Fire pits are having their moment
“Want to walk over and have a beer by the fire? The kids can have some s’mores. We’ll keep our distance.”
My wife and I texted our neighbors with a version of this invitation a few weeks ago. The answer was, “yes,” so, no big deal, I have friends, but we were more than a little hesitant about the offer. Was it appropriate? Was it safe? Were we putting our friends in a tough spot where they would have to say, “No, thank you, duh, we’re in the middle of a pandemic that requires social distancing.”
I’m not trying to make light of a very real, very scary global situation, but as I walk up and down my neighborhood in the evenings, it’s very clear that if I’d somehow invested in backyard fire pits, I’d be very wealthy right now.
It makes sense. The ability to get together inside is pretty limited these days, so why not get together around the fire? I do think the current circumstances have reminded all of us of some simple pleasures we might otherwise take for granted. And there is nothing quite so simple, yet satisfying, as letting your mind go while the flames lick at a few seasoned logs.
It’s a campfire, except that when you’re ready to go to bed you can just walk into your own house.
And there is absolutely no reason why you can’t enjoy a beer with a friend sitting on the opposite side of the fire — or maybe even a couple friends, but let’s not get carried away.
The best news of all is that beer has always been perhaps the single greatest accompaniment to a fire. I don’t know that I ever appreciate a beer as much as I do alongside a fire. There is something about the flames and the smoke and the cool evening air that just pairs perfectly with a can or a bottle or a plastic cup of ice-cold beer.
Any beer that suits you works in this instance. You want a rich, dark coffee stout? Perfect fit! What about something light, like a simple Pilsner? Excellent choice! Thinking about trying out that bottle of raspberry wheat ale? You don’t need to bring me one but by all means go for it.
Unless it’s a blazing hot summer night, in which case I might be likely to decline the fire altogether, I tend to lean toward beers with a bit more substance, like a brown ale, such as Kelsen Brewing Co.’s Paradigm Brown Ale, or perhaps something like Throwback Brewery’s Oma’s Tribute, which is a black lager boasting big roasted malt flavor.
Able Ebenezer Brewing Co.’s Burn the Ships smoked IPA would be an obvious and perfect fireside brew.
I think the fire is the time to bust out, and presumably share, some barrel-aged brews, like Stoneface Brewing Co.’s barrel-aged Mistadoppelina, which is a “malt-forward lager with notes of toffee, caramel and dates,” according to the brewery, or Stoneface’s 2020 bourbon barrel-aged Russian imperial stout that “is dominated by bourbon and barrel characteristics like sweet oak and vanilla.” Maybe you wouldn’t normally go to a big stout in summer, but the fire helps you relax and appreciate the nuances and complexities of barrel-aged brews.
The point is, there’s a lot we can’t or maybe shouldn’t do right now, but one thing we can do is enjoy a beer by the fire, so go do it, and consider setting up a couple chairs for friends — six feet apart.
Photo: Any beer pairs well with a fire, including Henniker Brewing Company’s Kolsch Style Ale. Courtesy photo.
What’s in My Fridge
Juliette by Amherst Brewing Co. (Amherst, Mass.) Wow. I’ve come to love this brewery over the past few months. This IPA, in particular, might be my favorite. It’s brewed with flaked oats and “local Valley Malt Warthog Wheat,” and brewed with Summit, Eureka! and Citra hops. This is a brewery and a beer you should seek out. Cheers!
