The Fourth of July is one of the biggest grilling days of the year. But you’ll need something with which to wash down all the meats, and if we learned anything from Ron Burgundy, milk definitely won’t do. That’s why we like to follow our favorite summer fare with ice-cold beers . But, since it’s the one day we celebrate our nation’s independence, we’d be remiss if we didn’t enjoy a patriotic beer or two. It’s what the Founding Fathers would have wanted. Below are our recommended brews.
Cover Photo: LeoPatrizi (Getty Images)
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Patriotic Beers
6. 21st Amendment Brew Free! Or Die
All Americans want to make like New Hampshire and “live free,” but the 21st Amendment took the idea one step further and changed it to refer to brewing. The sentiment remains the same and it’s perfect for the Fourth.
Photo: 21st Amendment
5. Samuel Adams Boston Lager
Samuel Adams was a statesman and one of the Founding Fathers. If a beer named after him isn’t patriotic, then we don’t know what is. Plus, it’s just a great beer.
Photo: Boston Beer Company
4. Yuengling Lager
Founded in 1829, Yuengling is the oldest operating brewery in America. That alone is enough to make this a boldly patriotic brew worthy of July Fourth consumption.
Photo: D. G. Yuengling & Son
3. Yards General Washington Porter
Any beer named for a president is patriotic, but if it’s named for the first president, that’s pretty much the best you can do.
Photo: Yards Brewing
2. Anchor Liberty Ale
Like Yuengling, San Francisco’s Anchor Brewing has been around since the 1800s. This gives the brand a leg up in the patriotism game. Also, the U.S. was designed to be a place for liberty for all, but we’ll take our liberty in beer form.
Photo: Anchor Brewing
1. Budweiser
No patriotic beer list would be complete without the American-born “King of Beers.” Even if you don’t usually sip on this classic beer, fish one out of the cooler to celebrate ‘Merica.
Photo: Anheuser-Busch