieties have a slightly creamy or nutty flavor, while others have a hint of citrus.

Grilled chicken

It all depends on the seasonings. Asian? A sweet white wine (like Riesling) would be a good match. Mexican? Try horchata (a creamy Latin American drink made from rice or nuts).

Recipe: Smoked jerk chicken

Riesling

Can you go wrong with a Riesling? Its floral aroma and tart acidity are always refreshing, whether it's the very sweet variety (bottled as Spätlese or Auslese) or the semi-sweet (labeled Kabinett). The sweet wine has a rich, fruity flavor, while the semi-sweet version offers ripe fruit notes with a pleasant acidity.

Fried chicken

Sparkling wine is still the best accompaniment to this dish (or ginger ale if you don't drink alcohol).

Recipe: Chicken marinated in kefir, fried in a pan

Sparkling wine

Sparkling wine instantly transforms roast chicken into a sophisticated dinner. Champagne only refers to wine produced in the Champagne region of France, but you can use any sparkling wine.

Lobster sandwiches

White wine: Chardonnay if you like richness, or Pinot Grigio if you prefer a fresher taste.

Recipe: Lobster sandwich with white wine sauce

White wine

Experiment with rich, aged Chardonnay, which has a buttery flavor, or with less intense, fruity, unaged varieties. Lighter, more acidic Pinot Grigio is typically imported from Italy; citrusy, tropical-leaning wines are produced in California or Oregon (sometimes called Pinot Gris).

Hot dogs

Ice-cold lemonade on the beach; cold beer at a baseball game.

Recipe: Texas hot dog

Lemonade

Fresh lemonade is a summer staple for the whole family. You can adjust the sweetness and tartness to suit your taste; add blueberries or strawberries while they're in season.

Corn on the cob

A Michelada (a spiced beer cocktail, usually with lime juice and hot sauce) is the perfect sweet and spicy complement to grilled corn.

Recipe: Grilled corn

Michelada

If you love Bloody Marys, you won't be disappointed with the Michelada. This spicy Mexican-style cocktail is a must-try this summer. It's super easy to make with just a few simple ingredients like tomato juice (or tomato and clam juice), lime, beer, and hot sauce.

Peach cobbler

The bourbon has enough sweetness to pair with the peaches, but it's also strong enough not to be overpowered by them.

Recipe: Peach Cinnamon Cobbler

Bourbon

This spirit boasts flavors of brown sugar, caramel, and even honey or toffee. Serve neat or over ice.

Blueberry pie

It all depends on the time of day. Coffee for lunch (or breakfast); vanilla milkshake for dinner.

Recipe: Blueberry Streusel Pie

Vanilla milkshake

Cold, creamy, and oh-so-sweet: the vanilla milkshake is a classic ice-cold treat.

Ice cream

The cocktail float has been gaining popularity lately, so choose your favorite soda or a dark chocolate stout.

Recipe: Homemade chocolate cherry ice cream

Soda with syrup

Soda comes in a variety of flavors: choose your favorite based on the ice cream you're having. Try blueberry soda with vanilla ice cream.