Labor Day is the unofficial end of summer. Take in one last hurrah with your friends and family before the cold chill of fall takes hold. Fire up the grill and taste some delicious hot dog and beer pairings to close out summer. Membership Warehouse Club Hot Dog with Pale or Red Ale A solid (if basic) hot dog calls for a solid, easy-drinking style. No need to get fancy with this (hot) dog. Ingredients Beef Hot Dogs White “Membership Warehouse Club” Sandwich Rolls Yellow mustard Ketchup Sweet relish Chopped white onion (optional) Grill or boil your hot dogs and top with traditional ingredients like yellow mustard, ketchup, sweet relish and chopped onions. The Growler Guys German Hop Dog with IPA or Imperial IPA The secret to our topping is simmering the kraut in an IPA, so we emphasize the hops and with a hoppy beer, of course. The IPA will cut down on the sourness and bring out the sweetness of the sauerkraut. Ingredients Sausages or Beer Hot Dogs Wheat buns Canned sauerkraut 1 cup of IPA 1 teaspoon of caraway seeds 1 carrot shredded Stone ground or spicy mustard Grill or boil your sausage or hot dogs. In a saucepan, add sauerkraut, beer, caraway seeds and shredded carrots. Bring to a boil and drop down to a simmer for 15 minutes. Top sausage or hot dogs with the hoppy kraut and mustard. Fancy Chili Cheese Dog, Caramelized Onions with Dark Porter or Stout Smoky chili and smoked gouda make this dog something special, so pair if with your favorite porter or stout to bring out the smokiness. Ingredients Beef hot dogs Hot dog bun of choice Canned chili or your favorite beef chili recipe 1/2 cup pale ale 1 onion sliced 4 tablespoons of butter Shredded Gouda Grill or boil your hot dogs. Make chili. In a saucepan, melt butter. Once melted add onions and beer and cook down for 5-15 minutes. Top your hot dog with chili, gouda and caramelized onions. Chicago Dog with Saison or Belgian This is the hot dog they “drag through the garden” so why not a Belgian style, perhaps a Saison? Impress your friend with this Midwestern favorite. Ingredients Beef hot dogs Hot dog bun of choice 1 tablespoon yellow mustard 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish 1 tablespoon chopped onion 4 tomato wedges 1 dill pickle spear 4 sliced pepperoncini 1 dash celery salt Pile on the toppings. The tomatoes should be nestled between the hot dog and the top of the bun. Place the pickle between the hot dog and the bottom of the bun. Bacon, Mac and Cheese Dog with Pilsner or Lager Rich, fatty and delicious, go with a good lager to cut through the heaviness, perhaps a Pilsner or an amber lager style. Ingredients Beef hot dogs Hot dog bun of choice Macaroni and cheese of your choice (we like this recipe) Bacon crumbles Boil or grill your beef hot dog. Top with your macaroni and cheese of choice and bacon crumbles. Download our hot dog recipe handout