It was a somewhat stereotypical Fourth of July for me this year. Tons of good friends and some family came over for the weekend to bake at the beach, barbecue some burgers and dogs, enjoy some adult beverages and light off some mildly entertaining fireworks in the yard (the small fountain type stuff is legal in CT where I live, though we did have a couple more exciting items thanks to my crazy friend Shane). All in all it was good old, moderately clean American fun.

Of course I offered a large range of beverages, from soda and beer to wine and whisky, and it’s always interesting to me to see who goes for what. On these kinds of relaxed holidays (like Labor Day and New Years; unlike Christmas, Passover and Thanksgiving), the beverage of choice is not so much what will pair best with the food you’re going to eat but more what goes along with your general mood and the atmosphere of your surroundings; almost anything will pair decently enough with a burger or hot dog. It’s all a matter of personal preference and frame of mind, and I enjoy observing how people are feeling based upon their choice of libation.

Personally, it was a beer day for me. Since we went to the beach in the morning and then I came back home to all the duties of a hostess, it was important to me to pick something that I could drink steadily throughout the day without ending up passed out on the carpet by 7pm. I switched it up a lot so I wouldn’t get bored; I had some Spaten Oktoberfest, some homebrew Pale Ale, a few Belgian randoms floating around my fridge, and ended with a couple of homebrew Mexican Chocolate Stouts. It worked out beautifully for me, and I made it all day and all night (and all early morning, too). 

Most of the other girls opted for wine, and shockingly (despite my stocking up on Albariño and Chardonnay) they all wanted red. They asked for juicy and not too tough or tannic, so I thought I’d take them around the world with some Grenache and Syrah. I started them off with a Château des Karantes 2006 Coteaux du Languedoc – La Clape (50% Grenache, 40% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre) which they all enjoyed thoroughly. I then moved them along to a Glaetzer 2007 Wallace Shiraz-Grenache from Barossa Valley, which two of them liked very much while the other found it a bit too big and “alcohol-y.”  Lastly I opened a Casa Lapostolle 2005 Cuvée Alexandre Las Kuras Vineyard Syrah from Cachapoal, Chile. They didn’t make it all the way through that one, but by that time they all agreed that it was tasty and easy to drink.

The boys, on the other hand, showed a different approach to things. Most of them were drinking beer, but the shots of Wild Turkey and Jack Daniel’s were flowing. A couple of beer-pong games were played, and there was a lot of congregating around the grill while chicken wings and burgers were cooking. Their approach was far more fast and furious than the girls’ and my own; they were clearly set on having a good time and feeling completely relaxed. Which, to be honest, if I weren’t hosting the shindig would probably have done right along with them.

All in all, it was a fun, entertaining, and chill Fourth of July this year. I’d love to hear how you celebrated our independence day; what good food and drinks did you share with friends or family this past weekend? Any new beer or wine suggestions to try for the summer days ahead?