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Memorial Day is the one day every year when America stops what it’s doing to remember its fallen men and women who heroically served in the United States Armed Forces. It also marks the unofficial start of the summer vacation season – a time for outdoor barbeques and friends and family getting together over food and drinks.
And since we’ve no doubt that all of American Craft Beer’s Regional Correspondents are going to be out and about celebrating their long holiday weekend, we thought we’d hit them up to see what they’ll be eating and drinking this Memorial Day.
Tom Bobak / Editor In Chief / Washington, DC
Since Memorial Day marks summer for me, I’m going with Pilsners and dogs….but not just any Pilsner or hot dog. There are two craft beer pilsners that I’m all about lately: Victory’s Prima Pils and Firestone Walker’s Pivo Hoppy Pils. They’re both brilliant. As far as hot dogs go, only two brands are acceptable and they’re both kosher and all-beef – Nathan’s Famous and Hebrew National. Accept no substitutes!
Juliana Casale / Boston Correspondent / Boston, MA
While I will be spending most of my weekend dodging raindrops at the Boston Calling beer garden, Monday is reserved for sunshine, relaxation, and making a sizable dent in the 22 oz. bottle collection that has amassed in my fridge. Memorial Day will find me sipping on some Declaration IPA by Backlash and making eyes at my neighbors’ backyard grills. There IS such a thing as a free burger, if you want it bad enough.
Jeff Chenault / Creative Director / Baltimore, MD
I’ll most likely be hanging out with my homeboys from Full Tilt Brewing and drinking their newest release, Full Tilt Fleet Street Raspberry Wheat. And since I grew up in Kansas City, I’m partial to Boulevard Brewing and will be bringing along Boulevard’s Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale to represent. As far as what we’re eating, it’s a no-brainer. This is Baltimore. There will be crabs, lots and lots of crabs.
DC Steve / Washington, DC
Since I was at Dogfish Head brewpub in Rehoboth Beach, DE, just a couple of weeks ago for an early Memorial Day break, I’ll be honoring the memories of our brave soldiers with the unparalleled 120 minute IPA. If I’m still conscious after downing that 15+% ABV monster, I’ll pair it with a half-smoke, DC’s improved version of a hot dog.
Bailey Wiggle / Pittsburgh/Eastern Great Lakes Correspondent / Pittsburgh, PA
Memorial Day marks the first day I can get out my white pants! Just kidding, I don’t own white pants. But it is the start of grilling season, and though most people gripe by the end of the summer that they’re sick of hot dogs, I never get sick of them. That is, as long as they are Zweigle’s, a hot dog brand that you can pretty much only get in Western New York. Whenever I’m home, I buy multiple packs of the Texas Style Pop-Open mixed packs with Red Hots (normal hot dogs) and White Hots (all pork). As for beer, I just filled a growler of Southern Tier’s new 2X Steam, a double uncommon, and it’s spectacular!
Matt Lyman / Supervising Editor / Seattle, WA
I’m technically celebrating Memorial Day on Sunday, but that shouldn’t change what I’m drinking! Starting hard with a Uinta Detour Double India Pale Ale. Tipping the scales at a hard-charging 9.5%, its fresh hoppiness will set me up nicely for flipping meat. After that, the landing gear will go up, and I will be switching to Airways Pre-Flight Pilsner, a great, light beer that will have me at cruising altitude for the rest of the day.
Warren Wills / Portland Correspondent / Portland, OR
While Memorial Day weekend generally lends itself to BBQ or picnic activities, my weekend will be spent with a beer-loving couple who’ll be tying the knot. Instead of buying them a new set of corncob holders, I’ve decided to lavish each of them with their favorite beer. I picked up a Boulevard Bourbon Barrel Quad for him and The Bruery’s Saison Rue for her, plus a pair of handcrafted goblet glasses. And they lived happily ever after…
Lindsay Snyder / Wisconsin Correspondent / Madison, WI
I’ll be celebrating Memorial Day at Miller Park, rooting on the Brewers. Don’t worry – there will be no Miller involved. My beer of choice this weekend is New Belgium’s summer seasonal Rolle Bolle. Tailgating, baseball, and maybe some camping thrown in there – everything a purely American holiday should be.
Dave Stratton / LA Correspondent / Los Angeles, CA
Practically every day in SoCal is a good day for a BBQ, but Memorial Day weekend is a good time to declare that every meal I cook will be on my Charbroiler until Daylight Savings Time ends. I’m grilling on Sunday after my improv group practices. I always have a smörgåsbord of grilling options on hand that will be fired up, from Omaha Steak burgers to salmon burgers to three different kinds of sausage. I’ll be serving up the always-refreshing-on-a-hot-summer-day delights of Hangar 24 Orange Wheat and the Golden Road Cabrillo Kölsch in a can. I’ll even splurge for the Golden Road Wolf Among Weeds DIPA in a can.
Dan Varricchio / Boston Correspondent / Boston, MA
Since Memorial Day is the start of the summer travel season, this Boston Correspondent will be traveling to Vermont. With the unbelievably cool and even snowy weather being forecasted for the weekend, I don’t know how much grilling we’ll be doing. But I can promise you we’ll be drinking beer, like one of my new favorites – Newburyport Brewing Company Pale Ale in a can. I’ll also be drinking Cisco BrewersSankaty Light Lager, a low-alcohol beer you can enjoy all day and one that is sure to be in my fridge this weekend.
Amber Medin / Texas Correspondent / Dallas, TX
There’s nothing better than tearing into some top-notch Texas BBQ and sampling limited-release local craft beers – and luckily, I’ll get to do both this weekend at Deep Ellum Brewing Company‘s Brew-B-Q! The promise of Deep Ellum’s new Numb Comfort Barleywine and the always-enjoyable dark deliciousness that is Armadillo Ale Works Quaktertown Stout may be the only things that could pull me away from the Arrested Development season four release…missing either would be a huge mistake!
Chris Pavetto / DC Correspondent / Washington, DC
DC is no slouch on Memorial Day events. This weekend, we’ll have everything from concerts to parades to the annual Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Rally – an event that brings a near-endless stream of leather and tattoo-clad bikers to the city in commemoration of America’s war heroes. Although I won’t be getting out my Harley or brandishing any tattoos of Uncle Sam (mainly because I have neither), I will be saluting our country’s finest with Uinta’s 20th Birthday Suit, a sour brown ale. And if the mood strikes me, maybe I’ll spend the weekend in my own birthday suit (indoors, I promise).
Mark Slattery / Denver Correspondent / Denver, CO
The sun is out in Colorado this Memorial Day, which means two things: outdoor activities and craft beer cans! Whether it’s a picnic and some volleyball at Wash Park, kayaking and rafting down the Arkansas River, or hiking and camping in Rocky Mountain National Park, there are more than 160 canned craft beers in Colorado alone to take with you on your adventures. For me, I’m drinking Ska Brewing Company’s ESB Special Ale and Wynkoop Brewing Company’s Belgorado Belgian IPA. And for old time’s sake, I’m sure that the craft beer can that started it all will make a few appearances as well – Dale’s Pale Ale from Oskar Blues Brewery is nearly synonymous with craft beer canning.
