IPA

Jalapeño Popper Beer Cheese Dip + Hop Shopping, What It’s Really Like

Jalapeño Popper Beer Cheese Dip, super quick blend and bake dip that’s highly addictive and delicious! 

Jalapeno Popper Beer Cheese Dip

You think, naively, that buying hops is like buying anything else.  You decide that mosaic hops are your jam, you figure out how many pounds you need to make the beer you want to brew, you pay your tab and go on to your next task. It’s not until you watch the pros hop shop that you realize how wrong you are.

Deep in a hop field in Yakima, we walk towards a converted house that now functions as an office. Rowdy brewers and hop growers, loudly chatting just minutes ago, are suddenly silent with reverence and respect as we all walk inside. A conference room, lit by overhead fluorescent lights, holds a table front and center. Hops sit in small cylindrical containers as if on a stage waiting for their moment of judgment. If they were capable of emotion, they’d be nervous.

Only the brewers sit, the room is as silent as Pebble Beach when Tiger steps up to the tee. They assess the piles, all different lots of the same hops. The brewers are here to choose— not the type of hops, that’s already been decided—but WHICH hops. They’re all centennial hops, all meticulously grown in different parts of the Pacific Northwest. The brewers are here to decide which centennial hops to choose. Like deciding which Granny Smith apple you want to bake with, the ones grown in Yakima, Hermiston, or Idaho. To the average beer drinker the difference between each pile isn’t even perceivable, but to these experts the difference can make or break next years beer. The decision is crucial.

 

We wait, watching the churning of thoughts, senses, and indefinable gut feelings, it’s all palpable as the men rub the hops into oblivion between their hands, press their faces into their palms and inhale deeply. Repeating for each pile. Notes are written, the room remains silent—you don’t talk in a man’s backswing.

When it’s over, you can feel it. They come back into the present and make eye contact, ready to compare notes. Beards and bodies flaked with hop leaves, palms yellowed by lupulin oils. The air in the room is lighter, reverence replaced by anticipation. Smiles return to their faces and for a second you can see a flicker of doubt that the right decision was made. When the conclusion is confirmed across the board by the other men that doubt is replaced by satisfaction.

“This batch is the most floral, lots of citrus, nothing off. This one, I get a hint of dill on the end that I don’t like.” Extraordinary to anyone outside of the nuances of this science, all decision-makers came to the same conclusion. It’s remarkable, like a concert conductor hearing one slightly out of tune flute in a symphony of hundreds of instruments. Once the decision is made, beer is poured, a small celebration that opens the room.

I spent the week in Yakima, following the Founders Brewing team from hop field, to supplier, to innovation growers, like a lost puppy. They generously invited me to tag along and watch a process so fascinating it left an indelible mark on how I perceive hops.

I came back and scoured my local bottle shops for Founders beer, luckily it’s much easier to find in Washington state these days. I, of course, needed to make something where the bold hop flavors show through. Aggressively addictive beer cheese dip it is, bring on the fall.

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Jalapeno Popper Beer Cheese Dip

Ingredients

  • 2 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese
  • ¾ cup IPA beer
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 large jalapeno, seeded and chopped
  • 4 strips bacon, cooked and chopped
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter
  • chopped chives for serving

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  2. Add the cream cheese, beer, cornstarch, mozzarella, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt and chili powder to a blender or food processor, blend until smooth.
  3. Add the chopped bacon and jalapeno, pulse a few times to combine.
  4. Add to an oven safe serving bowl. Toss the panko in melted butter.
  5. Spread the panko evenly over the top of the dip. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the panko has browned.
  6. Serve warm with chips or crackers.
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I was invited to Yakima to join the Founders Brewing team, I was provided with a hotel room without expectation or obligation. I was not asked to write about my experiences. All opinions, ideas, and photos are my own. 

Beer Caramel Sauce: Jalapeno IPA Caramel

Beer Caramel Sauce: Jalapeno IPA Caramel

Jalapeno Beer Caramel sauce is something you could easily side-eye. I get that. What do you even do with it?! Don’t you worry, I’ve got that covered.

Not only am I hooking you up with a super easy caramel sauce recipe, I’ve also got some really easy ideas of how you’re just dying to use it (you are, trust me).

First: Grilled Pineapple with Jalapeno Beer Caramel Sauce. Didn’t I tell you? You just oohhh-ed to yourself thinking about it. But I have some more, I’ve thought about this for a bit.

  • Chicken and Waffles with Jalapeno Beer Caramel Sauce
  • Vanilla Ice Cream with Jalapeno Beer Caramel Sauce
  • Mini Doughnuts with Jalapeno Beer Caramel Dipping Sauce (right?!)
  • Sour Apples with Jalapeno Beer Caramel Dipping Sauce

You see what I’m saying? I know that at first sight it might not seem like something you’d want to make due to lack of possible uses, but there you go. Now you not only have a recipe for a quick and memorable caramel sauce, you also have recipe ideas as well as a great reason to open a beer.

You’re welcome.

I used this amazing DIPA from Barrage Brewing Company that I loved before I even opened it because of the name, obviously.  (Thanks @InkedBeerLover for sending it my way!)

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Beer Caramel Sauce: Jalapeno IPA Caramel

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (200g) sugar
  • ½ cup (4oz) IPA beer, plus 2 tablespoons (30mL)
  • 2 tablespoons (28g) butter, cut into cubes
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 large jalapeno, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions

  1. Add the sugar, and ½ cup beer to a pot over high heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then don’t stir again until the end. Swirl the pan to redistribute the sugar when necessary.
  2. Boil until dark amber in color, about 6 minutes, remove from heat.
  3. Immediately stir in the butter, salt, jalapeno, heavy cream and remaining beer (it’s best to have this all prepped and ready to go prior to this step).
  4. Stir until the butter has dissolved. Allow to steep for ten minutes.
  5. Remove the jalapenos.
  6. Add the sauce to an airtight container, store in the fridge until ready to use.
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Blood Orange Beer Roast Chicken

Blood Orange Beer Roast Chicken

Let’s forget for a second that we’ve never actually met. After all, it’s easy to pretend that we know each other. I’ve told you about the time I almost died in Morocco, and the time I was asked to do porn, but we’ve never shared a beer in real life.

Because if we did, I’d probably drive you crazy. I stay up late, I’m kind of messy, I forget appointments, I obsess over things, and when I cook I make the kitchen such a disaster you’ll be tempted to call FIMA.

But if you did come over and I cooked dinner, I’d make you something like this. It’s easy, it’s so, so good, and it has some weird ingredients (brown sugar, cherries, and olives together? it works, I swear).

It’s like me: easy going, weird ingredients, good at some things but also kind of messy. You’ll probably get your hands dirty and get chicken grease on your beer, but that’s OK. Me too.

If you do come over for dinner you’ll have to put up with me, but you’ll get some great chicken and beer out of the deal. So it’ll be worth it.

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Beer and Blood Orange Roast Chicken

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs chicken thighs and legs, bone-in, skin-on
  • 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
  • ½ white onion, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup kalamata olives, pitted
  • ½ cup dried cherries
  • 2 large blood oranges
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 3 large cloves garlic, grated with a microplane
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup IPA beer
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375F, add the chicken to a baking dish in an even layer. Sprinkle liberally with salt.
  2. Sprinkle the onions, olives and cherries over the chicken.
  3. Thinly slice one of the oranges and add the slices to the top.
  4. Juice the other orange and add the juice to a small bowl. Stir the olive oil, brown sugar, beer, garlic and black pepper into the juice.
  5. Pour the juice mixture over the chicken.
  6. Roast for 20 minutes, remove the orange slices, and continue to roast until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 more minutes.
  7. Transfer the chicken and the juice to a serving platter, add the orange slices to the top, sprinkle with parsley prior to serving.
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Punk in Drublic Beer Battered Buffalo Cauliflower (vegan)

Punk in Drublic Beer Battered Buffalo Cauliflower (vegan)

You know what’s punk rock? Beer. NOFX. Making a beer with NOFX. Pouring beer into your food. Deep frying things you aren’t supposed to deep fry. Fat Mike wearing brewing clamps as handcuffs.

You know else? Punk in Drublic—the dirty bastard child that resulted from the union of Stone Brewing and the NOFX guys—is really damn great.

And not just when you eat it with deep fried stuff. It’s an awesome beer that just so happens to be awesome with deep fried stuff. And buffalo sauce. And loud music.

But don’t take my word for it, crank up “The Separation of Church and Skate” so loud someone calls the cops, open some of that hoppy goodness, and find out for yourself.

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Punk in Drublic Beer Battered Buffalo Cauliflower (vegan)

Ingredients

  • Canola oil for frying
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 12 ounces Stone Punk in Drublic beer
  • 3 cups cauliflower florets (stems removed)
  • ½ cup buffalo sauce
  • 2 tablespoons butter or vegan margarine, melted

Instructions

  1. Heat 4 inches of canola oil in a pot over medium high heat. Clip a deep fry thermometer on the side and bring oil to 350F, adjust heat to maintain this temperature.
  2. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, salt, garlic powder and cornstarch.
  3. Pour two tablespoons of the beer into a small container, set aside. Add the remaining beer to the flour bowl along with 2 tablespoons water, whisk until combined adding additional water to thin until the batter is the thickness of pancake batter.
  4. Turn the oven to 175F. Place a wire rack over a baking sheet, add the baking sheet to the oven.
  5. One at a time dip the florets into the batter until well coated, then add to the hot oil. Fry until golden brown on all sides, about 4 minutes, then transfer to the baking sheet in the oven to keep warm until all cauliflower is done.
  6. Stir together the reserved beer, buffalo sauce, and butter.
  7. Add the deep fried cauliflower to a bowl, drizzle with sauce, toss until well coated, serve immediately.
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This post was a paid partnership with Stone Brewing. Partnerships with The Beeroness and outside companies only occur when the company’s products are ones I use and enjoy myself. All ideas and opinions are my own

Kettle Brand Backyard Barbeque Chips Crusted Meatballs with Beer Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

Kettle Brand Backyard Barbeque Chips Crusted Meatballs with Beer Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce + a HUGE giveaway! 

There’s a question we ask in my circle, one that everyone has an almost instant answer to: “If you could pick one food that you could eat endlessly and the calories wouldn’t count, what would you pick?” For me, it’s chips.

Not just any chips, but Kettle Brand Jalapeno Potato Chips. Even though I haven’t been able to secure this “calories don’t count” deal, I will still eat an entire bag in one sitting, WITH NO SHAME! This love kicked off my obsession with all the new Kettle Brand flavors, and the brand itself.

The company has a pretty great history, It was started in a van in Oregon 35 years ago. As a way to celebrate this monumental birthday, they’ve decided a giveaway was in order, and a pretty spectacular one at that.

Kettle Brand Chips is giving away $35K worth of prizes in 35 days. Enter to win an awesome BBQ prize package right now, the sweepstakes ends on Nov. 5th!

This Barbeque prize pack looks amazing:

  • A GIANT Tundra 210 Cooler – the ultimate backyard drink station – plus reusable ice packs and Colster koozies courtesy of Yeti® (please tag Yeti somewhere in the content)
  • Charcoal grill and accessories
  • $500 worth of Painted Hills Natural Beef, shipped directly to you (please tag Painted Hills somewhere in the content)
  • Kegerator for icy cold beverages
  • Backyard theater system with screen, projector and speakers
  • Bluetooth enabled backyard speaker
  • Backyard furniture and yard games for the ultimate hands-on entertainment
  • $1,500 pre-paid gift card for supplies and food
  • Two cases of assorted Kettle Brand chips

 

Go enter and then come back and make these meatballs, they’re amazing and perfect for football season!

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Kettle Brand Backyard Barbeque Chips Crusted Meatballs with Beer Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

    Meatballs
  • 1 (8.5oz) bag Kettle Brand Backyard Barbeque Chips
  • 1 lbs ground beef (80/20 lean to fat ratio)
  • 3 eggs, divided
  • 1 cup, plus ½ cup flour, divided
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • Dipping Sauce:
  • ¼ cup raw honey
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • ¼ cup Dijon mustard
  • 3 tablespoons IPA beer

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400F.
  2. Add the chips to a food processor, process until just crumbs remain.
  3. Add the ground beef to a large bowl, add 1/3 cup of the chip crumbs to the beef, put the remaining chips into a separate bowl.
  4. Gently combine the ground beef, one egg and the chip crumbs until well combined.
  5. In the bowl with the remaining chip crumbs add ½ cup flour, toss to combine.
  6. Add the remaining flour to a separate bowl.
  7. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining eggs and 3 tablespoons water.
  8. Using a small cookie scoop, scoop out a small amount of meat mixture. Using wet hands, roll into a tight ball.
  9. Toss in the flour, then coat with egg wash, then toss in the chip crumbs until well coated. Add to a baking sheet. Repeat until all meat is used.
  10. Drizzle meatballs with olive oil.
  11. Bake for 10 minutes, turn meatballs over, and bake for ten more minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through.
  12. In a small bowl whisk together the dipping sauce ingredients (if the sauce has a hard time coming together, use an immersion blender to blend until smooth).
  13. Serve meatballs with dipping sauce.
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This post was sponsored by Kettle Chips. Partnerships with The Beeroness and outside companies are rare and only occur when the company’s products are ones I use and enjoy myself. All ideas and opinions are my own.

Grilled Garlic Beer Butter Lobster

Grilled Garlic Beer Butter Lobster

I needed a code word, a signal that it was too much. It was devised as a way to tell me that I needed to knock it down a few pegs. When I drink, I get a little less reserved and a little (a lot) more inappropriate.

The people in my life needed a code word to let me know that I needed to pull it back. The code is: “Mississippi.” Which spawned the term “Mississippied” as in: “Jackie, you got Mississippied four times last night!”

I tell you this because although I seem a bit reserved on this platform, it’s not because I don’t want to spill my guts to you. I do, but it should only take place in an arena where it’s just between us, where it won’t be immortalized in digital print.

A venue where you can Mississippi me if it gets to be too much.

Last week was a reminder to me that I can do that, if we ever do meet for pints at a pub. After a post that was uncharacteristically vulnerable, I had so many of you reach out, ask if I was OK, tell me that you’d felt the same way from time to time.

So thank you. Thank you for reading what I write, responding to it, and reaching out when you have feelings too.

As a thank you, I made you some grilled lobster, it’s one of my favorite dishes to make for friends.

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Grilled Garlic Beer Butter Lobster

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • 4 large cloves garlic, smashed
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup IPA or pale ale beer
  • 4 lobster tails (thawed, if frozen)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the grill to medium high.
  2. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, salt, and beer. Turn off heat and allow to steep for ten minutes.
  3. Cut the lobster tails in half, lengthwise. Clean out any vein that may still be there.
  4. Place the lobster tails in the pot of butter for ten minutes, allowing to soak in the butter.
  5. Remove from butter (reserve butter).
  6. Place lobster tails on the grill, cut side down, close the lid. Cook until the tails turn bright red and the flesh has turned white, about five minutes. Turn the tails over, baste with the butter mixture.
  7. Remove from the grill, serve immediately.
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Grilled Stout Steak Sandwich with Charred Poblanos and Blue Cheese Sour Cream

Grilled Stout Steak Sandwich with Charred Poblanos and Blue Cheese Sour Cream. My new favorite sandwich!

Of all the things I love about this weird job I invented for myself, I have a favorite. A hands-down-favorite aspect of it all: the people. It sounds trite, saccharine, melodramatic, but it’s true. The people you meet in beer are the best kind of people: kind, open, creative, generous. These are people you want to root for.

Over pints a few weeks ago a group of Seattle Beer People and I decided it was about time we did a beer and food event. In part because we love beer, and we love food. But really because we want an excuse to hang out with more Seattle Beer People. We want to pour pints, eat some food (made by me!) and hang out all afternoon.

Join us, we want you there. So much that we made the ticket price for a pint and four small bites stupid crazy low.  Check it out: Beer & Food Tasting Event at Stoup Brewing

 

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Grilled Stout Steak Sandwich with Charred Poblanos and Blue Cheese Sour Cream

Yield: 6 sandwiches

Ingredients

  • 12oz stout
  • 2 tablespoons (28g) soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon (14g) Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 large cloves garlic, grated with a microplane
  • 2 lbs flank steak
  • 4 poblano chilies
  • 1 large sweet onion (Vidalia, Maui, or Walla Walla), cut into ¼ inch rings
  • 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 cup (120g) sour cream
  • 1/3 cup (35g) crumbled blue cheese
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 6 hoagie rolls, split
  • ¼ cup green onions, chopped

Instructions

  1. Stir together the stout, soy sauce, Worcestershire, and garlic in a large glass bowl or baking dish. Add the steak and allow to marinate at room temperature for 45 minutes or in the refrigerator for 3 to 6 hours.
  2. Heat the grill to high.
  3. Brush the peppers and onions with olive oil. Grill until the onions are soft and have prominent grill marks, and the skin on the peppers is charred and starting to peel away from the pepper.
  4. Add the peppers to a brown paper bag, rolling to seal in the steam. Set aside while you grill the steak.
  5. Remove the steak from marinade, pat dry, sprinkle liberally with salt.
  6. Grill on both sides until medium rare, about 4 minutes per side. Remove from grill, allow to rest.
  7. Remove the peppers from the bag, peel off the charred skin, cut the soft pepper into strips.
  8. Thinly slice the steak.
  9. Stir together the sour cream and the blue cheese.
  10. Fill the rolls with steak, onions, peppers and cheddar cheese. Return to the grill, close the lid and cook just until the cheese melts (if the bun starts to burn, move the sandwiches to the upper rack of the grill).
  11. Remove from grill, top with sour cream and green onions. Serve immediately.
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Beer Cheese Burger with Onion Rings and Beer Pickled Jalapenos

Beer Cheese Burger with Onion Rings and Beer Pickled Jalapenos

Don’t make this. I’m warning you.

But here you are, still reading, contemplating making this. So let me tell you how this will go down. First, it’ll seem like a lot of steps, you’ll hesitate. Then you’ll realize that the jalapeños can be made weeks in advance (and they only take a few minutes to begin with), and the beer cheese sauce is made in ten minutes in the blender and you know that’s a pretty simple win for a burger, and you’ll decide to proceed.

Then you’ll make it, maybe when you have a few friends over. You’ll plate it like a boss, drizzling the cheese sauce from theatrical heights, to evoke the “OOOHHHHS!” from your friends-turned-audience-members. You’ll serve them all these gloriously, ridiculously drool-worthy burgers, and then the problems will start. You’ll ALWAYS be asked to make THAT burger. Your friends will give it a nickname, and you will never be able to go to another backyard cookout without the pleading eyes of your friends who want the cute-nicknamed-burger.

So, you’ve been warned. But if I know you, you’ll just do it anyway, consequences be damned.

I like your style.

For this recipe, you’ll need: Foolproof Beer Cheese Sauce  and IPA Pickled Jalapeños. 

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Beer Cheese Burger with Onion Rings and Beer Pickled Jalapenos

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • Beer cheese sauce (link above)
  • Beer Pickled Jalapenos (link above)
    • For the onion rings:
  • 2 large yellow sweet onions (Maui, Walla Walla, Vidalia) sliced ½ inch thick
  • canola oil for baking
  • 2 cups flour divided in half
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp brown sugar
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp salt, divided
  • 1 cup IPA or pale ale beer
  • 2 cups panko bread crumbs
  • 3 tbs melted butter
    • For the burger:
  • 1 lbs 80/20 ground chuck beef
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons pepper
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 large tomato, sliced
  • 4 kaiser rolls, sliced

Instructions

    Make the onion rings:
  1. Preheat oven to 450F.
  2. Slice the onion into ½ inch slices, separate the rings. Place in a large bowl of ice water. Allow to sit for at least 20 minutes (this will take the harsh “bite” out of the raw onion and help them cook better).
  3. On two large baking sheets drizzle with about 1 tablespoon canola oil, set aside.
  4. In a large bowl add 1 cup flour (reserve the other cup), chili powder, brown sugar, smoked paprika, and 1 teaspoon salt, stir to combine. Stir in the beer to make a smooth batter.
  5. Add the remaining flour to a small bowl. Stir together the panko, remaining 1 teaspoon salt and melted butter in a separate bowl.
  6. One at a time remove the onion slices from the water, dredge in flour until well coated, dip in the batter allowing excess batter to drip back into the bowl, then add to the panko to gently coat (if panko bowl becomes too saturated with the dip, toss it and fill the bowl with fresh panko).
  7. Add to prepared sheets in an even layer, making sure the onion rings aren’t touching (smaller rings can be place inside large ones as long as they don’t touch).
  8. Bake at 450F for 8 minutes flip, bake until golden brown on all sides, about 10 additional minutes.
    9. Make the burgers:
  9. Form the beef into 4 equal sized patties, wider than the bun (it will shrink as it cooks) and fairly thin. Add to a plate, refrigerate until very cold, about 1 hour (can be done up to 24 hours in advance).
  10. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Salt and pepper the patties liberally on all sides. Add to the skillet, cook on both sides until the meat is medium rare, about 3 minutes on each side.
  11. Plate the burger with tomatoes, onion rings, jalapenos, and drizzle with beer cheese. Serve immediately.

Notes

There is more than 4 servings worth of jalapeños and cheese sauce, if you double the recipe, don't double those ingredients.

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Football Food Match Up: Shrimp and Grits Sliders and an IPA vs Crab Cake Sliders and a Pilsner

Which slider recipes will come out on top: Crab Cake Sliders made with Kettle Brand Sea Salt and Vinegar Chips, paired with a pilsner, or Shrimp and Grits Sliders made with Kettle Brand Maple Bacon Chips paired with an IPA?

Shrimp and Grits Sliders and an IPA vs Crab Cake Sliders and a Pilsner

 I’m going to wager a bet that your weekend may be spent, in part, gathered around a TV, screaming at millionaires fighting over an oval object. Only, of course, if you’ve decided to watch the Super Bowl. Maybe you’re rooting for one of the teams, or just rooting against the other. Maybe you don’t really care either way as long as the food is good.

That’s why I’m here. To make both the food and the wagering more interesting, especially for that last set. For those of us whose teams have long since packed up their away game jerseys and started their vacations. You can still get in on the head-to-head beating action.

I’ve teamed up with Kettle Brand to bring you a bet that no one loses, inspired by the two remaining football teams.

For the New England Patriots I made some sliders inspired by both their hometown and their team colors, and I’ve paired it with a beer that plays perfectly with the flavors.

Crab Cake Sliders made with Kettle Brand Sea Salt and Vinegar Chips, paired with a pilsner

Crab Cake Sliders made with Kettle Brand Sea Salt and Vinegar Chips,

For the Atlanta Falcons I drew some Southern inspiration to bring you a slider like no other I’ve seen before, a re-imagination of one of my favorite dishes from the South. I’ve paired it with a beer that packs a punch, perfect for the sliders. 

Shrimp and Grits Sliders made with Kettle Brand Maple Bacon Chips paired with an IPA

Shrimp and Grits Sliders made with Kettle Brand Maple Bacon Chips

So here is your game day challenge: Make the sliders, pair them with the beer, and have your guests pick the best match. Will the winning sliders be the same team that wins on the field? Who knows. But I’m certain that unlike what will happen on the field, there will be no losers on your food table.

Shrimp and Grits Sliders and an IPA vs Crab Cake Sliders and a Pilsner

 

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Crab Cake Sliders made with Salt and Vinegar Chips

Yield: 12 sliders

Ingredients

    For the crab cakes:
  • 3.5 wt oz (about 4 cups) Salt and Vinegar Kettle Brand Chips
  • 12 oz lump crab meat
  • ½ teaspoon (3g) salt
  • ½ teaspoon (1g) pepper
  • pinch cayenne
  • ½ teaspoon (2g) Old Bay seasoning
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon (2g) chives, chopped
  • ½ a large red bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoon (28g) unsalted butter
    • For the Pilsner Remoulade:
  • 1 cup (224g) mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons (28g) pilsner
  • 1 tablespoons (15g) Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon (5g) cream style horseradish
  • 1 teaspoon (3g) hot sauce
  • 1 tablespoon (8g) lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon (4g) garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon (3g) creole seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon (2g) chopped chives
  • ¼ teaspoon (.5g) paprika
    • For the sliders:
  • 12 slider buns
  • green leaf lettuce

Instructions

  1. Add the chips to a food processor, process until just crumbs remain.
  2. Add the chips, crab meat, salt, pepper, cayenne, Old Bay, egg, chives, and bell pepper, mix to combine.
  3. Lay a sheet of aluminum foil on a flat surface. Form the crab cake mixture into a long log down the center of the aluminum foil, roll the foil around the log until tightly covered, twist the ends.
  4. Place the log in the freezer for 15 minutes (to make this in advance, refrigerate for up to 24 hours, then freeze just prior to use).
  5. Remove from the freezer and slice the log into 12, 1-inch slices.
  6. Heat the butter in a large skillet. A few at a time, gently press the circles with a flat hand to make them slightly thinner and more compact.
  7. Place the crab cakes in the skillet, cooking on both sides until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
  8. Remove from the skillet, place on a stack of paper towels.
  9. Stir together all the remoulade ingredients until well combined.
  10. To assemble the sliders add a piece of lettuce, and a crab cake to the middle of each bun, drizzle with remoulade, serve immediately, with a pilsner.
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For the easiest way to make a batch of crab cakes, try this simple trick:

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Shrimp and Grits Sliders made with Maple Bacon Kettle Brand Chips

Yield: 12 sliders

Ingredients

    For the IPA grit cakes:
  • 1 ½ cup (12oz) milk
  • 12 ounces IPA beer
  • ¼ cup (56g) butter
  • 1 teaspoon (6g) salt
  • 1 teaspoon (3g) pepper
  • 3/4 cup corn (117g) grits
  • 1/3 cup (33g) grated Cheddar cheese
  • ¼ (30g) cup flour
  • oil for frying
    • For the shrimp:
  • 1 (8.5 oz) Maple Bacon Kettle Brand Chips
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup (60g) flour
  • 1 lbs raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
  • oil for frying
    • For the sliders:
  • ½ cup (119g) mayonnaise (or sour cream)
  • 1 teaspoon (3g) hot pepper sauce
  • ½ teaspoon (.5g) smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon (2g) chopped parsley
  • 12 slider buns

Directions

  1. In a pot over medium high heat bring the milk, beer and butter to a boil, reduce heat to maintain a low simmer. Stir in the salt, pepper, and grits. Simmer, stirring occasionally until the grits have softened, about 20 minutes. Stir in the cheese.
  2. Line a 9x12 pan with parchment paper. Pour the grits into the prepared pan. Allow to cool to room temperate, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour and up to overnight (can be made a day in advance).
  3. Remove the grits from the pan using the parchment paper. Lay the parchment with the grits onto a flat work surface. Using a 2-inch, round, biscuit cutter, cut out 12 circles.
  4. Add the flour to a shallow bowl. Heat a thin layer of oil in a skillet over medium high heat.
  5. One at a time lightly coat the grit circles in flour, add to the hot oil, cooking on both sides until golden brown. Remove from oil and allow to drain on a stack of paper towels.
  6. Add the potato chips to a food processor, process until just crumbs remain, add to a shallow bowl.
  7. In a separate bowl whisk together the milk and egg.
  8. In a third bowl add the flour.
  9. Heat about ¼ inch of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
  10. One at a time dredge the shrimp in flour, then dip in the egg mixture, then place in the bowl of chips. Sprinkle with chip crumbs, pressing to adhere.
  11. Place in the hot oil, cooking on both sides until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove from oil, add to a wire rack to cool.
  12. In a small bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, hot pepper sauce, paprika, and parsley.
  13. To assemble the sliders add one grits circle to the inside of each bun, top with one to two shrimp, drizzle with sauce.
  14. Serve immediately, with an IPA beer.
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This post was sponsored by Kettle Brand. Partnerships with The Beeroness and outside companies are rare and only occur when the company’s products are ones I use and enjoy myself. All ideas and opinions are my own

Three Cheese Jalapeno Skillet Beer Cheese Dip

Three Cheese Jalapeno Skillet Beer Cheese Dip, made in a skillet, warm and bubbly

I’ve hit a benchmark of sorts. A way of measuring if I’m actually becoming successful at this weird chosen profession that I, essentially, just made up.

Money has never been much of a benchmark for me, other than in a “can I pay my bills and still have at least a little left over” sort of way. To this day, the time in my life when I had the most money, I was the least happy. Measuring quality of life by the quantity of money is like judging how good your meal was by how much was on your plate. Sure, money’s great, but it’s the icing, not the cake.

My benchmarks aren’t normal, but I’ve never really been a “normal” sort of person. The first time I was paid to go on a trip was a giant step upwards that I’ll never forget. The first time I was contacted by someone wanting to hire me, rather than having to chase down a lead, I felt like I was standing in the center of podium hearing a cheering crowd. The day I was able to make the leap from part-time-normal-job/part-time-weird-beer-cooking-writing-photography-job was a gigantic leap that I almost didn’t believe would stick.

Now, I have a new one. I was given a column! A beer column for a magazine. An actually, real life, feel it in your fingers, print magazine. It’s not a lucrative gig, but that was never the point. Maybe for some people there are other things I’ve done that seem better, more impressive, “bigger”. But for me, this is huge, it feels validating.

I won’t be writing about cheese dip or food for that matter, it will be beer-centric. Local Washington beer, to be more specific. But that doesn’t mean food isn’t involved. I did eat this entire pan of cheese dip while I was finishing my last essay. That counts, right?

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Three Cheese Jalapeno Skillet Beer Cheese Dip

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon (8g) olive oil
  • 1 cup (70g) sweet white onion, diced
  • 2 large jalapenos, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated with a microplane
  • 2 tablespoons (12g) cornstarch
  • 1 cup pale ale
  • ¼ cup (23g) heavy cream
  • 7 oz smoked gouda, grated
  • 5 oz fontina cheese, grated
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • dash hot pepper sauce
  • 12 oz white cheddar, grated
  • ¼ cup (7g) chopped green onions
  • Chips or bread for serving

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, cooking until just starting to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Stir in the jalapenos, cooking until softened, about 5minutes.
  2. Stir in the garlic. Sprinkle with cornstarch, whisk to combine.
  3. Whisk in the beer and cream, reduce heat to a very low simmer.
  4. Add the gouda and fonitna cheese, a hand full at a time, stirring until the cheese is well combined before adding more.
  5. Stir in the salt, pepper, and hot pepper sauce. Remove from heat.
  6. Preheat the broiler.
  7. Sprinkle with the white cheddar, place the skillet under the broiler until the cheese is lightly browned.
  8. Remove from oven, sprinkle with green onions, serve immediately (take care when serving, the pan will be very hot).
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Easy Beer Cheese and Bacon Pull-apart Loaf

Easy Beer Cheese and Bacon Pull-apart Loaf

Easy Beer Cheese and Bacon Pull-apart Loaf

I laughed so hard that it hurt. Coming back from the first night of brewery hopping, after a 7-hour drive up into the high desert of Oregon, I walked back to the hotel with my favorite travel companion laughing so hard I could hardly stand.

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Maybe the reason I have such a love in my soul for Bend is the world class selection of beer. The epic and nearly endless supply of breweries dotted across the small mountain town is nothing short of mecca worthy. Maybe it’s that fact that Bend is always a good time, the way a getaway weekend should be. Maybe it’s combination of things.

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 It’s a trip that needs at least three days to get through. Pacing along the way with food and coffee to keep you upright. My favorite stop was Crux Fermentation Project, who still had not one but TWO fresh hop beers on tap, Mo Fresh was fantastic, one of my favorite beers I sampled that day. Ten Barrel was worth the trip just for the location. It was packed to the walls with eager patrons but I was able to squeeze in a seat at the bar for a pint or two.

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Sunriver Brewing’s Vicious Mosquito IPA was a highlight among the flurry of well-hopped beer that Bend has to offer. Taking up residence right down the road from Ten Barrel makes this a good pair to give your afternoon to.

For the food the standout was the Eggs Benedict at The Victorian Cafe, totally worth the hour wait. Other than that it was a weekend filled with bar food.

I came home missing the mountains and a weekend filled with cheese and carbs. Of course, that’s just what I made.

Easy Beer Cheese and Bacon Pull-apart Loaf

That’s Tyson in the background. A little something I picked up on the way home from Bend. A fat bulldog to keep my company when I bake.

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Easy Beer Cheese and Bacon Pull-apart Loaf

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (6.5 wt oz), plus ½ cup (1.6oz) shredded cheddar cheese, packed
  • 8 wt oz cream cheese
  • 1/3 cup (80 mL) IPA beer
  • ½ teaspoon (1g) garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon (.5g) smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon(3g) salt
  • 1 (1.5 lbs) loaf crusty bread
  • 6 strips bacon, cooked and chopped
  • ¼ cup chopped green onions

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425.
  2. Add 2 cups of cheddar, cream cheese, beer, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and salt to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
  3. Cut the bread diagonally in 1-inch slices (about ¾ of the way though, do not cut all the way through the bread leave the bottom crust in tact). Turn the bread and cut in the same manner to create a diamond crosshatch pattern with the bottom crust still intact.
  4. Use a small spatula or butter knife to spread the cheese mixture into the cut marks.
  5. Add the loaf to a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Top with remaining cheese. Sprinkle with bacon.
  6. Bake for 10minutes or until the cheese has melted.
  7. Sprinkle with green onions, serve warm.
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Beer Doughnuts with IPA Lemon Curd

Beer Doughnuts with IPA Lemon Curd

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Don’t invite me to dinner if you’re looking for normal dinner conversation, it always get’s weird.

I brought my sister to the Elysian press dinner and we ended up telling the story of the time we accidentally killed a 300-pound pig. It was well after my parents moved us from a little California beach town to the middle-of-nowhere-Eastern-Washington to play farm with pigs and an alfalfa field.

It was late summer and we were boy-crazy-middle-school girls who spent the lazy summer afternoon avoiding the heat and trying to convince our boyfriends to have their moms drive them ALL the way out to the farm. Her’s obliged, my didn’t. About the time that her 8th-grade boyfriend wandered through the door, looking like a Doogie Howser era Neil Patrick Harris, we heard an angry-grown-up-scream from the backyard.

As soon as the three of us exited the back door with a full view of the backfield and the pig pen, we knew what it was about. You see (for those of you who DIDN’T grow up on a pig farm), pigs don’t have sweat glands. They need mud or water to cool off during extreme heat in order to not die. It was our job to go out to the pig pen and hose them down every few hours to facilitate the not dying. We forgot. Unfortunately, the biggest hog (the one we named Piggy Smalls), didn’t make it.

Punishment for farm related mistakes is very “punishment fits the crime.” Our penance was to dig a 6-foot deep hole to put the dead pig into (no, we couldn’t butcher and eat him, he’d been dead too long). My sister’s boyfriend with his sidewalks-and-cul-de-sac upbringing looked too shocked to process what was being said. We lived too far away for him to walk home and his mom wouldn’t be back for hours. He was stuck digging a hole for a dead pig with his girlfriend and her little sister. Pretty sure that wasn’t what he’d imagined for the afternoon.

It took us until almost midnight, but we did it. With a series of buckets, a make-shift pulley system, a ladder and three shovels we created a pig-sized grave in one of the empty fields. Piggy Smalls was deposited into said grave via a backhoe. The biggest surprise is that Doogie Howser didn’t flinch. He jumped right in (literally, right into the big hole), helped us out, and even came back over a few weeks later. I’m not sure what happened to that guy, but I can bet that if he was willing to dig a pig hole for an 8th grader, he’s probably making a pretty decent husband for someone.

I say this all to tell you that if you want to have a normal dinner party, with normal conversation, I’m not the guest you should invite. But if you want dead pig stories and doughnuts, I’m your girl. I’ll even bring beer.

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Beer Doughnuts with IPA Lemon Curd

Yield: one dozen doughnuts

Ingredients

    For the Doughnuts:
  • 3 cups (360g) flour
  • ¼ cup (58g) granulated sugar
  • 1 packet (2 ¼ teaspoon or 7g) rapid rise yeast
  • ¾ cup (6oz) wheat beer
  • 1 teaspoon (4mL) vanilla
  • 2 large egg yolk (room temperature)
  • ¼ cup (62mL) heavy cream (room temperature)
  • 1 teaspoon (6g) salt
  • oil for frying
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
    • For the Filling:
  • 1 tbs lemon zest
  • six egg yolks
  • 1 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 6 large lemons)
  • ½ cup IPA beer
  • 2 tbs cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Instructions

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook add the flour, sugar and yeast.
  2. Add the beer to a microwave safe bowl, microwave on high for 30 seconds, test temperate and repeat until beer reaches between 120F and 130F.
  3. Add the beer to the stand mixer, mix until most of the flour has been moistened.
  4. Add the vanilla then the yolks, one at a time. Add the cream, and salt.
  5. Building up speed, beat on high until the dough comes together and gathers around the blade.
  6. The dough will be very soft.
  7. Add dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover and allow to sit at room temperature for 1 hour or until doubles in size.
  8. Punch down the dough and knead lightly to remove any air bubbles.
  9. Add the dough to a lightly floured surface. Pull into a large rectangle about ½ inch thick. Use a 3-inch round cutter to cut out 12 cricles. Allow to rest until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
  10. Heat 4-inches of oil in a pot over high heat until the oil reaches 350F on a deep fry thermometer. Adjust heat to maintain that temperature. A few at a time, fry the circles until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes.
  11. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, beer, sugar, cornstarch, and yolks to a saucepan off heat and whisk until well combined. Add the butter and place the pan over medium/low heat. Whisk until thickened, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature. Add to a piping bag (with a metal tip and a pea-sized opening), refrigerate until chilled.
  12. One at a time make a small slit in the side of the doughnuts.
  13. Press the metal tip into the side of the doughnuts, pipe the filling into each doughnut adding about 2-3 tablespoons of curd to the center of each doughnut.
  14. Dust the doughnuts with powdered sugar on both sides.
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Buffalo Beer Cheese Bites + What is Wet Hop Beer?

Buffalo Beer Cheese Bites + What is Wet Hop Beer

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This time of year there is an obsession among the beer crowd, an almost singular obsession that takes over.

It’s not pumpkin ales, which seem to be more of an obligation brewers take on mid-summer to compete in an oversaturated fall market. It’ not even Oktoberfest, which is a long standing, time-honored tradition that resumes in late September with a touch of cultural stagnancy that we tip our beer hats to. These aren’t the obsession that I’m referring to. This one grew organically and sucked us all in before we even had a chance to protest.

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Fresh hops. This is our obsession.

Hops are the above little flower, looking like a soft green pine cone and smelling like citrus, flowers, herbs, and earth. They are beautiful and vibrant and responsible for the enticing bitterness and citrusy earthiness in every beer. While every beer is made with hops, very few are made with fresh of the bine hops.

Hops are harvested once a year (just once!), most of which are dried to either store as dried flowers or turned into pellets that resemble bunny food. This is how hops get into 99% of beer—via dried hops.

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This time of year, this magical-object-of-our-obsession time of year, brewers are able to use fresh hops in their batches of beer. Once a hop is picked from the bine (*bine is the term for a hop vine), a hop has roughly 12-24 hours before it starts to go bad. It either has to be used in the brew, or it needs to be dried. For a brief window of time, a brewer is able to throw buckets of fresh-from-the-bine hops into a batch of beer.

The results are a flavor you’ve never tasted if all you’ve ever had is traditional beer. It’s bright, vibrant, grassy, citrusy and floral. It’s the difference between sunlight and lamplight. It’s only eating raisins and then finally having a grape.

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This is why we obsess. We count the days until fresh hop beer (also called wet hop or harvest beer) hits the taprooms. It’s gone before we get our fill, lasting just a few months before it disappears altogether and we are forced to wait out the months before we can have more.

This week the first few batches are starting to trickle out. Over the next few weeks the fresh hop supply with reach it’s peak and pushes aside any pumpkin beer that might still be lingering from it’s late July release.

If you think you don’t like hops, give a fresh hop beer a chance before you make your final decision. After all, you can hate a raisin and love a grape.

 

 

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Buffalo Beer Cheese Bites

Yield: 24 bites

Ingredients

  • 8 wt oz cream cheese
  • 2 cups (145g) grated cheddar cheese
  • ¼ cup (77mL) IPA beer
  • 3 tablespoons (45mL) buffalo sauce
  • 1 tablespoon (12g) cornstarch
  • 1 cups (140g) chopped cooked chicken
  • 2 sheets puff pastry
  • ¼ cup chopped chives or green onions

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375.
  2. Add the cream cheese, cheddar, beer, buffalo sauce and cornstarch to a blender or food processor. Process until smooth.
  3. Add the chicken, pulse once or twice to combine (do not over process or the chicken will be destroyed).
  4. Roll the puff pastry sheets out on a lightly floured surface. Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter, cut out 24 circles. Press the circles into the wells of a mini muffin tin, poke the circles one or twice with a fork to create air holes in the bottom.
  5. Fill the puff pastry 2/3 full with the cream cheese mixture.
  6. Bake at 375 for 18-20 minutes or until puff pastry is light golden brown.
  7. Add to a serving platter, sprinkle with chopped chives.
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Grilled Street Corn with IPA Chipotle Cream + What’s The Deal With Gluten Free Beer?

Grilled Street Corn with IPA Chipotle Cream + What’s The Deal With Gluten Free Beer?

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Beer’s main objective is to taste great. To gratify an urge, quell a thirst, satisfy the drinker with a balance of it’s necessary ingredients: water, hops, malt and yeast (and possibly a few not as necessary ingredients). But let’s say the malt was different. The malt wasn’t the malt you’re used to. It wasn’t malted barley, it was a different grain. The results were great, the beer tasted awesome. Would you mind? Would it bother you if water, hops, malt and yeast was STILL water, hops, malt and yeast, but the malt was malted millet instead of malted barley? Would you even notice?

Let’s back up.

Barely is traditionally what’s used to make the malt in beer (for more info about that, read this). It’s the only ingredient necessary to make beer that contains gluten, water, hops and yeast don’t. Barley is a grain, but there are other grains, too. What if a brewer used a different grain to satisfy the malt ingredient? Of course, it’s more complicated than that, but that’s the main premise: use a different grain that doesn’t contain gluten instead. Nothing fake, nothing overly processed, just a different grain (to start with). If the beer still tastes great, does it matter?

Watch the Facebook Live Gluten Free Beer Taste Test

Gluten Free Beer

Gluten free beer comes in two main categories:

Gluten Removed/Crafted to Remove Gluten

This beer is made the way a beer is normally made, brewed with barley (which contains gluten). An enzyme is added to break up the gluten protein and destroy it. The beer still contains gluten, but it’s well below the 20 parts per million that the FDA requires to call something “gluten free.” The beer is made with a gluten ingredient, and some gluten may still exist. Some people have a reaction to it, some people don’t. if you have a severe gluten allergy, proceed with caution. These beers are not allowed to put “gluten free” on their label, but instead use “crafted to remove gluten,” “gluten reduced”  or “low gluten” instead.

Most popular: Stone Delicious IPA, Omission Pale Ale, Omission IPA, New Belgium Glutiny

Of the gluten removed beer I’ve sampled Stone Delicious IPA, and Omission IPA were my favorite. 

Gluten FREE

In the past few years breweries have been cropping up across the country that brew only gluten-free beer. Beer that is artfully crafted with malted grains that don’t contain the gluten proteins. As difficult as it is to make truly great tasting beer, the use of an alternate grain is a new level of difficulty and an interesting section of the market to explore.

If a beer is labeled as gluten-free, it is truly gluten-free. It was brewed with ingredients that do not contain gluten, such as millet, sorghum, corn, rice, or quinoa. A brewery can not label a beer as “gluten-free” if it was brewed with any ingredients than contain gluten.

Ground Breaker Brewing in Portland, Oregon is not only a 100% gluten-free brewery, it also has a gluten free pub attached to the tap-room. Their IPA won a silver medal at GABF last year.

Holiday Brewing in Colorado is new on the scene, opening their completely gluten-free facility in February of 2016. With a growing legion of fans, and an impressive list of beer, this is a brewery to watch.

Glutenberg in Montreal, Canada is a growing presence in the United States. With distribution in more than 15 states and several solid beer styles to choose from, this a brewery worth checking out if the need for gluten free beer arises.

Ghostfish Brewing in Seattle, Washington isn’t just a force to be reckoned with, it’s set the bar higher than any gluten free brewery has before. Sweeping this year’s US Beer Championships with 3 medals, and taking home 2 of the three top medals at last years GABF, this beer isn’t just “good for gluten free,” it’s simply delicious, well crafted beer. As a person without any gluten issues, this is beer I would order if I saw it at a taproom. It’s great beer, made with great, high quality ingredients. My favorites are Grapefruit IPA and Watchstander Stout. Gluten allergies or not, this is beer worth seeking out.

My favorite gluten free beer is Ghostfish Grapefruit IPA, necessitating a gluten free recipe, to be enjoyed alongside your gluten free beer.

Grilled Street Corn with IPA Chipotle Cream 5

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Grilled Street Corn with IPA Chipotle Cream + What’s The Deal With Gluten Free Beer?

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 6 ears of yellow corn, shucked
  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 or 2 chipotle chilies in adobo
  • 3 tablespoons IPA beer
  • 4 wt ounces (about ½ cup) crumbled cotija cheese
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro

Instructions

  1. Preheat grill to medium high. Add the corn to a baking sheet.
  2. Drizzle with melted butter, sprinkle with salt.
  3. Grill over medium high heat until grill marks appear on all sides.
  4. In a blender add the sour cream, chipotle chilies (1 for lower heat, 2 for more heat), and IPA beer, blend until smooth. Add additional beer for thinner sauce.
  5. Add the corn to a serving tray, drizzle with sauce, sprinkle liberally with cotija and cilantro. (roll corn to coat in sauce, if desired).
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Beer Cocktail: Raspberry Peach IPA Slushies

Beer Cocktail: Raspberry Peach IPA Slushies

Raspberry Peach IPA Slushies

This is how it starts, isn’t it?

This is the siren sound that beckons to your non-beer friends, the ones who never even take a sip, the ones who opt for sparkling wine and drinks that end in -tini. It’s how we get you hooked. Because you can taste the beer, you can feel the hops on your tongue. But it’s wrapped up in an attractive raspberry-peach package like a trojan horse at the gate. You can’t turn it down, you want to take a sip even just to see how it taste. You can even pretend like you’re too hard-core for something like this, but it doesn’t erase how good it taste even if you try to pretend otherwise. The way people who are die hard black coffee drinkers will still drink the hell out of a mocha-frapp if you put one in their hand. The way Citizen Cane devotees will still watch all of Pitch Perfect if it’s on HBO as long as no one is around to witness it.

It’s ok to like it. Even if you still want to chase it with an IPA right from the can.

Raspberry Peach IPA Slushies

 

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Raspberry Peach IPA Slushies

Yield: 2-4 servings (depending on size)

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups raspberry sorbet
  • 1 large ripe peach, diced
  • 12 oz high ABV IPA
  • 1 ½ oz dark rum

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients to the blender.
  2. Blend until smooth.
  3. Serve immediately.
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I used Tangerine Hop Nosh by Unita Brewing

Raspberry Peach IPA Slushies

Grilled Beer Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Jalapeños & A Grill Giveaway!

Grilled Beer Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Jalapeños & A Grill Giveaway!

I’ve made no secret of my love for grilling.

Once the weather breaks and I’m able to do so without the threat of rain, grilling becomes my go-to cooking method. I’ve even moved my Char-Broil grill across three states because I wasn’t able to part with it. Four years and three moves later it still grills like a champ.

I know the sad face reactions that go on when I give you a grilled item and you don’t own a grill. So this is for you. Or your dad, since we both know he’d love a new grill for Father’s Day. I’m giving you a beautiful, brand new Char-Broil grill with the hope that you’ll fall as in love with yours as I am with mine.

You also won’t have to decide between a gar or a charcoal grill since this grill does both, which will also either stop the debates on which is better, or fuel them (pun intended).

Here it is, my gift to you: A recipe for Grilled Beer Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Jalapeños, a Gas2Coal Combo Char-Broil grill, and both of my cookbooks, autographed if you’d like.

Just promise me that you’ll make some beer food once you get it, and send me a picture.

Grilled Beer Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Jalapeños & A Grill Giveaway!

Enter in the widget below, give it a second to load, refresh the page if you can’t see it. 

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We have a winner! Congrats, Joel! Hope you put it all to good use.

Grilled Beer Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Jalapeños & A Grill Giveaway!

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Grilled Beer Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos

Yield: 12 Jalapeños

Serving Size: Depends on how brave you are

Calories per serving: Don't worry about it

Fat per serving: Lots

Ingredients

  • 8 wt oz full fat cream cheese
  • 4 wt oz (about 1 ½ cups) cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1/3 cup (72g) IPA
  • 1 tablespoon (11g) cornstarch
  • ¼ tsp (.5g) smoked paprika
  • ¼ tsp (.5g) garlic powder
  • pinch salt
  • 12 large jalapeño
  • 12 strips bacon

Instructions

  1. Preheat the grill to medium high.
  2. Add the cream cheese, cheddar, beer, cornstarch, smoked paprika, garlic powder and salt to a blender or food processor. Process until very smooth, about 3 minutes
  3. Transfer to a piping bag or Ziploc bag with the bottom tip (about 1/8 of an inch) cut off.
  4. Slice the jalapeño lengthwise (making as small a slit as possible), using a gloved finger or a small spoon, scoop out the inside seeds and membrane.
  5. Fill the jalapeños with the cheese mixture. Wrap tightly with bacon.
  6. Place the jalapeño on the grill, seam side.
  7. Turn a quarter turn every two minutes until the bacon is cooked and the jalapeño are softened, about 8 minutes.
  8. Serve warm.
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Grilled Beer Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Jalapeños & A Grill Giveaway!

Char-Broil has provided the grill for this giveaway, I was not compensated for this post. All opinions are my own. 

Strawberry Pineapple Pale Ale Cake with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

Strawberry Pineapple Pale Ale Cake with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting 

Strawberry Pineapple Pale Ale Cake with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting. So moist and delicious with my FAVORITE frosting ever.

This is the new beer-to-watch of 2016.

Pineapples have been slowly sneaking their spiked heads into brew kettles for the past few years, closing the lead on grapefruit’s fruit-of-the-moment status. IPA’s are often the drug of choice for the pineapple craze, but the tentacles of this trend are extending their reach into all corners of the beer world.

The sweet acidity of this gorgeous tropical fruit blend so well with citrusy hops and is balanced so beautifully with malt that the pairing feels effortless. Scour your bottle shops and report back. Possibly a beer Randalled  through a cored pineapple? Let’s give that a try. For now, here are a few to seek out.

Strawberry Pineapple Pale Ale Cake with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting. So moist and delicious with my FAVORITE frosting ever.

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Strawberry Pineapple Pale Ale Cake with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

    Pineapple Cake:
  • 1 cup (226g) butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200g) sugar, plus ½ (100g) cup, divided
  • 4 large eggs, separated
  • 1 teaspoon (5g) vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (8wt oz) IPA beer
  • 1 ½ cup (0.75 lbs) finely chopped fresh pineapple
  • 3 ½ cups (360g) all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons (8g) baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon (4g) baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon (6g) salt
    • Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting:
  • 1 ½ cup (339g) heavy cream
  • 1 ½ cups (155g) plus ½ cup (55g) powdered sugar, divided
  • ½ cup (113g) butter, room temperature
  • 16 wt oz cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon (5g) vanilla extract
  • 1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer add the butter and 1 cup sugar. Beat on high speed until well creamed.
  3. While the mixer is running on medium speed add the yolks (reserve the whites in a clean bowl) one at a time. Stop the mixer several times to scrape the bottom to insure the butter is well incorporated.
  4. Stir in the vanilla, beer and pineapple.
  5. Stop the mixer, sprinkle with flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir until just incorporated.
  6. With a hand mixer beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Slowly add the remaining ½ cup sugar, beating until peaks return. Gently fold egg whites into batter.
  7. Grease and flour three 9-inch cake pans. Divide the batter evenly between the three pans.
  8. Bake at 350 for 20-22 minutes or until the top of the cakes are golden brown and spring back when lightly touched.
  9. Allow to cool before removing cake from pans.
  10. Add the heavy cream and ½ cup powdered sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer, beat on high until soft peaks form. Remove from mixer, set aside (no need to clean mixer bowl between jobs).
  11. Add the butter and cream cheese to the mixer, beat on high until well combined, light and fluffy. Add the remaining 1 ½ cups powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beat on high until well combined. Gently fold in the whipped cream.
  12. Ice the cake with a layer of frosting and sliced strawberries between each layer of cake.
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Inspired by: She Wears Many Hats, Pineapple Cake 

Strawberry Pineapple Pale Ale Cake with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting. So moist and delicious with my FAVORITE frosting ever.

Crispy Oven Baked Beer Battered Onion Rings

Crispy Oven Baked Beer Battered Onion Rings

Crispy Oven Beer Battered Onion Rings1

Last year, on the east side of Portland, I came across a line of people wrapped around a small bar waiting to get inside. Of course, I went to investigate. I asked one of the guys in line what was going on, “Bell’s is here.” That’s all he had to say, I got it.

They weren’t giving away beer. They weren’t launching a new beer. They were just allowing the great people of the Pacific Northwest the ability to BUY their beer. Two sixers a person.

When beer distribution is often limited to a small section of the country, beer people are thrilled to the point of waiting in a 45-minute line for the opportunity to buy a beer they can’t normally get.

Crispy Oven Beer Battered Onion Rings3

No matter where you live you have access to a beer that people in other parts of the country are beer-lusting after. Maybe it’s Bell’s, or Surly, or Alchemist, or Russian River, but it’s something.

You have the ability to buy, or drink on tap, a beer that other people can’t. Two bottles of Bell’s new beer, Oatsmobile, showing up at my out-of-the-distribution-zone door in gorgeous packaging made my day for more than just the above reasons.

The bar was high when I finally let myself open this beer, and it didn’t disappoint. It’s a damn good beer. One of the best sessions beers I’ve had this year (a session beer is a beer that has a lower alcohol content, generally below 5%).

The oats give it a round, almost creamy flavor that balances the beautiful dry hopped finish. It kicks you a bit of a fruity, but not overly citrusy, flavor with just the right malt backbone and the perfect level of carbonation for a beer that I want to drink all summer. But I can’t. Because I live in Seattle. If you live in a Bell’s state, stock up. And then taunt me over social media.

Crispy Oven Beer Battered Onion Rings4

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Crispy Oven Baked Beer Battered Onion Rings

Serving Size: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 large yellow sweet onions (Maui, Walla Walla, Vidalia) sliced ½ inch thick
  • canola oil for baking
  • 2 cups flour divided in half
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp brown sugar
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp salt, divided
  • 1 cup IPA or pale ale beer
  • 2 cups panko bread crumbs
  • 3 tbs melted butter

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450.
  2. Slice the onion into ½ inch slices, separate the rings. Place in a large bowl of ice water. Allow to sit for at least 20 minutes (this will take the harsh “bite” out of the raw onion and help them cook better).
  3. On two large baking sheets drizzle with about 1 tablespoon canola oil, set aside.
  4. In a large bowl add 1 cup flour (reserve the other cup), chili powder, brown sugar, smoked paprika, and 1 teaspoon salt, stir to combine. Stir in the beer to make a smooth batter.
  5. Add the remaining flour to a small bowl. Stir together the panko, remaining 1 teaspoon salt and melted butter in a separate bowl.
  6. One at a time remove the onion slices from the water, dredge in flour until well coated, dip in the batter allowing excess batter to drip back into the bowl, then add to the panko to gently coat (if panko bowl becomes too saturated with the dip, toss it and fill the bowl with fresh panko).
  7. Add to prepared sheets in an even layer, making sure the onion rings aren’t touching (smaller rings can be place inside large ones as long as they don’t touch).
  8. Bake at 450 for 8 minutes flip, bake until golden brown on all sides, about 10 additional minutes.
  9. Serve warm.
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