Favorite Beer?

[Aberzombie]

I found a few new (to me) beers not too long ago, and thought I’d share them. Both are from the Real Ale Brewing Company:

Real Heavy Scotch Ale
Sisyphus Barleywine Style Ale.

They come in 22 oz bottles, are relatively inexpensive, and taste really good.

[Aberzombie]

In addition, although not a beer, I’ve also been partaking of Thorin’s Viking Mead, by Thorin’s Viking Brands. It’s made here in Texas. Very not bad. Kind of reminds me of the mead I used to make at home.

[Ambrosia Slaad]

For any beer drinkers reading this: do you have any recommendations on good/decent readily-available beers for use in cooking? I'm specifically looking for beers to use when making beef stew and chili, but I'm open to any recommendations on other beer-ingredient dinner recipe suggestions as well.

[Andostre]

If you get Shiner Bock where you are, I have seen countless recipes where it's used. Mostly in dishes related to red meat and a delicious Shiner Bock Cheese Soup.

[Dancing Wind]

From experience, I can tell you not to buy anything that has a lot of hops (IPA, primarily). The bitterness doesn't work well, even in meaty stews.

There are a lot of recipes that use stout, especially chocolate dessert recipes. It's good in chili, beef stews, and just about any recipe that uses red wine as a stock.

[Limeylongears]

Ambrosia Slaad wrote:

For any beer drinkers reading this: do you have any recommendations on good/decent readily-available beers for use in cooking? I'm specifically looking for beers to use when making beef stew and chili, but I'm open to any recommendations on other beer-ingredient dinner recipe suggestions as well.

Most recipes I've seen have either recommended a regular bitter or a standard pale ale (as Dancing Wind says, not an IPA). What I used to do was buy a four pack of the cheapest bitter in the shop and employ that, as I didn't feel there was any point buying nice stuff in that situation.

[DeathQuaker]

Ambrosia Slaad wrote:

For any beer drinkers reading this: do you have any recommendations on good/decent readily-available beers for use in cooking? I'm specifically looking for beers to use when making beef stew and chili, but I'm open to any recommendations on other beer-ingredient dinner recipe suggestions as well.

Troeg's Grand Cacao for chili. The chocolate notes and dark beer work beautifully with the other umami and spicy flavors built up in chili.

Their Troegenator Double Bock is also really good for chili or stew.

If that's not available where you are, I echo Andostre's suggestion of Shiner Bock. I'm not 100% sure that's what it was but I'm pretty sure I braised a brisket in that once and it was to die for.

[Aberzombie]

This past weekend, before I had determined what I was cooking for Sunday dinner, I bought a four pack of Buried Hatchet Stout. It would have been for a marinade, which I’ll probably now do this upcoming weekend.

Anyway, that got me wondering if I’d ever posted about that beer before. One quick search showed I had - back in August of 2014. Back in the glory days.

[lisamarlene]

Shiner Bock is awesome. And the 18-pack of bottles fits nicely on the pantry floor under the bottom shelf. (It takes us a good long while to get through it.) Since we moved back to Texas, it's replaced Newcastle as my usual beer.

Recently, though, I discovered Cigar City Maduro, and even though it comes from Florida, I really like it.

[Ambrosia Slaad]

Thanks for all the suggestions about beer, everyone. I had already crossed off hoppy beers because any beer added to the recipe will likely be reduced by cooking, and any strong flavors would be concentrated & more pronounced (like cooking with full-sodium chicken stock).

The beef stew I made earlier in the week with a bottle of amber lager was pretty good, but I'm not a fan of that brand and was looking for something better/tastier. It did do wonders tenderizing the lean cut of top sirloin I used though.

Thanks again. So'wI'yIchu'! {recloaks Slaad of Prey}

[Andostre]

lisamarlene wrote:

Shiner Bock is awesome. And the 18-pack of bottles fits nicely on the pantry floor under the bottom shelf. (It takes us a good long while to get through it.) Since we moved back to Texas, it's replaced Newcastle as my usual beer.

Shiner isn't my favorite beer, but I like to tell people that if I were stranded on a deserted island for the rest of my life, but I had an unlimited supply of beer, I would choose Shiner, because I don't think I'll ever get tired of it.

[Limeylongears]

Right now, I'm drinking Abbeydale Brewery's Salvation Stout. I liked it a lot in cans, and I like it better on draught - a nice, plain stout, which doesn't feel it has to taste of peanut butter/marshmallow fluff/cocoa nibs/orange chocolate, etc.

[Themetricsystem]

Founders Brewing Company makes a fantastic selection of drinks but for the last year or so I've come to heavily favor their All Day IPA Session Ale.

No idea how far their distribution network stretches but if you have a place locally that stocks it, I'd give a solid recco to at least grab a single tall can to see if it's your speed.

[Aberzombie]

My favorite from Founders is their Breakfast Stout. Unfortunately, I haven’t had it in awhile. Even more unfortunately, I probably won’t be able to drink that beer or any other for at least another month or two.

Getting old sucks.

[Aberzombie]

A week or two ago, I found a New Orleans brewed beer I like - Irish Channel Stout.

Even though I don’t drink much alcohol these days, I still bought a four pack.

[Andostre]

Aberzombie wrote:

A week or two ago, I found a New Orleans brewed beer I like - Irish Channel Stout.

Even though I don’t drink much alcohol these days, I still bought a four pack.

How heavy is it? Say, heavier than Guinness?

[Aberzombie]

Andostre wrote:

Aberzombie wrote:

A week or two ago, I found a New Orleans brewed beer I like - Irish Channel Stout.

Even though I don’t drink much alcohol these days, I still bought a four pack.

How heavy is it? Say, heavier than Guinness?

I honestly couldn’t say. It’s been over a decade since I’ve had Guinness. And at least a year or two since I’ve had the Irish Channel Stout (haven’t touched it yet, due to some GI issues). So any comparison I offered would be sketchy.

[Andostre]

Oh, when you said you "found" it, I assume you meant you discovered and tried it.

I love stouts and similar drinks like scotch ales, but I rarely drink them any more, because when I do, I feel full for the next 8 hours and not hungry. I try to manage my own GI issues, so I try and keep my diet healthy...ish.

But, man, I do love stouts.

[Aberzombie]

Andostre wrote:

Oh, when you said you "found" it, I assume you meant you discovered and tried it.

I first had it a few years back, but hadn’t seen it in stores again. Until now, anyway.

[Aberzombie]

Damn! Just looking back on this, and I think this is the longest I’ve ever gone without booze since I was in high school. Coincidentally, I’m back down around my high school weight these days.

Sadly, both were due to the same health issues. Happily, however, one new GI doctor later, it’s looking like I might be on the road to recovery. Hopefully, anyway.

I’m sure that makes some folks around here very sad.

[Limeylongears]

Andostre wrote:

Oh, when you said you "found" it, I assume you meant you discovered and tried it.

I love stouts and similar drinks like scotch ales, but I rarely drink them any more, because when I do, I feel full for the next 8 hours and not hungry. I try to manage my own GI issues, so I try and keep my diet healthy...ish.

But, man, I do love stouts.

I do too, despite the efforts of fashionable brewers to make it undrinkable by brewing it far too strong and packing it full of ingredients that only belong in a cake or inexpensive frozen dessert.

Right now, I'm drinking Carlsberg Special Brew, which I quite like, despite not being a lager fan in general. Four cans for eight quid, too, which is pretty reasonable in today's climate.