Cooking With Craft Ales: What Recipes use Craft Ale as a Key Ingredient?

Many classic and modern recipes use craft ale to build rich, complex flavours, from hearty stews and creamy soups to light, crispy batters. The ale's character adds unique notes to dishes, whether it's the malty sweetness of a stout or the fruity, hoppy punch of an IPA.

Main Courses

• Beef and ale stew: A traditional favourite, this slow-cooked dish relies on a dark, malty ale, like a porter or stout, to create a rich and deeply savoury gravy.

• Beer-braised short ribs: For tender, fall-off-the-bone meat, braising short ribs in a dark ale adds complexity and a hint of caramelised sweetness.

• Beer can chicken: A popular grilling method, a partially-filled can of craft beer is placed inside a whole chicken. The simmering beer steams the chicken from the inside, keeping the meat exceptionally moist and flavourful.

• Beer-steamed mussels: Steaming mussels in a large pot with a pale ale, garlic, and herbs infuses them with a clean, light, and slightly bitter flavour. You can finish the dish with a touch of cream for added richness.

 Soups and Sides

• Beer cheese soup: For a rich, velvety soup, whisk a craft ale (like a pale or amber ale) into a roux with sharp cheddar cheese and broth. The ale adds a tangy depth to this classic comfort food.

• Ale and cheddar soup: Another classic pub grub recipe, this soup combines vegetables, cheddar cheese, and a pale ale for a rich, warming dish.

• Craft ale macaroni and cheese: Stirring a malty brown ale into the cheese sauce elevates this comfort food staple with a new layer of complexity.

• Beer-caramelized onions: For a flavourful topping on burgers or steak, slow-cook onions with a dark beer like a porter until they are deeply caramelised and sweet. 

Batters and Doughs

• Beer-battered fish and chips: The carbonation in a light, fizzy lager or pale ale creates an extra light and crispy batter perfect for frying fish.

• Classic beer bread: This is one of the simplest baking recipes. The ale acts as the leavening agent, resulting in a hearty, quick bread with a moist interior and a chewy crust. You can also mix in ingredients like cheese or herbs.

• Fried vegetables: Use a craft beer batter for crispy onion rings, zucchini fries, or other vegetables.

• Stout chocolate cake: The malty, slightly bitter notes of a stout or porter complement and deepen the richness of chocolate in a decadent layer cake.

 Marinades and Condiments

• Beer-infused marinades: The acids and enzymes in beer can tenderise meat, while different styles add flavour. A porter works well for barbecue with brown sugar, while a hoppy IPA adds a citrus kick.

• Spicy beer mustard: For a homemade condiment, a robust ale can be used to add a kick and complex malt flavor to mustard.

• Beer-candied bacon: The rich flavour of a dark beer, like a stout, can be used with brown sugar to create a sweet and savoury candied bacon.