~It’s the month of June and summers are at their peak in India! Quench your thirst guilt-free with a chilled beer~
The temperature is hitting a record high, and it has become extremely important to keep drinking something that’s fizzy, frothy, and bottle-dripping chilled. The hot season creates an urge to keep consuming chilled liquids and sometimes to quench the thirst, one forgets the number of sugars and preservatives that come along with them. Some non-alcoholic drinks can also be very harmful to your body, while some low-alcoholic drinks could be the right choice over them. A lesser-known fact is that despite being alcohol, beer is way healthier than most of the sugary drinks available in the market and, of course, hard liquor. If we compare a glass of 350ml of beer to the sodas available in the market, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), beer has 0 to no fat and sugar percentage, whereas sodas have as much as 0.92 percent fat and 36.78 percent sugar. Crazy, right?
Interestingly, according to a report by UBL, beer comprises 12% of the total alcohol consumed in India and with time this share is optimistically increasing for various reasons but mostly, because of how the world is moving towards a healthier living, consumers are becoming more and more conscious of each calorie that they intake. However, with the increasing heat, summer drinks are in full-swing and before relying on a can full of sugar, carbs, and fat, it’s better to opt for a healthier pint. Beer’s low alcohol content gives it that upper hand over other hard liquor ensuring less communal harm and promoting responsible drinking.
The versatility of the Beer is widely appreciated around the world. It can be adapted into fruity-summer cocktails by just adding a few easily available ingredients or pairing it with just the right food. Another fun way of having beer is by adding it to your food! Here are a few things that you may try this summer to beat the heat:
Beer Cocktails:
Citrus Beer Sangria
Cool down with this super easy yet super delicious cocktail – Take some freshly cut citrus fruits like grapefruit, oranges, and lemon juice. Add a shot of pineapple juice for that extra kick, give it all a good stir and finally add a pint of dripping chilled beer to the mix. In just a few minutes, you’re ready to enjoy this glass of fizzy goodness!
Beer Lemonade
The perfect summer cooler does exist! Make some old school lemonade with the choice of your favourite ingredients. Take a big pitcher fill it with ice, lemonade and finally pints of beer to twist things around. Serve it as the perfect companion to your Sunday brunch!
Food that slays with beer:
In summer, one can’t get enough of light and easy-on-the-eye salads. The soft flavours and ingredients with fresh dressings speak the spirit of summers! The feeling of pairing a bowl of Caesar Salad with a chilled glass/pint of wheat beer on a hot summer afternoon, does feel like paradise. Try it for yourself! Beer can go well with anything, and everything served on the table, but in India we have a special place for mangoes on our tables and our hearts in summer. Make a fun mango salsa to go with your chips and fries and complete this fresh summer snack with a glass of light and fizzy beer. There is no going back from this!
Finally, why not infuse beer in your food prep, a good way to treat yourself over the weekends is with some fluffy pancakes. Try these beer batter pancakes instead, use any light beer for this recipe and to your normal pancake ingredients swap the cup of water with a cup of fizzy beer. Its carbonated nature will add that extra fluffiness to the pancakes and the flavour of beer will uplift the entire recipe. Serve it with whipped cream, fresh fruits, maple syrup or honey. And enjoy the breakfast of a beast on a summer weekend!