Though the big blockbuster movies have been coming out earlier and earlier for the last few years, and the summer seasonal beers even earlier, Memorial Day weekend still feels like the start of summer. And for me, summer is when I start thinking about camping. And camping, let me tell you, is a fine opportunity to drink some beer.
The “for better or for worse” nature of Wisconsin’s relationship with alcohol has been discussed in this column before, and it should be obvious by now that I’m focusing on the Better (But Responsible) half. The bright side of Wisconsin’s appreciation for drinking as it relates to camping is that adults can, with a few exceptions, consume alcoholic beverages in Wisconsin’s state parks. We could be in Texas (no dice), or Michigan (OMG, so many rules), or Florida (designated areas only).
Wisconsin’s only real rule concerning alcohol in state parks is: Don’t be a loud jerk if you’re drinking. I can manage at least half of that, easy.
Any good camper has a camp box, and if you’re a beer-camper, you need some kind of camping-safe vessel for transporting beer. The most basic option? A cooler, duh. Get one with wheels and an extendable handle if you can — think luggage. They’re super-convenient. But a refillable growler is next-level outfitting for camping with beer.
Hydroflask and Miir make some nifty, rugged metal growlers. Even Stanley, the hand tool people, makes a convenient all-steel growler/cup set. If you’re into heavily optimizing the space you need for your camping supplies, consider a flexible growler from sellers like Bottless, BeerPouch, or NVS Gear. They’re foldable when empty, and narrower than most hard-sided growlers, and now I’m wondering if you could hook them up to a Camelbak hydration system. Funnel a few Stiegl grapefruit radlers into one and having them ready-to-sip during a hike would be a thing of beauty.
If you want individual servings, canned beers really are the best way to go for camping. Just like with the showerbeer, the camping beer experience is treacherous for glass vessels. With New Glarus Spotted Cow in cans now, that’s an obvious pick. Anderson Valley and Surly are great, of course. The Brewing Projekt and Half Acre are dropping fresh cans on the regular in the Madison market. There are plenty out there.
So you’ve done your shopping, packed the car, and now you’re at the campsite. It’s time to drink. Do you just go to town on whatever’s at the top of the cooler? Do you pair beers with your camp-cookin’? You know me well enough by now — I’m going to try to make appropriate beer choices for the meal.
For meat eaters, in most camp classics, there’s a lot of fat to counteract with a thoughtful beer pairing. Saisons go with everything; Blackberry Farms’ saisons are nice and accessible. A good Berliner weisse will do the same thing with a little tartness. New Glarus just released its 2017 version, and if you’re coming up from Illinois, you would be smart to pack some Off Color Fierce (even if both of those come only in bottles).
Ambers will bring out the caramelized flavors in your flame-charred meats. Pilsners and kölsches should refresh the palate without intruding too much onto the flavor profile. Those would also pair nicely with grilled veggies and all but the most potently stanky cheeses.
For dessert, though, go nuts. It’ll be dark, the fire will be high, the s’mores will be melty, the pudgie pies rocket-hot and gooey. It’s time for barleywine. Sure, you could do an imperial stout or a heavily fruited sour beer. But a sweet, rich, not-too-hoppy barleywine around the campfire, as the early summer evening hastens to nighttime, is just the best. Sip, savor and appreciate that it doesn’t get much better than camping with the right beer in your hand.
