The time has come to think beyond beer battered onion rings, beer soaked brats, and grilled chicken on a beer can (yes, those are all wonderful and if you haven’t tried them – where have you been?).  But we think it is time to think outside the box and expand your beer boosted culinary skills. Who’s with us? Start with these tips and let us know how it goes!

• Cautionary tale: The longer beer cooks or reduces down, the more the flavor concentrates and the more intense it becomes. A few remedies for this:
  • Only use beer that you enjoy the flavor while drinking. I know, I know this is obvious. The important point to take away is that your chosen beer could taste even stronger in your dish, so be sure it is a flavor you enjoy!
  • Start your experimentation with mild flavored, less hoppy beers.
  • Add the beer towards the end of cooking.
  • Pour sparingly, you can always add more later, but you can’t take the flavor out once it is there.
• Beer makes a wonderful marinade so add some in the next time you are giving your meat a soak. Choose a beer for marinating just as you would pair the beer for drinking with the finished product. Use dark beer for marinating beef and heavy meat and light beer with poultry or seafood.
• Take advantage of all that yeast in your beer. It will work the magic in your baked goods – we promise! Caramel Apple Beer Bread, Cheesy Beer Bread, one bowl Guiness Chocolate Cake – anybody hungry yet? The yeast is also the reason beer makes such a yummy, puffy batter for veggies or protein.
• Use beer in finishing recipes. I’m talking sauces, dressings, condiments, and syrups. Beer can enhance the acidity, accentuate the sweetness, or amp up the flavor in these items. Here are a few to try: Beer BBQ Sauce,  Citrus-Beer Dressing, Amber Aioli, or Guiness Chocolate Syrup.

Always experiment with the goal of finding balance. You don’t want the beer to overpower the food and vice versa. Our biggest suggestion is to be bold, be brave, and seize upon this food revelation!