Blueberry Muffin Beer Loaf Cake

Blueberry Muffin Beer Loaf Cake

I’ve always been curious.

Probably a bit too curious for my own good, but I’ll take it over safe, and timid. Lately, It’s been gluten-free beer that’s had me wondering (wait, don’t go! Let’s talk about gluten-free beer just for a second!).

It’s not so much the “gluten” part that I’m curious about, as far as me (and my guts) are concerned, gluten is awesome. It’s more of a curiosity about a growing segment of the market that is focused on brewing with different grains. Barley is the only ingredient in beer that has gluten, and brewers are experimental and curious by nature, so what does beer taste like if you brew it with millet instead of barley? What about brown rice? It’s not so much the gluten part that has me interested, it’s the beer being brewed in a different way. It’s one grain being swapped for another. What does that do? The brewing process is the same, what does the end result look like?

To satisfy my curiosity I’ve teamed up with Heather Christo and Allrecipes and we’ve decided to do a LIVE Facebook taste test. This means I have never sampled any gluten-free beer and I will do so live, for the first time, on camera. Also, it bears mentioning that I have a complete inability to hide my feelings. So if a beer isn’t good, you’ll be able to tell right away.

So join me on the Allrecipces Facebook page on Thursday, August 11th at 2PM PDT to watch me sample all the gluten-free beer I can get my hands on. It should be fun. Then, maybe, we can eat this gluten-filled cake to celebrate?

Update:

The video is live here: Gluten Free Beer Taste Test with The Beeroness & Heather Christo

And in case you were wondering, this post has nothing to do with this delicious, gluten-laden blueberry cake.

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Blueberry Muffin Beer Loaf Cake

Yield: 1 loaf cake (8 servings)

Ingredients

¾ cup (195g) granulated sugar
½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
1 teaspoon (2g) vanilla extract
¼ cup (55g) buttermilk
2/3 cup (166mL) wheat beer
2 cups (256g) cake flour
1 teaspoon (4g) baking powder
1 teaspoon (6g) baking soda
1 teaspoon (6g) salt
1 cup (150g) fresh blueberries (for frozen, see note)
1 cup (125g) powdered sugar
2 tablespoons (16g) lemon juice (or beer for a larger beer flavor)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350.
Add the sugar and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on high until light, fluffy and well combined.
Add the egg and vanilla, beat until well combined.
Stir in the buttermilk and beer.
Stop the mixer, sprinkle with flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir until combined.
Stir in the blueberries.
Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake until top springs back when lightly touched, about 55 minutes. Allow to cool completely before icing.
Stir together the powdered sugar and lemon juice (or beer). Pour over the cake, slice and serve.

Notes

For frozen blueberries, rinse well until the water runs clear. Add to paper towels to dry, do not stir into batter. Layer loaf pan with 1/4 of the batter, sprinkle with berries, top with more batter, then blueberries, repeat until all the berries and batter have been used. This will avoid smashed berries and a purple cake.

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Chicken in a Creamy Parmesan Bacon Beer Sauce

One pot, thirty minutes: Chicken in a Creamy Parmesan Bacon Beer Sauce

“It’s because you’re entitled!”

I heard the agent at customs yell through the window. She spits her words at an English woman in front of me, waking up the weary crowd in line to enter Stockholm. I was running on the fumes of two hours of sleep (because of this), and the outburst shook the grip exhaustion had on my brain.

“You have an expired visa, an expired passport, and a warrant! I’m not letting you into the country!”

Seemed startlingly angry for such a passive country. The woman fought back, her words getting lost in the commotion of the airport. Two minutes later guards came to escort her to wherever it is that you take an entitled English woman without proper documentation.

There was, I guess, a relief. That she wasn’t American, that her brash self-importance didn’t speak for me. Relief that it was my turn. And I defaulted, as I do, to an overly nice and accommodating tone as a way to apologize for the previous interaction the agent was asked to endure. I’m sorry, I won’t give you any trouble, all my paperwork is in order, I want my smile to speak at her.

I move on, through the airport, past my short layover, trudging through the waist-high mud of exhaustion and jet lag. Three hours down, 15 more to go before I’m home. And even longer before I can cook again. It’s really the only thing I miss when I travel. I miss cooking. I miss my kitchen. I miss making food and losing myself in the process of it all. Before I get back to the kitchen I’ll need to endure another day of travel, and another customs line. Possibly smile-apologizing for an actual American to another Customs agent.

Yum

Chicken in a Creamy Parmesan Bacon Beer Sauce

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

4 chicken thighs
1 teaspoon (6g) salt
1 teaspoon (3g) pepper
3 strips of bacon, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon (28g) flour
½ cup (4oz) pale ale
¾ cup (180mL) heavy cream
½ cup (53g) shaved parmesan
6-8 large basil leaves, ribboned

Instructions

Sprinkle the chicken on all sides with salt and pepper. Place skin side down in a cold cast iron skillet. Place over medium high heat until the skin has browned, turn over and cook until chicken is cooked through. Remove from skillet.
Add the bacon to skillet, cooking until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon.
Pour out most of the fat in the pan, leaving about 1 tablespoon still in it.
Stir in the garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds, sprinkle with flour stirring until the flour has been cooked, about 1 minute. Pour in the beer, scraping to deglaze the pan. Add the cream and reduce heat to medium.
A hand full at a time stir in the cheese until well combined.
Add the chicken back into the pan, cooking until chicken is warmed.
Sprinkle with crispy bacon and basil. Serve immediately.

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Pure Delicious Free Beer Waffle Sundaes (egg free, dairy free, gluten free, nut free)

Pure Delicious Cookbook: Free Beer Waffle Sundaes (egg free, dairy free, gluten free, nut free)

For more about gluten free beer, watch this

A few years ago I sat in the back of a press dinner failing at my attempts to hold back tears in the midst of the biggest personal life crisis I’ve ever faced. Talking quietly with Heather Christo, explaining to her what I’d been keeping so private, the tears came fast. At that moment, she was exactly what I needed. This woman with endless talent, an old Hollywood glamor that makes her seem unreachably beautiful, is also incredibly kind hearted with a realistic matter-of-fact approach to life, and a mouth like a sailor. She was exactly who I needed to talk to. Although she’d never faced the same storm that was tearing through my life, she somehow had an empathy that made me feel understood.

After the topic shifted off me, she told me what she’d been dealing with. Her daughter was facing a health condition that had been the source of many sleepless nights, ER visits and panicked phone calls to the doctors as she watched her little girl writhe in pain. Once the problem was finally diagnosed, the solution was dropped in Heathers lap like a grenade. Debilitating and potentially hazardous food allergies. It seemed like her little girl was allergic to nearly everything, the list of foods she could eat seemed smaller that what she couldn’t. Looking back, I realize that I never heard her complain about it once, she seemed to immediately go into problem solving mode.

She didn’t just solve the problem, she attacked it right back. First up: recipes. Not just a few recipes, an entire book of incredible dishes that anyone can eat. Next up: she developed a line of allergy friendly food, now being sold at Costco, called Heathermade. After all, she isn’t just a food writer, she’s also a trained chef.

Pure Delicious is a must for anyone facing food allergies. The food is so delicious, none of the recipes feel “without,” exploring so many culinary options it’ll never occur to you that there is anything missing. It’s also a resource for tackling the issues people face when the problem of food allergies enter their lives. I just hope I can tackle my next life crisis the way Heather handles hers. Or at the very least, I find myself at dinner with her in the midst of it.

For the ice cream, I recommend:

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Ice Cream- (Vegan, Gluten Free)

Peach and Cinnamon Caramel Ice Cream (Vegan, Gluten free, Nut Free)

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Free Beer Waffle Sundaes (egg free, dairy free, gluten free, nut free)

Yield: 4 servings

Recipe used by permission from Pure Delicious, by Heather Christo

Ingredients

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
¼ cup beet sugar
½ cup rolled oats*
2 cups gluten free flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup coconut oil, melted
¾ cup beer**
Vegan ice cream (see note above)

Instructions

Preheat the waffle iron.
Add the coconut milk and vinegar the bowl.
In a separate bowl stir together the sugar, oats, flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add the coconut milk, coconut oil and beer to the flour mixture, stir to combine.
Spray the waffle iron with cooking spray (I used coconut spray). Cook the waffles according to manufactures specifications (I found these cook best at a higher temp setting).
Serve topped with ice cream.

Notes

*While oats are inherently gluten free, many companies use machines that are contaminated with flour. If you need gluten free waffles, make sure the package states the oats are gluten free. **Use gluten free beer for gluten free waffles. ***Waffels can be frozen easily. Add to a large ziplock freezer bag, freeze for up to two weeks. Bake at 350F on a baking sheet until warmed, about 10 minutes.

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Pure Delicious, Heather Christo

I was given a copy of Pure Delicious without expectation or obligation. I was not financially compensated for this post. All opinions are my own.

Bacon Beer Shrimp with Beer Cheese Grits

Bacon Beer Shrimp with Beer Cheese Grits

Every few months I find myself here.

In a brewery, doing my best to learn how to turn what some see as an ugly industrial space with bad lighting into beautiful photos. Mostly, I’m a self-taught photographer. I took classes, read books, watched a decades worth of YouTube videos, sat in online workshops, and even joined an online photo mentorship group. But I always feel behind, always feel like I’m not quite there.

I’ve often wondered if I’ll ever be where I want, if “arriving” in a creative sense even exists. I’ve worried that I’ll never be able to give people the images I want to shoot. But I’ve never once thought about giving up. Not once.

It’s easy to get pulled into the undertow of comparison. It’s easy to see more clearly how far we have to go rather than the long road we’ve already traveled. In those moments I tell myself, “Keep your head down and keep going.” It works. It moves me forward. I get closer all the time to the place I want to be.

At the end of the day, that’s all we have. We have the ability to move forward, to drive closer to the life we want and the people we want to be. Perfection is a dangerous myth that robs us of contentment. Let’s just be able to sit here, in the gratitude that we are moving forward.

Let’s take a few minutes each week, grab a beer, grab some food, and just be content. Harder than it sounds, but we can do. Even if we need a few beers first.

Yum

Bacon Beer Shrimp with Beer Cheese Grits

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

For the grits:

12 ounces wheat beer
2 cups water (plus additional)
1 cup yellow grits (not instant)
1 ½ cups grated sharp cheddar
2 tbs unsalted butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

For the shrimp:

4 strips thick cut bacon, chopped
2 tbs unsalted butter
1 lbs raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp chili powder
¼ cup wheat beer
2 tbs chopped chives

Instructions

In a large pot over medium heat add the beer and 2 cups of warm water. Bring to a simmer and slowly add the grits. Cook over a low simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick and tender. Add water ¼ cup at a time when the grits begin to dry out.
Once the grits are cooked stir in the cheddar, butter, cream, salt and pepper.
Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat (don’t turn the heat too high, medium heat will render more fat than high heat) until the bacon is crispy. Remove the bacon, set aside. Pour off all the bacon fat except about 1 tablespoon. Return pan to heat, melt the butter in the skillet.
Add the shrimp and spices, toss to coat. Pour in the beer, cooking until shrimp are cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Add the grits to serving bowls, top with shrimp, bacon and chives.

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Coconut Pale Ale Curry Cod

This, in one form or another, is my go-to dinner. It’s a pantry recipe and one of the main reasons I always have coconut milk on hand. I’ve made it with every imaginable protein, and even mushrooms when I’m the mood to only consume plants. I’ve replaced the chard with spinach, arugula, basil and even cilantro and it holds up. It’s reliable and filling. It’s a way to make dinner when I don’t have the energy to think. I can double the shallots or the curry paste and it still gives me what I want. I can add tomatoes or jalapeños and I still love it. I can make a triple batch and have it for next three days and It’s still a favorite.

Sometimes, in the midst of trying to give you a recipe that will be clink-inducing-share-worthy I forget that you also need the solid standby recipes that won’t let you down. The culinary equivalent of the faded Levis that you’ve been wearing since high school and that friend that always drives you to the airport even if it’s 5 am. So here it is, my faded-Levis-airport-guy recipe.

I hope you love it as much as I do.

Yum

Coconut Pale Ale Curry Cod

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 tbs olive oil
1 shallot, chopped (1/4 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup pale ale
1 (15 wt oz) can coconut milk (full fat)
1 tsp red curry paste
1 teaspoons fish sauce
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 Thai green chile, chopped (optional)
1 to 2 lbs black cod, cut into 4 fillets
1 cups Swiss chard, rough chopped
rice for serving

Instructions

In a large, deep skillet with a lid heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the shallots,
cooking until softened and slightly browned, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds, stir in the beer.
Add coconut milk, curry paste, fish sauce, salt, pepper, and chile (if using) simmer until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes.
Add the Cod fillets into the pan, reduce heat to low, cover tightly with a lid and simmer until
cooked through and fish flakes easily with a fork, about 10 minutes. Stir in the chard until wilted, about 1 minute.
Serve in bowls over rice.

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Pale Ale Crumb Cake + Loving Craft Beer People

Pale Ale Crumb Cake

Walking in the bay doors, they all seem to look the same. There are always the mingling smells of hops, malt and fickle high-maintenance yeast hard at work. There’s a brewer in rubber boots nearby, working out a problem behind a furrowed brow. There is inevitably a tank being cleaned, water from a thick hose being sprayer to cleanse the vessel to ready it for the next batch.

Music played from unseen speakers. Drums and bass melting into the sounds of the equipment, mostly being ignored. I’m always greeted warmly, always welcomed in and offered a beer. In the past year most of my visits to breweries have been to write a story, or take photos. You can make the argument that there are more beautiful subjects than fermenters and bright tanks. You can tell me how shitty the yellow fluorescent light is in a brewery. You could, but I’d tell you how much I want to show you the beauty in what is there.

Have you seen fresh hops right from the bine? Have you seen the look on a brewers face when sampling wort? Have you seen how gorgeous the color of beer can be? Maybe I’m starry-eyed over the craft beer community, maybe I focus more on what’s right than what’s wrong, but I won’t stop. Maybe it was the years of teaching anger management to gang members in South Central Los Angeles but I’ve learned that people tend to repeat the behavior you focus on. Let the others tear down people, behaviors, and semantics, I’m here as much for the people as I am for the beer. Of course there are changes that can and need to be made, we are, after all, a bunch of humans who drink too much. But let’s do it together. And let’s talk more about what we’re doing right. Because, craft beer, I love you. Flaws and all.

Have some cake, drink a beer, and let’s talk this out. I won’t stop loving craft beer, and I won’t stop focusing on how much I love the people here and what they are doing right.

Yum

Pale Ale Crumb Cake

Yield: 9 squares

Ingredients

For the Crumb Topping:

1/3 cup (73g) sugar
1/3 cup (73g) brown sugar
1 tsp (3g) ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp (3g) salt
8 tbs (113g) unsalted butter melted
1 ½ (180g) cups flour
2 tbs (20g) cornstarch

For the Cake:

1 cups (120g) all purpose flour
2 tbs (20g) cornstarch
½ cup (117g) sugar
½ tsp (2g) baking soda
½ (3g) teaspoon table salt
6 tbs (83g) unsalted butter, cut in cubes, softened
1 large egg, plus 1 yolk
1/3 (74g) cup pale ale
2 tbs (26g) olive oil
1 tsp (4g) vanilla extract
powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325.
In a small bowl stir together the sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and butter. Add the flour and cornstarch, stir to make a soft dough, set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking soda and salt. While the mixer is running add the butter mixing until the butter is cut in and the mixture resembles coarse meal with no uncombined lumps of butter.
Add the eggs, yolk, beer, olive oil and vanilla, beat until light and fluffy and well combined.
Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper with the paper hanging over the sides. Pour batter into prepared pan in an even layer.
Crumble the topping and gently sprinkle it over the batter in an even layer. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow to cool for ten minutes, remove from pan using the parchment overhang. Cut into squares, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

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Slow Cooker Tuscan White Bean and Beer Chicken Soup

Slow Cooker Tuscan White Bean and Beer Chicken Soup

“You’re not reactionary, you’re rebellious but intentional. You think before you jump off the bridge.”

Someone I know well said this to me once. I was the kid your parents warned you about, the one who jumps off the bridge and your parents ask if you’re going to follow me into the cold waters of Lake Washington. “If your friends jumped off a bridge, would you do it too?” My mom never asked me that questions because she knew I was always the first to jump. But the fact is, I only jump if I know with reasonable certainty that it’s safe. When I was homeless in Hollywood at 19, I had a cell phone, a savings account, and a craigslist ad to house sit for free, as long as it was a nice neighborhood.

When I decided to quit my job as a social worker to pursue my dream of being a writer and photographer, I first spent a year doing both. 80 hours a week doing both my day job and my dream job. Then a year part-time at my day job (which, to be fair I still loved), and full-time hustling to work in writing. I jumped, and it seemed brave, but I had a backup plan.

Maybe it comes from a non-traditional upbringing that required several backup plans, but I’m not afraid to jump. I just need to know what my options are. I can be stranded in a coastal Spanish town at 3 am, or lost in the center of a Moroccan city, my mind will start to formulate a plan, “You’ll be fine, you can figure this out,” will be my first thought. I’ve jumped before and it hasn’t gone well. I’ve lost, I’ve failed, I’ve done things I shouldn’t have. But I more regret the things I didn’t do than the things I did.

You’ll never hit the ball if you don’t swing the bat. So, as this year hurdles forward, that’s what you should do. Swing the bat. Jump off the bridge. Maybe you need a backup plan for failure first, but you can do it. It’s better to fail at doing what you want than succeed at doing what you don’t. Grab a beer, make a plan, and swing the bat. Best thing I ever did.

Yum

Slow Cooker Tuscan White Bean and Beer Chicken Soup

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

16 ounces dried Great Northern beans
6 cups chicken broth
12 ounces pale ale
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
½ cup diced white onion
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbs chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tbs tomato paste
3 cups Tuscan kale (Lacinato kale), sliced into ribbons

Instructions

Add the beans, broth, beer, carrots, celery, onion, chicken, salt, pepper, garlic, thyme, and oregano to a slow cooker, stir to combine.
Cook on low for 8 hours.
Remove the large pieces of chicken, shread with two forks, return to slow cooker.
Add the tomato paste to a small bowl with 2 tablespoons of very hot water, stir to combine. Add to the slow cooker, stir to combine.
Stir in the kale, allow to cook for about ten more minutes on low. Ladle into bowls.

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Southwest Beer Cheese Dip + The Definitive Beer to Pair with The Super Bowl

Southwest Beer Cheese Dip

We talk a lot of pairing beer and food. About the sensory experiences of flavors, textures, and ingredients that compliment each other. We’ve known since the accidental and unfortunate childhood pairing of toothpaste and orange juice that some flavors are a combative train wreck once they comingle in our mouth. We know that espresso and chocolate cake are magical in partnership, and that greasy cheese pizza is made that much better with a highly carbonated pale ale.

What we don’t talk enough about is pairing beer and experiences. Because if you and I are in a deep fireside chat, late in the evening, warming our bones near the fire of a ski lodge, I’d want to share a barrel aged beer with you, the boozier the better. But if we’re hiking through the woods on a hot August afternoon, tank tops sticking to our backs and dust from the trials clinging to our legs, a crisp Kolsch would be awesome (but the boozy bourbony beer would not).

We are right around the corner from a shared experience that most of us will take part in one way or another. Football lover, casual fan, or just along for the commercials and the food table, you’ll likely find yourself in a room with sports fans screaming at the TV on Super Bowl Sunday. I have just the beer for you, sports fan, wagering enthusiast or just-there-for-lack-of-anything-better-to-do guy.

This is a day filled with intense emotions, highs, and lows, and the beer should match. You’ll also need to take into consideration the food as to avoid the aforementioned combative train wreck possibility. Food at these gatherings tends to be intense as well: hot wings, buffalo beer cheese dip, jalapeno nachos; that sort of primitive bar food that you love more than you’d probably ever admit to. Another consideration: time. You’ll be drinking all day, several hours and several beers, and when you’re done it won’t even be night yet.

In summation, these are the considerations when pairing The Super Bowl with a beer: intense flavor, pairs well with spicy and greasy food, can be consumed for long hours. The conclusion we come to is a session IPA. (Quick Beer 101 lesson: “session” means lower ABV, usually 5% or lower). You’ll get the intense flavor to match both the food and the emotions, you’ll get the nice carbonation for the greasy cheese and meat, and since the ABV is lower you’ll avoid becoming a cautionary tale.

Here are some Session IPA’s that will pair well with the Super Bowl. These are a few that I’m personally excited about, let me know what your favorite is.

Rogue // 4 Hop 4.4% ABV
Drakes // Alpha Sessions 3.8% ABV
Great Lakes // Steady Rollin 4.8% ABV
Green Flash // Segal Ranch Session 4.5% ABV
Black Raven // Nothing But Flowers 4.9% ABV
Widmer // Replay IPA 4.5% ABV
21st Amendment // Down to Earth 4.4% ABV

Yum

Southwest Beer Cheese Dip

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

8 wt oz cream cheese
2 cups (226g) cheddar cheese, grated (packed)
1 cup (113g) mozzarella (packed)
¾ cup (170g) IPA beer
1 tbs (8g) cornstarch
½ tsp (2g) smoked paprika
½ tsp (2g) garlic powder
½ tsp (3g) salt
½ tsp (2g) pepper
1 cup (172g) cooked black beans (rinsed and drained)
1 cup (135) corn kernels
1 cup (140g) diced bell pepper
1 small jalapeno, diced (seeds and internal membrane removed for lower heat)
1 avocado, diced
¼ cup (28g) cilantro, chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350.
Add the cream cheese, cheddar, mozzarella, beer, cornstarch, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper to a blender. Blend until smooth.
Add to a large oven safe bowl, stir in the black beans, corn, bell pepper, and jalapeno.
Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until warmed through.
Remove from oven, top with avocado and cilantro, serve warm.

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Beer Brined Lemon Garlic Skillet Chicken

Beer Brined Lemon Garlic Skillet Chicken. 30 minutes, one pot, so good!

They always seem to need to explain themselves to me.

When someone, new to beer or not, tells me they don’t like IPA’s it always comes with a disclaimer at the end. As if the mere fact they don’t respond well to one of the hundreds of beer styles knocks the “beer lover” card out of their hands. IPA’s aren’t the litmus test by which a beer lover is judged, nor are sours, or barrel aged beers or even the enjoyment of an occasional pale lager.

After all, we got into this craft beer drinking game because we enjoy the flavor, not because we were jonesing to drink something we didn’t like. We could do that much cheaper with a macro beer.

You don’t have to like them all, they aren’t your children, it’s OK to have favorites. And least favorites. So what do you do when you’ve tried to like a beer style and can’t? Or if you’ve tried to like beer in general and can’t?

First, realize that you don’t have to. Like what you like because you like it, and leave it at that. But if you do want to, want to like beer, want to like a certain style? Push forward. Be honest at the beer bar about what you are trying to like and ask for tasters. Be willing to try anything, but don’t commit to a pint, you’ll probably end up resenting the tall glass of beer and vow never to do it again. Maybe you don’t hate IPA’s, maybe you just don’t like Amarillo hops. Or you don’t like a cook hop flavor but wet hopped beers are your jam. Maybe you don’t actually hate sours, you just hate that one you had at a beer bar in San Francisco. Be willing to try a few dozen more to see if there might be something there.

A beer lover isn’t build with an unabashed love for every beer ever brewed. There were over 200 categories and subcategories at the Great American Beer Festival this year, no one loves them all. Of course you have favorites, and least favorites. You aren’t a bad beer person for not liking a few. But you are a bit of an asshole for making someone else feel inferior for admitting they don’t like IPA’s.

Yum

Beer Brined Lemon Garlic Skillet Chicken

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

4 chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on)
1 tbs kosher salt
1 cup beer, plus ½ cup, divided (pale ale, pilsner)
¼ cup diced shallots (or white onions)
4 large cloves garlic, grated with a microplane
1 ½ tbs flour
juice from one lemon (about 3 tbs)
1 cup chicken broth
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp salt
¼ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
rice for serving

Instructions

Add the chicken thighs to a shallow bowl, sprinkle with salt, cover with 1 cup beer.
Allow chicken to sit at room temperate for 20 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Rinse the chicken well with cold water, pat dry.
Add the chicken to a cast iron skill, off heat, skin side down. Add the pan to medium high heat, allow to cook until skin is golden brown (starting to cook chicken in a cold skillet will render more fat than if you start it in a hot skillet. You do not need any oil, the fat will render quickly making oil unnecessary)
Turn the chicken over and cook until browned on the under side, remove from skillet (chicken will not be cooked through).
Add the shallots, cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cooking for about 20 seconds.
Whisk in the flour, cooking until all the flour has been dampened.
Add the remaining ½ cup beer, scraping to deglaze the pan.
Stir in the lemon juice, chicken broth, pepper, and salt.
Add the chicken back into the pan, simmer until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes (if the skin has turned soggy, place skillet under broiler for about 1 minute to crisp up the skin).
Sprinkle with parsley prior to serving.
Serve over rice

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Thanksgiving Leftovers Recipe: Black Friday Empanadas

Thanksgiving Leftovers Recipe: Black Friday Empanadas

The next day is always better.

It’s calm, relaxed. The cooking is finished, the fridge full of food, the dishes done. The relatives have left, but the house is still full with those special few.

Of course you can slice a few rolls in half and pile them high with turkey, potatoes, corn and a drizzle of gravy. You can just re-heat and set up a mini buffet for those still left in your care. You can and everyone will be happy.

But maybe you want to try something new. Maybe it’s time for change. This dough takes about fifteen minutes and gives your guests a fun new way to experience leftovers. It’s new, but made with the stuff you already have stacked in tupperware in the fridge.

Or maybe you tuck this idea in your back pocket for the next time you have unexpected guests, a few tubs of leftovers, and you want to do something that feel special.

Either way, you’ll look brilliant.

Yum

Thanksgiving Leftovers Recipe: Black Friday Empanadas

Yield: 10-12 empanadas

Ingredients

For the dough:

3 cups (350g) Masa Harina (corn flour)
1 cup (120g) all purpose flour
1 tsp (6g) salt
1 cup (226g) warm water
1 cup (226g) pale ale beer, warmed to body temperature
2 tbs (32g) vegetable oil
Oil for baking

Filling:

Roasted turkey, chopped
Mashed potatoes
Corn
Cheddar cheese

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350.
Add the masa, flour, salt, water, beer, and oil to a bowl, stir until a soft dough forms. If the dough is too wet, add additional flour. The consistency should be similar to Play-Doh. Cover the bowl and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
Form dough into balls about the size of golf balls.
One at a time place between two sheets of parchment paper (parchment works better than plastic wrap, the dough removes more easily) and using either a tortilla press or a rolling pin, press/roll into 6 inch circles.
Add about 2 tablespoons of filling in the center (use any combination of left over Thanksgiving food that appeals to you). Using the parchment, fold over the dough to form a crescent shape. Peel back the parchment and press the dough to seal the edges. Repeat for all dough balls.
Place on a baking sheet, drizzle with oil.
Bake for 15 minutes. Flip over and bake for a additional 15 minutes or until dough is golden brown.

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Sriracha Beer Mac N Cheese (15-minutes Stove Top)

Sriracha Beer Mac N Cheese (15-minutes Stove Top)

These photos were taken at the beginning of a power outage that lasted two days.

Luckily, the light from my window was filtering through breaking storm clouds in an eerie but beautiful way that made it possible to shoot the macaroni I’d finish making by candlelight. It also tastes fantastic in the dark, although the gorgeous slightly pink hue of the Sriracha cheese sauce is lost in the low light, it didn’t matter.

I spend the night trying, and repeatedly failing, to keep the fireplace going and the candles lit. Instinctively trying to flip light switches when I’d enter a room. Reminding myself that I no longer have a gas stove, it’s electric, so cooking is not an option. Realizing that I’m much more dependent on the comforts of electricity that I’d like to admit.

It gave me a profound appreciation for things I take for granted, the things we refer to as “little things” are only little when you have them, they turn into a giant beast that has your comfort and convince in a stranglehold when you don’t have them. You realize they are so huge they consume your life and hobble your ability to function in the way you’re accustomed to.

So today, as the lights flickered back on, I’m thankful. I’m grateful for warmth, electricity, and the ability to cook again. Tonight I’ll raise a pint to the fact that I almost never have to go without, and in the grand scheme of the world today that makes me fortunate.

Yum

Sriracha Beer Mac N Cheese

Total Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

1 lbs elbow macaroni
2 tbs (30g) unsalted butter
3 tbs (24g) flour
2 tbs (12g) cornstarch
2 cup (480mL) whole milk
1 cup (240g) IPA or Pale Ale
1.5 lbs (681g) white cheddar cheese, shredded
½ tsp (3g) salt
½ tsp (2g) garlic powder
2 tbs (64g) Sriracha red chili sauce

Instructions

Cook the macaroni in lightly salted boiling water until just before al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain, set aside.
In a large pot over medium high heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cornstarch until well combined. Add the milk and beer, bring to a low simmer, do not boil.
A hand full at a time add the cheese, whisking until all the cheese has melted before adding more.
Sitr in the salt, garlic powder and Sriracha (add additional to taste).
Add the noodles, stir until well combined, allow the noodles to finish cooking in the sauce, about 3 minutes.
Serve warm.

Notes

If the sauce breaks, use an immersion blender to bring it back to life.

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10-Minute Tater Tot Beer Cheese and Chives Soup

10-Minute Tater Tot Beer Cheese and Chives Soup

You don’t have to make a decision.

There’s no pressure to decide if you really want to give this a try, or if you think it’s a new deviant low in beer cooking. It can always be both. More than anything, its a reminder. Don’t look both ways before crossing the food trend street. Don’t check the paper next to you when searching for the right answer to whether or not something is desirable. Blink. What’s your blink reaction? There needs to be no further explanation. There needs to be no additional analysis. This seems to be difficult. It’s hard, in a way, to just like what we like because we like it. We seem to need constant validation as to our decision making and preferences.

Let’s just stop. Let’s just like stuff, because, well, we like it. Let’s drink without checking reviews on Untapped or Beer Advocate. Let us eat, cook with, order and enjoy stuff regardless of trending hashtags. Just for a while, just to see how it feels.

Yum

10-Minute Tater Tot Beer Cheese and Chives Soup

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

2 cups (450g) wheat beer or pale ale
3 tbs (30g) cornstarch
16 ounces (450g) sharp white cheddar, grated
1 cup (240g) broth (vegetable or chicken)
½ cup (120g) heavy cream
1 tsp (4g) red pepper sauce
salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup chopped chives
2 cup (200g) tater tots, cooked according to package directions*

Instructions

Add the beer, cornstarch, cheddar, broth, heavy cream, and red pepper sauce to a blender. Blend on high until very well combined, about 5 minutes.
Add to a pot over medium high heat, simmer until warmed and slightly thickened.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, stir in chives.
Ladle into serving bowls, top with tater tots, serve immediately.

Notes

*To bake crispy tater tots, rather than soft ones, drizzle with oil just prior to baking.

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BBQ Beer Brat Tailgate Pizza & How To Prep A Grilled Pizza For Tailgating

I grill pizza more often than I grill anything else. Unless you have a pizza oven in your backyard, it’s likely your best option when it comes to at home pizza cooking. Or, in this case, parking-lot-back-of-a-truck-with-a-portable-grill cooking. You get those lovely grilled char marks that you want when open flames are cooking your food, and it’s easy to modify to your guest eating persuasions.

Tailgate Pizza Tips:

Prep as much as you can ahead of time. If you’re making more than one pizza, write down the toppings you want for each, prep them all and store them in small containers to take with you. The dough can, and should, be made in advance. Just make sure to punch down the dough every 12 hours (literally just punch the middle of it to deflate, you can also grab the sides and pull to deflate). Pizza dough is best if it’s able to cold ferment in the fridge for a few days.

Don’t forget to bring a surface to roll out the dough. Some people like to use a rolling pin, while others think hand shaping the dough is the only way to go, it’s your call.

Brush the grates with olive oil to keep the dough from sticking. I sometimes oil the dough and flip it onto the grill like a giant pancake, but that’s just me.

You only want to grill the underside until it holds shape. It’s going back on the grill to heat the toppings and melt the cheese, undercooking it the first time will prevent overcooking it the second time.

Pizzas take about 8 minutes to cook, so they are easy to make as-needed. Plus they don’t take up too much room in the cooler, leaving you way more space for beer. Which, really, is the most important part.

I used Stout & Sriracha BBQ Sauce

Yum

BBQ Beer Brat Tailgate Pizza & How To Prep A Grilled Pizza For Tailgating

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

For the Pizza Dough:

3 cups (360g) bread flour
1 packet (2 ¼ tsp, or 21g) rapid rise yeast
2 tsp (8g) sugar
1 cup (226g) wheat beer
3 tbs (42g) whole milk
1 tbs (14g) olive oil, plus 2 tbs (28g), divided
1/2 (2g) tsp salt

Toppings:

2 to 3 large beer brats, raw
24 ounces beer (wheat, pale ale, or brown ale)
Stout & Sriracha BBQ Sauce (link above)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 roasted red bell pepper, chopped (from a jar is OK)
2 tbs chopped fresh parsley (or cilantro)
Oil for the grill

Instructions

Directions:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the bread flour, yeast, and sugar, stir until well combined. In a microwave safe bowl, add the beer. Heat until 120F. Add the beer to the flour and stir until incorporated. Add the milk, salt and 1 tablespoon oil, stir with the dough hook until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Allow to rise in a warm room until doubles in size, about one hour. You can bake the dough at this point, but it’s best to punch down the dough, cover and allow it to rise again in the fridge from 12-18 hours.
Make the beer brats. In a pan with a lid add the brats and the beer, cover and simmer until the brats are cooked through, remove from pan.
Preheat the grill to medium high. Grill the brats until grill marks appear on all sides, about 3 minutes. Remove and slice.
Brush the grates with oil to prevent sticking . Place the dough on the grill (a pizza peel coated in flour or cornmeal will help) until grill marks start to appear. Flip the dough and very lightly grill on the underside, just until the dough holds shape. Remove from the grill, place on a work surface with the lightly grilled side down. Spread an even layer of BBQ sauce over the crust, top evenly with cheese, add sliced brats and red pepper.
Return to the grill, close the lid and cook until the cheese has melted, 3-5 minutes. Remove from grill, sprinkle with parsley (or cilantro), slice and serve.

Notes

Pre-prep (tailgating tips): • Make the dough the night before, let it do a second rise in the fridge. You’ll have to have a space to roll it out when you get to the venue, so bring a large cutting board if needed. It’ll be best if you let it come to room temp before trying to roll out. 10 minutes in a car with the heater on should be fine. • Boil the brats ahead of time, pack them in the cooler, grill and slice them on site. • Have all your ingredients prepped and stored in small containers, ready to go when you need them, it’ll help make the process much easier.

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Hot Beer Fried Chicken and Pepper Biscuits

It’s a hectic Wednesday morning and I’m trying to get it all straight in my head. I have emails to answer, deliverables to finishes, calls to make. It makes me want to shut down. I’m not organized, that side of this slightly insane job that I’ve chosen for myself makes me want to crawl under a pile of coats, shut my eyes and pretend like it doesn’t exist. So I do what I do when I’m stressed out, I bake. Fortunately for my skinny jeans, I’m not a stress eater, I’m just a stress baker. I just want to make it, the process calms me down. It’s a small win for me when other things in my life have weighted me down, this tips the boat back upright, even if just for a few minutes.

Chicken and biscuits do it every time. Nothing soothes like an emotional salve the way the comfort food miracle cure of fried chicken does. Of course biscuits have been my go-to for years, just about 8 minutes and the smell of homemade biscuits starts to solve minor emotional problems. You can keep the lavender bath salts and the vanilla scented candles, I’ll take the smell of fried chicken, hot biscuits and a hoppy beer. Someone needs to make bath salts that smell like that. It’s way better than pumpkin spice.

Yum

Hot Beer Fried Chicken and Pepper Biscuits

Yield: 8 biscuits

Ingredients

For the biscuits:

3 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp sugar
8 tbs unsalted cold butter, cut into cubes
1/2 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup wheat beer
2 tbs melted butter
¼ tsp course sea salt

For the chicken

1 cup pale ale
2 cups whole milk
1tbs hot pepper sauce (I used Chipotle Tabasco)
1 lbs boneless, skinless chicken, cut into 2 inch strips
2 cups flour
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp salt
Honey (optional)

Instructions

Make the biscuits:

Preheat oven to 425F.
In a processor add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pepper and sugar.
Pulse to combine. Add the cold butter, process until well combined. Add to a large bowl.
Add the buttermilk and beer. Mix with a fork until just combined.
Add to a well-floured flat surface, pat into a rectangle. Using a cold rolling pin (preferably marble) gently roll into a large rectangle, about 1 inch in thickness, using as few strokes as possible.
Fold the dough into thirds as you would a letter about to go into an envelope. Roll lightly, once in each direction to about 1 inch thickness, fold in thirds again. Gently roll into about 1 1/2 inch thickness (this will give you flakey layers).
Using a biscuit cutter cut out 6 to 8 biscuits. Place in a baking pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
Brush biscuits with melted butter, sprinkle salt.
Bake at 425 for 10 to 12 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.

Make the chicken:

Add the pale ale, milk and Tabasco to a bowl. Add the chicken, cover with plastic wrap, place in the refrigerator and allow to chill for at least one hour and up to over night.
Add 3 to 4 inches of vegetable oil to a pot, clip a deep fry thermometer onto the side, heat oil to 375. Adjust heat to maintain that temperature.
In a medium sized bowl stir together the flour, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder and salt.
One at a time remove the chicken from the marinade. Add to the flour bowl, tossing to coat, place it back into the milk bowl until covered with milk, then back into the flour bowl until well coated with flour.
Add chicken to a wire rack that has been placed over a baking sheet. Repeat for the rest of the chicken pieces. Then add to the fryer. Fryer until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes.Return to the wire rack (this will kip it cripsy on all sides, Placing on a paper towel will make the under side soggy. Place in a 175F oven for up to 2 hours to make ahead.)
Split the biscuits adding one chicken per biscuit, drizzle chicken with honey (if desired) before adding top biscuit. .

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Crispy Beer Battered Steak House Onion Rings

Crispy Beer Battered Steak House Onion Rings

I was on a southbound flight a few weeks ago, the guy sitting next to me not picking up on my “I don’t talk to strangers on airplanes” vibes. He asked me what I did for a living, which is always a bit of a strange conversation when the answer is something along the lines of “I cook with craft beer, and then take pictures of it.”

He rolls his eyes. “I hate that.” I didn’t engage, I didn’t care what he hates or why he hates it. If he left me alone, I was fine with that.

After a few minutes of my not biting on his gem of a response to my chosen career, he gave up. “I mean….why does YOUR beer get to craft and other people’s isn’t? It seems so elitist.”

Ahh…one of those guys. In his Brooks Brothers khakis and late 90’s briefcase he has decided what I’m allowed to call beer.

“What do you do?” I ask.

“I import. From China and Japan, teas mostly.”

“Why? There is plenty of tea over here. Why not just use some grown in the US?”

He’s borderline outraged at the suggestion. “It’s not the same! The techniques people use, the old world skill, the attention to detail and process. People over there have a love for it, they consider it….”

“..a craft?”

Tense silence.

“So, are you saying that your tea is craft tea and maybe Lipton, isn’t?”

“…..oh. Um. Oh…”

I put my headphones in and ignore any more of his attempts to engage. The truth is craft breweries put quality above profit. They will sacrifice the amount they make on a beer in favor of using the best ingredients, but they won’t do it the other way around. There is a love and a respect for the product that can be felt in the industry. There is craft in every industry, with beer it’s just more obvious, more celebrated.

Now let’s talk food for a second. When making onion rings, the onion selection makes a big difference. Peel back those layers and all onions bring something different to your table. When selecting the best onion for your rings, you want a thick ring, lots of sweetness and a mellow flavor. Red onions don’t have the sweetness or the thickness you’re looking for. White onions are crisp and thick, but much too harsh and sharp in flavor. Yellow onions have more sweetness than white or red, but the layers tend to be fairly thin and the overall flavor can often be a bit sharper than is ideal. Your best bet is what’s known as a sweet onion.

Sweet onions have thick slices and a sweet flavor without giving you that sharp onion flavor that turns some away. The most common varieties are Walla Walla sweets, Maui, and Vidalia onions, all are the perfect choice for a thick batter and a quick deep fry and won’t leave you overpowered with a sharp onion taste.

For the beer, pick one that has some great carbonation and big flavor, those onion rings can take it. I like a pale ale or an IPA to get the job done.

Happy frying.

Yum

Crispy Beer Battered Steak House Onion Rings

Ingredients

2 large sweet onions
1 ½ cups buttermilk
2 cups flour divided in half
2 tbs cornstarch
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp chili powder
1 tbs brown sugar
1 cup IPA beer
2 cups panko bread crumbs
1 tsp salt
canola or peanut oil for frying

Instructions

Slice the onion into ½ inch slices, separate the rings. Place in a large bowl, cover with buttermilk. Refrigerate for 1 hour and up to overnight.
In a large bowl add 1 cup flour (reserve the other cup), cornstarch, baking soda, chili powder, brown sugar, stir to combine. Stir in the beer to make a smooth batter.
Add the remaining flour to a small bowl. Stir together the salt and panko in a separate bowl.
Heat three inches of oil in a pot over medium high heat. Use a deep fry thermometer to maintain 350 degrees.
One at a time remove the onion slices from the milk, dredge in flour until well coated, dip in the batter, 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). Fry on both sides until golden brown, about 1 minute per side.
Remove from oil, place on a wire rack to cool.

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Strawberry Jalapeno Beer Popsicles + A Craft Beer Whitewater Adventure

I’m in the middle of class 4 rapids, the yellow raft I’m in is pinned on the right side to a giant boulder, the impossibly fast current is rushing over the left side of the boat and the raft is quickly submerged. Seven of us are waist deep in cold water, trying desperately to free ourselves, knowing if the boat flips, or if any of us are tossed out, it could be fatal.

“LEFT SIDE! BACK! BACK!” Our guide, known only to us as Iowa, is screaming directions at us. As the man in charge of getting us safety down the Tuolumne River, we do everything he says without thinking, hoping it works.

Jake, the fire fighter from Ventura, jumps to the back of the boat, at the same time pushing hard against the boulder in an attempt to free the submerged raft. It works. With a sickening scrape we feel the raft free itself. We slide backwards down the rapids, pinging off several boulders before finding calm water and we all start to breathe again.

“Awesome job team, awesome job!” The smile has returned to Iowa’s face. “You guys are awesome.”

One mile down, seventeen to go. Let’s do this.

8 miles and dozens of rapids later we stop to set up camp on a remote river beach tucked away in the woods of Northern California, a short distance from Yosemite. I’m joined on this two day adventure by two guys from Sierra Nevada brewing, a mother and her two children on a memorial trip to honor the Patriarch of the family who passed away exactly one year earlier, a bachelor party of 7 guys up from Ventura California and two chefs from one of Northern California’s hidden gems, The Arnold Pantry. In so many ways, the perfect mix of people. Friendly, laid back, and all with their own story to tell. The ice chest with cold beer is opened up and two of the four kegs packed onto the gear boat by the Sierra Nevada crew are tapped and we all start to loosen up. It’s beer that has been hard-earned and tastes fantastic.

I jump in the make-shift kitchen, set up with a little more than a camp stove under the trees, to give Chip and Jeff a hand. While I’m immersed in cooking tasks, slicing bacon Chip spent three months making and peeling black garlic, the guides have set up a beautiful dinner scene, complete with candles and tablecloth covered portable camp tables. It’s gorgeous. The sunset is throwing silvery shards of light down a calm stretch of river bent around the beach we’ve claimed as camp for the night. After the appetizer of house-cured bacon, black garlic and yellow tomato jam on turmeric avocado toast, our dinner is served to us by raft guides turned wait staff. Crispy pork belly over risotto and pickled asparagus, with a side salad of compressed watermelon and cucumber with feta and candied pecans. For dessert there is a biscuit bread pudding with hand whipped cream and sweet pickled cherries. Even if you were expecting more than hotdogs and store-bought marshmallows, you’d have been blown away. Even if you hadn’t spent an adrenaline packed day dodging boulders and trying to stay afloat, it still would be one of the best meals you’ve had all year. Add in the events of the day, the keg of beer just a few feet away, the gorgeous moonlight and the sound of the river, and it becomes magical. That’s the word for it: magical. We spent the rest of the night by the campfire, trading stories and failing in our attempt to drain the kegs.

By the time daylight rose over the mountains and we were served French toast with orange cream sauce, fresh berries and hot coffee, we felt like a small gang. Ready to tackle what the river had to serve us. Ready for another day of thrills, rapids and laughing. And when that day finally came to an end, it felt too soon. It felt like we needed another keg, more spectacular food and more conversation.

I’m ready to go back.

For more information about the craft beer rafting trips, contact OARS. I highly recommend it.

Yum

Strawberry Jalapeno Beer Popsicles

Ingredients

1.5 lbs strawberries
1 large (or two small) jalapenos, sliced
¼ cup sugar
12 ounces pale, summer ale or IPA (I used Sierra Nevada Summerfest)

Instructions

Add all ingredients to a blender, blend until smooth, allow the mixture to settle until the bubbles go down, about 15 minutes.
Pour into popsicle molds. Freeze until set, about 3 hours.

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I was not compensated for this post, I was given a free trip without expectation or obligation. All opinions are my own.

Vanilla Beer Cake Bites with Blueberry Filling

Vanilla Beer Cake Bites with Blueberry Filling

Sometimes I just need a second.

A second to take a breath. Of course I love the tumbling-forward-faster-than-I-can-keep-up-with pace that my life takes, but I need a second. Spring is the season to pause. The season to sit on the porch, long conversations with friends, favorites rediscovered, season. Maybe it isn’t a season to find out what new things you haven’t heard of yet, it’s a season to remember the things you already love and not even care why you love them.

It’s a vanilla cake, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, grilled chicken, favorite sunglasses, faded jeans kind of season. Sure, I love the new stuff constantly being thrown into my consciousness, but the old favorites have earned their space.

Vanilla Beer Cake Bites with Bluberry Filling-1

This is my season to take a breath and rediscover my favorites. Not justify why I like them, but to just sit and enjoy. In the spirit of this take a breath and remember to enjoy what you like, and to like what you like because you like it, here are my old favorites, the beers that have been with me since the beginning of this craft beer journey, the ones that will still be there when the dust settles on all the new trends. These are the craft beer equivalent of the guy who drives you to the airport at 5am and shows up to help you move.

Allgash // White

Deschutes // Black Butte Porter

Sierra Nevada // Pale Ale

Ballast Point // Sculpin

North Coast // Old Rasputin

Rogue Ales // Shakespeare Stout

Vanilla Beer Cake Bites with Bluberry Filling-2

Yum

Vanilla Beer Cake Bites with Blueberry Filling

Yield: 12-18

Ingredients

Cake

½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cups white sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbs canola oil
¼ cup heavy cream
½ cup pale ale (or wheat beer)
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt

Filling:

1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tbs corn starch
¼ cup pale ale (or wheat beer or blueberry beer)
¾ cup heavy cream
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325.
Add the butter and both kinds of sugar to a stand mixer. Mix on high until well creamed, about 3 minutes.
Add the eggs and vanilla, stopping several times to scrape the bottom to insure everything is well combined.
Add the oil, cream and beer, mixing until well combined.
Stop the mixer, sprinkle with flour, baking powder and salt, stir until just combined.
Pour into a 9X13 baking pan that has been greased and floured.
Bake until the top is golden brown and springs back when lightly touched, 23-26 minutes.
While the cake bakes, make the blueberry filling. In a pot over medium high heat add the blueberries, sugar, cornstarch and beer. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, until thickened. About 8 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
Allow cake to cool completely, transfer to a flat surface. Using a 1 to 2 inch cookie cutter, cut out 12-18 shapes.
IN a stand mixer add the heavy cream, vanilla and powdered sugar. Beat on high until medium peaks form.
Slice the shapes in half, like splitting a hamburger bun (alternately you can use one shape for the top and another for the bottom).
Fill the shapes with blueberry filling and whipped cream. Chill until ready to serve.

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Vanilla Beer Cake Bites with Bluberry Filling-3

Moroccan Beer Chicken with Herb Yogurt Sauce & How to Stock A Summer Beer Tub

Moroccan Beer Chicken with Herb Yogurt Sauce

A summer evening dinner party on the patio, the perfect guest list, beautiful food, the right playlist, and of course, the right offerings in the beer tub. Stocking a beer tub for a party is as important as planning the food. It’s as much about offering your friends their favorites as it is about introducing them to new ones.

When planning the brew menu keep in mind the types of drinkers you’ve invited as well as how far you want to push their palates. Use it as an opportunity to show your friends how great beer is, not to use your preference for craft beer to alienate people and act like an asshole. It can be a fine line, but remember, if someone shows up at your door with a case of Stella, just smile and thank them and remember that you are socially obligated to add it to the beer tub. If you feel the urge to launch into a diatribe about green bottles, imported mass produced lagers or the importance of supporting local beer, just stop talking. Don’t be that guy.

Wheat beer.: Recommended: Hangar 24 // Orange Wheat, Allagash // White, Bell’s // Oberon Ale, Dogfish head // Namaste

Pilsners: Recommended: North Coast // Scrimshaw, Oskar Blues // Mama’s Little Yella Pils, Victory // Prima Pils

Session IPA’s: Recommended: Founders // All Day IPA, Firestone Walker // Easy Jack IPA, Lagunitas // DayTime,

Classic Pale Ales: Recommended: Sierra Nevada // Pale Ale, Stone // Pale Ale, Oskar Blues // Dales Pale Ale

A Little Something Different. For the guy who only drinks Newcastle, grab a Big Sky // Moose Drool. For your friend that only drinks sweet white wines, grab a Dogfish Head // Festina Peche. For your friend who refuses beer in all forms, try a Finn River // Black Current Cider. For your friend who always wants something new and is up for trying anything, Victory // Kirsch Gose

When filling the beer tub you want to offer beer that’s accessible to your guest but with a slight push to try something new. My last party had the following: Allagash white, Moose Drool, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Scrimshaw and a bomber of Rogue Sriracha Stout for the brave souls.

I served it with this homemade beer flatbread. SO good.

Moroccan Beer Chicken with Herb Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients

Chicken:

½ tsp cumin
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp paprika
1 cup pale ale
2 tbs olive oil, divided
1 lbs chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, chopped into bite sized cubes

Yogurt sauce & Tomatoes:

1 cup grape tomatoes
½ red onion, chopped
2 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper
2 cups Greek yogurt
1 tbs fresh lemon juice
1 tbs chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp chopped fresh mint
½ tsp garlic powder
Rice for serving

Directions

In a large bowl stir together the cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, nutmeg, paprika, 1 tablespoon olive oil and beer. Add the chicken cubes. Cover and allow to marinate for 2 hours and up to 12.
Preheat the oven to 400.
Add the grape tomatoes and onions to a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss to coat. Roast for 10-12 minutes or until blistered.
Remove chicken from the marinade, pat dry.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to a cast iron skillet over medium high heat until hot but not smoking.
Add the chicken, cooking on all sides until cooked through.
Transfer the chicken to a serving platter, top with tomatoes and onions.
In a small bowl stir together the yogurt, lemon juice, cilantro, mint, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. Serve yogurt sauce along side chicken and tomatoes.

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