-By James Mellgren

The assortment, the quality and the sheer number of beers available these days would have been astounding to anyone living in the United States in the couple of decades following Prohibition (the Volstead Act of 1920 that made the manufacturing and possession of alcohol illegal). Of the more than 3,000 breweries that existed in the United States at the beginning of the 20th century, only a handful were left when the “Great Experiment” ended, and even as late as 1980, just before the emergence of America’s microbreweries, there were only 48 in the whole country, and most were making basically one style of beer — clean, crisp and refreshing lager beers. There was nothing wrong with any of them unless you happened to prefer ale. Today, there are more than 1,500 breweries around the country, some big, some small, and all churning out very different styles of beer, with some coming out of brew pubs that are also serving food. Curiously, not many of them, if any at all, are actually using the beer in the food they cook. Many place emphasis on pairing food with beer (“our Scrimshaw Devil’s Ale goes particularly well with our bison bacon cheeseburger …”), but aside from the odd frankfurter steamed in brew, few talk about cooking with beer, unlike, say, the many tea purveyors who are using tea in the kitchen. Like tea and like wine, beer makes an excellent and versatile ingredient in the kitchen (just ask the Belgians), as well as an accompaniment. So pour yourself a cold one and we’ll take a look at cooking with beer.


Dinner on Tap
As Jeff Foxworthy might say (and no doubt has said), “You know you’re a redneck when your idea of a seven-course dinner is a hot dog and a six-pack.” Until recently, beer and fine dining were rarely mentioned in the same breath. Only wine, it was believed, could reach high enough to be the proper accompaniment to the food one would experience in a white-tablecloth establishment, its Michelin stars prominently displayed. Much the pity, for as people are beginning to discover, beer can enhance the flavor of foods at least as well as wine, if not better and more dramatically, and with myriad styles of beer easily available in most of our cities, one needn’t sacrifice choice to do so. Let’s take a brief look at beer and food before we talk about beer in food.

All beer falls into two main categories, lager and ale, within which there are countless variations. Lager, from the German word meaning “to store,” is known as a bottom-fermenting beer because it is brewed at colder temperatures — for four weeks or more — that cause the yeast to fall to the bottom of the tank during fermentation. Lagers, such as Pilsner, are typically light and uncomplicated beers, relatively clear, crisp, clean and refreshing. They should be served cold (40-50 degrees Fahrenheit).

Ale is known as a top-fermenting beer because it is brewed at warmer temperatures, causing the yeast to rise during fermentation. The brewing process is shorter than for lagers, but the resulting beer tends to be more complex, heavier and fruity in nature. Ales include IPAs, porters and stouts. They are best served chilled (50-60 degrees Fahrenheit).

In addition to the various flavor components of beer, it is the carbonation that allows it to transform the flavors of food, causing them to virtually explode in the mouth. Also, because there are so many varieties of beer, one can match the body and flavor of food with a like-minded brew. Crisp, clean lagers are great accompaniments to spicy food, seafood, soft-ripened cheeses and lighter dishes. Beers with a fuller body are best paired with aged cheese, grilled meats and seafood, roasts, gratins, and smoked food. For really robust cheeses like assertive blues and washed-rind cheeses, go with a big, bold beer like stout or porter. These big, darker beers are also great with dessert, especially chocolate cake, rich custardy desserts and ice cream. Try serving an adult “beer float” with a scoop of premium ice cream — chocolate or vanilla — drenched in Bare Knuckle Stout or Guinness.

When cooking with beer, the same rules apply: match the body and style of the beer to the body of the food you are cooking. Beer is a great ingredient for braising and steaming, for marinades, as a flavor component in soups and sauces, and for making batters (my wife makes a delicious eggless beer batter for frying calamari, shrimp and vegetables). Since beer goes with any type of food, it also cooks well with any kind of food, with meat and beer a particularly good match. And, of course, just like with wine, you can pair the same beer with the food in which it is an ingredient. For some excellent suggestions on how to cook with beer, I recommend a terrific book, “Great Food Great Beer: The Anheuser-Busch Cookbook” (Sunset Books). With 185 recipes that highlight one of our oldest and most popular beverages from the cooks at Anheuser-Busch (A-B), including Chef Brent Wertz and Executive Chef Sam Niemann, the book also features valuable information on beer in America, how it is made, detailed descriptions of the various styles, extensive beer and food pairings, proper pouring instructions, and even notes on recommended glassware that can enhance the beer-drinking experience. A-B has also developed a generic beer Web site that offers many more recipes, a virtual beer-tasting course, and pairing suggestions and instruction. It can be found at www.herestobeer.com.

Burgers and Buffalo wings are fine, but there is a brave new world of cooking possibilities involving beer out there. Giving some thought to pairing the right beer with the right food will greatly enhance your dining experience, but in the end, the best beer is the beer you like best, and very likely whatever that beer is, it will marry very well with whatever food you are eating. Also, using beer in your prepared foods department is a great way to highlight your beer selection and to turn your customers on to some big, bold flavors. Without knocking wine, I must say that beer is a much older beverage, in many ways more complex, and can transform foods in ways that only sparkling wines can, but with more variation. It’s time the food world took beer more seriously, but don’t take it too seriously. It would take all the fun out of it.

The recipes below are reprinted here from Great Food Great Beer: The Anheuser-Busch Cookbook (Sunset Books) with the kind permission of the good folks at Anheuser-Busch. Not all of the recipes in the book include beer — although all have brilliant pairing suggestions — but I chose these because they illustrate very well how easy and delicious it is to cook with beer. The pairings mentioned are from the book as well.


Creamy Lager and Jalapeño Soup
Serve with an American-Style Premium Lager, such as Budweiser.

Makes 6 servings
2 tablespoons butter
3 jalapeño chilies, seeded and finely chopped
½ onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and grated
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups Budweiser
2 cups chicken stock
6 ounces half-and-half
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
1½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1. In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. When the foam subsides, stir in the jalapeños, onion and carrot. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened, about five minutes.

2. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for two minutes. Pour the beer and stock into the pan in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve placed over a bowl. Reserve the solids and the saucepan.

3. Transfer the solids to a blender or food processor, and process to a smooth purée. Return the purée to the saucepan along with the strained liquid and heat over medium-low heat. Pour in the half-and-half, stirring until well-mixed and heated through. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro and salt.

4. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve hot, garnished with the cheese.
(Chef’s Tip: Chef Sam Niemann suggests leaving in the jalapeño seeds for a spicier soup.)

Pork Loin Braised With Cabbage
Serve with an American-Style Amber Lager, such as Michelob Amber Bock.

Makes 8 servings
4 teaspoons Hungarian sweet paprika
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
1 boneless pork loin (2 pounds), trimmed of excess fat
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 ounces Canadian bacon, diced
2 pounds red or green cabbage, thinly sliced
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ teaspoon caraway seeds
1 bottle (12 ounces) Michelob Amber Bock

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine 2 teaspoons of the paprika, 1 teaspoon of the thyme, 1 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper, and the sage. Rinse the pork loin and pat dry with paper towels. Rub the spice mixture over the pork. In a large ovenproof Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook, turning until well-browned on all sides, about five minutes. Transfer the pork to a platter and set aside.

2. Add the bacon to the pan and cook for three minutes. Add the cabbage, onions and carrot. Cover, lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage begins to wilt, about 15 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, the remaining 2 teaspoons of paprika, the remaining 1 teaspoon of thyme, the remaining ½ teaspoon of pepper, the caraway seeds and beer. Return the pork to the pan and cover.

3. Bake the pork until tender, about two hours. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and serve.

Gingerbread Cake
Serve with a Dry Stout, such as Bare Knuckle Stout.

Makes 12 servings
1 cup dry stout
1 cup dark molasses (not blackstrap)
1 teaspoon baking soda
2½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon salt
1½ cups finely chopped crystallized ginger
1½ cups unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1½ tablespoons grated lemon zest
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter two 8-inch square glass baking dishes. In a deep saucepan, combine the stout and dark molasses over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the baking soda (it will foam up). Set aside and let cool.

2. In a bowl, combine the flour, ginger, cinnamon, allspice and salt. In a bowl, combine 1 cup of the crystallized ginger, the melted butter and brown sugar. Stir in the eggs and lemon zest. Stir in the flour mixture in four additions alternating with the stout mixture. Pour the batter into the baking dishes, dividing evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely, dust the tops with confectioners’ sugar, and cut each into six squares.

3. In a bowl, combine the cream and granulated sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Stir in all but 1 teaspoon of the remaining crystallized ginger. Serve the cream with the cake, sprinkled with the last bit of ginger.