101 Things to Do with Beer
Digital Edition 1.0
Text © 2016 Eliza Cross
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any means whatsoever without written permission from the publisher, except brief portions quoted for purpose of review.
Gibbs Smith
P.O. Box 667
Layton, Utah 84041
Orders: 1.800.835.4993
www.gibbs-smith.com
ISBN: 978-1-4236-4303-6
For C.J. Holloway, always effervescent.
Table of Contents
Each type of beer has a distinctive flavor profile that can enhance foods. These are the basic types of beer:
Pilsner is a crisp lager with a lightly bitter flavor.
Bock beer is a strong, darker lager with malty flavors.
Wheat beer is often unfiltered, with a mellow, fruity flavor.
Pale ale is crisp, with a bitter, hoppy flavor.
IPA and Double IPA are bitter with more aggressive hops and malt flavors.
Porter is a dark, medium-bodied beer with malty sweet and bitter hops flavors.
Stout is a dark, heavy beer with toasty coffee and chocolate flavors.
Non-alcoholic, low-alcohol (3.2%), and light (low-calorie) beers can be substituted for regular beer in many recipes, but the beer flavor may be less pronounced.
Do not use non-alcoholic beers in baking recipes, since the yeast in regular beer acts as a leavening agent.
Beer makes an excellent marinade for meats, as its enzymes have a tenderizing effect. When grilling beer-marinated meats, the beer’s natural sugars help promote browning and caramelizing.
Since beer doesn’t have as much acidity as wine, meats can be marinated for a longer period of time (up to 48 hours) and absorb more flavor.
When adding beer to a mixture, use a larger mixing bowl since beer can foam up upon contact with other ingredients.
Once beer is added to a batter, handle it gently. Stirring too vigorously can reduce the bubbles and lessen the beer’s leavening qualities.
Baked goods made with beer generally have a longer shelf life and moister texture than those made without beer.
When cooking with very bitter beers, adding a touch of brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey may help balance the flavors.
When cooking with alcoholic beer, some alcohol may remain in the dish. In general, the longer a dish is cooked, the less alcohol remains.
Because even small amounts of alcohol can be a problem for some people, advise guests if a dish has been prepared with beer.
Use caution when cooking with beer in foods that will be frozen, as the alcohol can inhibit the freezing process.