The Beers You Shouldn't Serve At Your Memorial Day Cookout

With Memorial Day right around the corner, you might be focused on hosting the perfect summer barbecue. Though the holiday falls before the summer season, Memorial Day has become known as the unofficial start of those warm-weather months. Your focus might be on the food served, but don't forget that drinks are also important.

When people think of summer barbecues, they think of anything from beers and rosé to the newest canned cocktails to hit the market. And on a hot summer day, your drink choice matters; you don't want something too rich or too filling. Beer can be a summer or winter drink, depending on its color, flavor, and alcohol content. With so many beer varieties to choose from, you'll want to pay attention to what you're serving to drink alongside those burgers and hot dogs. In fact, there are certain types of beer you should avoid altogether when eating and drinking in the heat.

If you plan on serving beer at your barbecue, stick with something pale and light. According to The Daily Meal, heavy, dark beers are not the way to go when you're throwing an outdoor party. This is because they're meant to be paired with rich foods, such as dessert, rather than grilled favorites. Plus, the dark beer can be more filling, and when you're serving a barbecue menu, you want guests to have as much room as possible to fill up on the copious amounts of food.

Dark beers also tend to have a higher alcohol content, and alcohol and hot weather don't mix well. According to the Cleveland Clinic, consuming alcohol on a hot day increases your risk of serious dehydration. Since alcohol dehydrates you on its own, and sweating in hot weather also causes you to lose fluids, mixing the two can be dangerous if you're not conscious of how much you're drinking. For those reasons, stick to serving guests lighter beer at this year's first cookout of the season. With that settled, it's simply time to whip up some of the easy side dishes that go well with your barbecue.