I’ve been using beer in my cooking for a long time. Depending on what I’m doing and who I’m cooking for, I’ll use everything from Coors Light to my own Homebrewed oatmeal stout. Beer adds some sweetness and bitterness, as well as moisture to whatever dish you are cooking. Bread needs lighter beer, beef needs darker beer.

Some of the favorite things I’ve done involve the grill. Putting a couple cans of cheap beer in a pot with an onion on the side burner of the grill keeps the brats warm and flavorful while the corn cooks on the grill. Using beer to baste chicken, beef, turkey on the rotisserie adds some great flavors too. And of course there is Beer Butt Chicken!

There are different recipes and mixes for using beer in bread, but the best baked good comes from my wife’s oven. I don’t bake. She found this great recipe using stout or porter in a chocolate cake. It turns out incredibly moist and rich. Topped with a fudge frosting and it sends chocoholics into waves of pleasure. We’ve had multiple requests for that one! I let her use my stouts and porters in that one. Mmm, just thinking of it makes my mouth water.

Here’s a recipe similar to hers. 

Right now as I type I have a pint of my oatmeal stout under the chicken on the rotisserie. I sprinkled Penzy’s Barbeque of the America’s on it. I’m hoping it turns out well. I like to experiment when I cook with beer. So far, I haven’t gotten anything completely inedible.

Cheers!