Beer & Knitting: What to Knit with Your Cold One

My husband started brewing craft beer around the time I was learning to knit. He geeks out about hops and grain the way I do about yarn blends and stitch patterns. When I saw National Beer Day pop up on the calendar, I got to thinking … what if our crafts combined? If beer were paired with a knitting technique, what would the best combos be?

My husband and I sat down over a pint to hash things out. Here’s what you should knit with your next cold one!

Lagers & Lace

Lagers are light and crisp, sometimes called a “lawnmower beer.” It’s a refreshing way to celebrate a chore well done. To me, the light and crisp version of knitting is lace. Imagine the satisfaction that comes when popping pins out of the airy edge of a freshly blocked shawl. Lagers may be easy-drinking, but lace isn’t always easy-stitching. So, you may want to save cracking one of these open until your knitting is done.    

Related: What Do You Serve with a Nice Alpaca Blend?

India Pale Ales & Brioche

IPAs are considered the “king of beers” right now. They are hoppy, bitter, bold, and delicious. What is a bold statement in knitting? Two-color brioche! Its squishable texture is delectable, too, but I wouldn’t say it’s bitter. Rather, brioche stitch can be quite smooth once you get into the groove.

Red Ales & Raglans

I didn’t pair red ale with raglan projects simply because of the alliteration. No! They work well together for other reasons. Red ales are smooth, easy-drinking beers. Much like the simple stockinette body of a classic raglan, they aren’t fussy or overly flavorful. They’re just right and work for a lot of people!

Stouts & Cables

A tall glass of stout is my go-to beer of choice. I love the heavy, rich flavor of chocolate malt, and I can’t get enough of varieties with hints of coffee. The warming qualities of stout make me think of cables. Perhaps the connection to stouts and cables comes from my love of Guinness, which is from Dublin Ireland, the home of Aran sweaters.

Fruited Sours & Intarsia

It may be hard to imagine a style of beer being “exciting” but that’s exactly how my husband describes fruited sours. They’re the new-kid-on-the-block beer with puckering yet refreshing flavor profiles. One of our local breweries serves a sour called “Bumbleberry It Was Written” which has strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, and raspberry in the mix. While not “new” by any means, intarsia has the same excitement and colorful flavor.

Truth be told, I don’t typically endorse beer and knitting. I’ve spent more hours than I care to admit fixing rows that were worked after beer o’clock. So, be sure to always drink and knit responsibly. That said, it is a whole lot of fun to imagine these pairings and combine my love of yarn with my hubby’s love of craft beer.

Cheers,
Kerry Bogert, Content Manager, Yarn

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