Surf and Turf Kebabs & American Craft Beer Week Rye IPA
Monday, May 13th marks the start of the 7th Annual American Craft Beer Week, and with that comes the release of our annual American Craft Beer Week Rye IPA. Brewed each year at the end of April, this draught-only offering combines the piquant spice of malted rye with the zesty citrus hop character of American-grown Cascade and Ahtanum hops. The result is a more full-bodied San Diego-style India Pale Ale with a depth of flavor that pairs especially well with spicier fare. And with grilling season already upon us, we figured we’d share our recipe for Tōgarashi Surf & Turf Kebabs to pair with our limited release American Craft Beer Week Rye IPA.
Tōgarashi seasoning is a staple condiment in Japanese cuisine that combines an array of savory and aromatic ingredients, ranging from dried orange peel to nori to Szechuan peppercorns. There are many different preparations but the key ingredients are listed in the DIY recipe below. Of course, if you’re short on time, you can always pick-up pre-made tōgarashi at your local gourmet food store or Japanese grocer.
Tōgarashi Seasoning
2 tbsp. Szechuan Peppercorns
1 tbsp. Dried Orange or Tangerine Peel
1 tbsp. Shredded Nori
1 tbsp. Dried Red Chilies
1 tsp. White Sesame Seeds
1 tsp. Black Sesame Seeds
1 tsp. Poppy Seeds
1 tsp. Powdered Ginger
Step 1: Gently toast peppercorns and sesame seeds in a small sauce pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
Step 2: Using a clean coffee grinder or small food processor, grind peppercorns, citrus peel, nori, chili pepper, and sesame seeds until well-ground but not powdered.
Step 3: Combine ground spices with poppy seeds and ginger and store until ready to use.
Tōgarashi Surf & Turf Kebabs
1 lb Beef Tenderloin, cut into 1 ½’ cubes
10-12 Large Sea Scallops
Pearl Onions
Sweet Peppers
Japanese Eggplant
Wooden Skewers, soaked in Red Trolley Ale
Steak Marinade
2 tbsp. Vegetable Oil
1 tbsp. Tōgarashi Seasoning
½ tsp. Sea Salt
Preparation: Combine oil, tōgarashi, salt, and steak in a small mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to skewer and grill.
Tōgarashi Beer Butter
½ c. Butter, softened
2 tbsp. Red Trolley Ale, warm
1 tbsp. Tōgarashi Seasoning
Preparation: Using a small food processor or whisk, combine butter, Red Trolley Ale, and tōgarashi and blend until smooth. Do not refrigerate.
Grilling Instructions:
Steak Kebabs: Using your beer-soaked wooden skewers, build your steak kebabs alternating between meat and pearl onions. 1lb of tenderloin should yield about three full steak kebabs. Grill over hot coals until medium rare. Cooking times will vary depending on your grill.
Scallop Kebabs: Pat scallops dry and carefully skewer 5 or 6 per stick. Generously coat both sides in tōgarashi beer butter and grill over high heat for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes per side. Baste scallops in beer butter once after turning and once before removing from the grill.
Veggie Kebabs: Skewer Japanese eggplant, onions, and sweet peppers to your liking. They’ll cook much faster than the steak and a little slower than the scallops, so it’s best to keep them separate. Grill over high heat until peppers are lightly charred on both sides.
Beer Pairing: The combination of dried citrus peel and Szechuan peppercorns in the tōgarashi seasoning will really punctuate the citrus and floral hop flavors in an American IPA or Pale Ale, while the beer’s hop bitterness is assertive enough to stand up to the complex spiciness. We suggest trying this recipe with either our American Craft Beer Week Rye IPA or Tower 10 IPA.
24th Anniversary Flanders-style Sour Red Ale
When I began my career in the craft beer industry, Karl Strauss Brewing Company had just celebrated 18 years of brewing in San Diego. It was 2007; San Diego was home to a close-knit band of breweries, and you could count the number of craft-savvy beer bars on one hand. San Diego’s beer scene was plenty mature at the time, but the cult-like demand for San Diego beers was still a few years away. And while high-octane hoppy beers were putting SD on the international map, a more experimental and lesser-known brewing practice was developing behind closed brewery doors.
Experimenting with different ingredients and techniques is one of the most exciting parts of brewing, especially when a little spontaneity or a happy accident leads to new discoveries and complex flavors. The most exciting discovery of my first year with KARL was sour beers. In my life before beer, I knew nothing about spontaneous fermentation or wild ales; my only real experience was pouring a Duchesse de Bourgogne down the drain because it tasted like balsamic vinegar. That being said, my education began when I discovered a cache of dusty, cobweb-covered oak barrels in a dark recessed corner of the brewery. Curious, I asked around and learned that these barrels contained sour and spontaneously fermented ales inoculated with lactic acid-producing bacteria and wild yeast. At first, I didn’t know what to make of folks using bacteria and wild organisms to make beer, but after reading up on the styles and doing a little bar stool research, I was hooked. (more…)
Fruitcake Donuts with Fruitcake Ale
Brewing a fruitcake ale as our 2012 holiday release was a crazy undertaking, so our sharing an off-the-wall recipe for fruitcake donuts shouldn’t come as a surprise. When considering how to include Mouette á Trois in our “Cooking with KARL” series, our first thought was to use the beer in an actual fruitcake, but that felt too easy. Instead, we took a page from the Voodoo Doughnut playbook and created fruitcake donuts. So, if you’re an adventurous type that wants to have fruitcake donuts with your fruitcake ale, try this holiday-inspired beer for breakfast recipe.
Making fruitcake donuts
Fruitcake Donuts:
1 Cup Sugar
4 tsp Baking Powder
1 ½ tsp Salt
1 tsp Cinnamon
½ tsp Ground Nutmeg
¼ tsp Ground Cloves
½ tsp Orange Zest
¼ cup Dried Cherries, finely chopped
¼ cup Dried Apricots, finely chopped
2 eggs
½ tsp Vanilla Extract
1/3 Cup Unsalted Butter, melted
1 Cup Whole Milk
4 Cups All-purpose Flour
Vegetable Oil
Mouette á Trois Glaze:
½ Cup Unsalted Butter, melted
2 ½ Cups Powdered Sugar
¼ Cup Mouette á Trois, warm
San Diego Beer Week Peanut Butter Cup Porter
When San Diego Beer Week kicked-off for the first time in 2009, we brewed a special release Imperial Pale Ale to commemorate what has become an annual celebration of San Diego’s vibrant brewing community. The following year we made our SDBW special release an annual event with a small batch of SDBW Licorice Stout, and in 2011 we kept the tradition going with the release of our SDBW Double IPA. For this year’s beer week release, we chose a more experimental recipe conceived by our very own brewer John Hunter. Inspired by curiosity, Halloween candy, and a borderline obsession with peanut butter and chocolate, John convinced Brewmaster Paul and the rest of the Karl Strauss team to brew this year’s special release – SDBW Peanut Butter Cup Porter.
San Diego Beer Week Peanut Butter Cup Porter – An English-style Brown Porter brewed with organic peanut powder, cocoa nibs, and vanilla beans. The resulting brew is a beer’s answer to the peanut butter cup – a medium-bodied porter with smooth layers of peanut butter and milk chocolate.
Stats: 5.6% ABV – 56 SRM – 30 IBU
FAQ: I have a peanut allergy, will this beer make me ill?
Answer: YES!
SDBW Peanut Butter Cup Porter Float
1 16oz Pint Glass
2 Large scoops Vanilla Ice Cream
8oz SDBW Peanut Butter Cup Porter
1 Peanut Butter Cup
If you’ve made a root beer float, this should be a no-brainer. Add two scoops of vanilla ice cream to an empty pint glass, pour chilled beer over the top, and garnish with a peanut butter cup. Growler fills of our SDBW Peanut Butter Cup Porter will be available 11/2 – 11/11 at each of our San Diego Brewery Restaurants. Mention San Diego Beer Week on Friday 11/2 or Friday 11/9 for an $8 ½ gallon fill.
SDBW Peanut Butter Cup Porter Float
Beer for Breakfast: Part IV
If you’ve ever donned lederhosen and headed off to your local Oktoberfest celebration, you know the importance of eating before knocking back liter-sized steins of beer. And while Oktoberfest offers many a beer fan the opportunity to rekindle their fondness for day-drinking, nobody wants to go in unprepared. So before you end up buying a pretzel necklace out of desperation, consider trying this pork-filled beer for breakfast recipe. Prost!
Oktoberfest Pork Benedict
Oktoberfest Pulled Pork
Don’t stress, this part is easy and can be done overnight in the crock pot.
What you’ll need: 
1 6-7 Quart Crock Pot
2lb Pork Rump Roast
3 12oz bottles of Karl Strauss Oktoberfest. room temperature
4 Medium White Onion, peeled whole
4 Cloves Garlic, Crushed
8-10 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
Salt
Pepper
What to do:
1. Rinse pork roast, pat dry, rub generously with salt and pepper, and place in the bottom of your crock pot.
2. Add onion, garlic, and thyme to the crock pot, surrounding the pork roast.
3. Carefully pour room temperature Oktoberfest into your crock pot.
4. Set the timer for 10hrs on low and walk away.
5. In the morning, remove your pork roast and pull meat.
6. Keep pulled pork warm in a covered dish.
Oktoberfest Bratwurst Gravy
Who needs hollandaise when you can have sausage gravy instead? 
What you’ll need:
1 lb Bratwurst, uncooked & uncased
1/4 cup White Onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup Karl Strauss Oktoberfest, room temp
4 tbs Butter
1/4 cup Flour
2 cups Whole Milk
Salt
Pepper
What to do:
1. Brown uncased bratwurst and onion in a medium saucepan until nearly cooked through and crumbling.
2. Add Oktoberfest and simmer on low heat for 3 minutes. This will lend the flavor of a Wisconsin-style beer-braised bratwurst.
3. Add butter and return medium-high heat. Once butter has melted, stir in flour.
4. Slowly stir in milk, continuously stirring over medium-high heat until thick.
Other Ingredients:
If you’ve never poached an egg, here’s a link to Alton Brown’s method.
No need to bake biscuits from scratch, store-bought oven-bake buttermilk biscuits will work perfectly.
Pulling everything together:
Pull biscuits apart, top with a poached egg, Oktoberfest pulled porked, and bratwurst gravy. Fattening? You betcha!
Mouette à Trois: A Holiday Fruitcake Ale
With Two Tortugas taking home medals at both the Great American Beer Festival AND the World Beer Cup, it’s safe to say the bar has been raised on our “Twelve Days” series of holiday ales. This year’s beer is Mouette à Trois, a San Diego spin on the traditional Three French Hens. Long story short, we don’t have French Hens so we’re compromising with French Seagulls. As for the beer, rather than selecting a more traditional beer style like the Baltic Porter (Parrot in a Palm Tree) or a Belgian Quad (Two Tortugas), we went the experimental route. We wanted to create a flavorful winter warmer that captured the perfect mix of holiday cheer and holiday cliché, so we brewed beer’s answer to fruitcake. Think of it as a blend of “HOHOHO Merry Christmas!” and “Hallelujah! Holy sh*t! Where’s the Tylenol?”
Have a look at the label below, keep your fingers crossed that it does well at GABF, and stay tuned for a sneak preview in our Brewery Restaurants.
Mouette à Trois – Holiday Fruitcake Ale
8.5% ABV – 35 SRM – 10 IBU
From the label: Mouette à Trois est la meilleure bière que vous avez jamais goûté ou notre nom n’est pas Karl Strauss. Mouette à Trois, meaning Three Seagulls, is the 3rd installment in our less than literal “Twelve Days” series of holiday ales. Brewed with fresh apricots, cherries and a blend of spices, the resulting strong ale is Belgian Dubbel meets fruit cake. Rich layers of candied fruit and warming spices are punctuated by notes of toffee and fresh-baked bread. Aging on brandy-cured French oak adds hints of vanilla that linger through a warming finish. Don’t. Even. Think. About. Regifting.
Beer Battered Fish Tacos
Whether your first experience came on a trip to Ensenada or on a lunch run to Ralph Rubio’s namesake eatery, few street foods define our region better than the fish taco. No, we’re not talking about that fancy-pants smoked trout and goat cheese version served by your local pop-up gastro tent; we’re referring to the beer-battered, fried goodness of the Baja-style fish taco. And while the jury is still out on who makes the very best, we think the recipe below is pretty darn good – especially since it calls for Karl Strauss Amber.
Oh, and if you haven’t heard, Karl Strauss Amber has a new look. In honor of the 100th Anniversary of Karl’s birth, we’re celebrating the original “Godfather” of beer with new packaging. You can see the new label below.
Karl Strauss Beer Battered Fish Tacos
Fish:
1lb firm white meat fish filets- Rockfish, White Seabass, Kelp Bass, Halibut, or even Tilapia will work. Cut filets lengthwise to a width of about 1.5”.
Marinade:
1 12oz bottle Karl Strauss Amber
1 Medium Onion, sliced
2 Red Jalapeno Peppers, sliced
½ cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
Combine marinade ingredients and fish in a large, covered container or zip-lock bag, and refrigerate for 2-3hrs.
Baja Fish Taco Sauce:
½ cup Sour Cream
½ cup Light Mayonnaise
2 tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
2 tsp Sriracha Chili Sauce
While your fish is marinating, make your Baja sauce by mixing the ingredients above in a small bowl. Refrigerate sauce until ready to use.
Beer Batter:
1 cup McCormick’s Tempura Mix
¾ cup Karl Strauss Amber, cold
1 tsp Chili Powder
½ tsp Black Pepper
McCormick’s frying instruction adjusted to fit this recipe:
POUR vegetable oil into a large heavy skillet or saucepan, filling no more than 1/3 full. Heat oil to 375°F on medium heat.
STIR Batter mix, beer, and spices in medium bowl until mixed. Batter will be lumpy.
DIP Fish strips into batter. Shake off excess. Carefully add several pieces at a time to hot oil.
FRY 3-5 minutes or until golden brown, turning once. Drain on paper towels.
SERVE on corn tortillas with shredded cabbage, baja sauce, and fresh lime.
PAIR with Karl Strauss Amber, of course!
Karl Strauss Amber-Battered Fish Tacos
New Karl Strauss Amber Labels
Wreck Alley Imperial Stout Crème Brûlée
Beer-infused Crème Brûlée? Yes, well, it’s more like crem-brew-lay, but you get the gist. What started out as an off-the-wall idea three years ago has since turned into one of our favorite desserts. Brewed with cocoa nibs and locally roasted Ethiopian coffee beans, Wreck Alley adds rich layers of dark chocolate and an espresso-like roast to this classic dessert.
Our Chefs Gunther and Corey, the masterminds behind this recipe, have earned a solid reputation with their drink beer/think food approach to cooking. Continually pushing the craft beer and culinary envelope with their innovative methods, these two were recently selected to share their expertise at this year’s Craft Brewers Conference in San Diego.
If you’re looking for something to pair with your after dinner Wreck Alley, give this recipe a try. Also, look for this and other great beer-centric recipes in an upcoming craft beer cookbook by Chef’s Press, the publishers behind San Diego’s Top Brewers.
Wreck Alley Crème Brûlée
Ingredients
2 cups Wreck Alley Imperial Stout
4 cups heavy cream
1 cup granulated sugar
12 egg yolks
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
6 shallow, oven-proof ramekins
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place stout in pan, bring to a slow boil and reduce to a ¼ cup. Place cream in a non reactive pan. Split vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the cream. The pod can be used as an additional flavor enhancer by adding it to the cream while heating, remove and discard before whisking. Heat cream and vanilla slowly until steaming. When cream starts to steam remove from heat. Do not boil the cream. While the cream heats through, whisk together egg yolks and sugar with wire whisk until pale in color and sugar is dissolved, about 1 to 2 minutes. Pour about ½ cup of the hot cream into the egg yolk mixture whisking quickly to temper the mixture. In a slow stream, add the remaining hot cream to the egg mixture while continuing to mix with the whisk. Add the reduced stout to the brûlée mixture and mix well. Divide the mixture evenly into six ramekins, placed in a deep baking dish. Fill the baking pan with hot water about half way up the sides of the ramekins and place in a pre-heated oven to cook for 40 minutes or until just set. Check for doneness by gently shaking the ramekins; the brûlée is finished baking when the edges are set/firm but the middle still jiggles a little. Place the ramekins in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to cool before serving.
Finishing:
Sprinkle the top of each brûlée with a thin layer of granulated sugar. With a kitchen propane torch (available at most household supply retailers) point the flame onto the sugar and heat until it begins to melt and is deep golden brown color.
Or
Use the broiler setting of your oven to brown the sugar by placing the brûlée about an inch away under the broiler flame/heat source for 20 to 30 seconds. Check frequently to ensure even browning.
For an additional twist on this classic, add your favorite fruit like strawberries, raspberries or banana slices to brûlée. Gently insert fruit pieces by pressing them into the cold brûlée and follow the same finishing instructios above.
23rd Anniversary Old Ale PubCakes
If you’re a craft beer drinker and you’re unfamiliar with PubCakes , we suggest you seek them out and discover what you’ve been missing. For the second year in a row, our Pastry Chef friends Misty and Kaitlin created a special beer-infused cupcake for our Anniversary. This time around, they were inspired by our 23rd Anniversary Old Ale; a beer with rich notes of bourbon, toffee and dried fruit. What they came up was such a hit at our annual Changing of the Barrels celebration, folks have been clamoring for the recipe ever since.
If you’re looking to have your life changed by a decadent dessert and beer pairing, test out this recipe provided by the ladies of PubCakes. And if you haven’t dropped by for a visit, check out their storefront in San Diego’s College Area, and try the Top 10 Cake made with our Tower 10 IPA.
Karl Strauss 23rd Anniversary PubCake
Ingredients
1 cup Karl Strauss 23rd Anniversary Old Ale
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 tbs vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 bag toffee bits
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring beer to a boil, remove from heat, and cool to room temperature. While the beer is cooling, add cupcake liners to your muffin pan (you’ll need about 12 standard size cupcake liners).
2. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients and sift together. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar on high until mixture lightens and increases in volume. Add the egg and beat in well. Next, set the mixer to low and add dry ingredients and beer in 1/3 increments until fully incorporated. Finally, add the toffee bits and mix thoroughly.
3. Using an ice cream scoop or large spoon, fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, rotating the pan in the oven half way through the cooking time for even baking. The cupcakes are done when a stick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from the pan as soon as they’ve cooled enough to touch; this will prevent the bottoms from steaming.
Blackberry Buttercream
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup fresh blackberries
1 lemon, zested
1 16 oz package powdered sugar
Directions
1. Beat the first three ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
2. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended and smooth after each addition.
*David Lebovitz’s Butterscotch Pudding
*Ina Garten’s Shortbread Cookie Buttons
Pubcake Construction
Once the cupcakes have cooled, use the back end of a wooden spoon to put a hole in the middle of each cupcake. Put the butterscotch pudding into a zip lock bag and cut off the corner to fill each of the holes with pudding. Frost in a circle with the blackberry buttercream. Finally, top with a shortbread cookie, which were rolled about 1/4” thin and in 1 1/2” rounds. Slice a blackberry in half and place on top of the cookie.
*If you have a bottle of our 22nd Anniversary Vanilla Imperial Stout stashed away, check out last year’s PubCake recipe.
Karl Strauss 23rd Anniversary Old Ale
Two Tortugas Spiced Bread Pudding
To the uninitiated, bread has no business meddling with pudding. They both have their places and the thought of a tapioca sandwich is about as appetizing as pouring barleywine on your fruit loops. However, once you’ve tried the real thing, you won’t care what it’s called. Truth be told, there’s no better way to make use of stale bread, unless of course you’re one for feeding the birds.
There are many different recipes for bread pudding, using different breads, fruits, nuts, and spices but this recipe truly captures the flavors of the Holidays. If you’re looking for the perfect dessert pairing to enjoy along-side a glass of Two Tortugas Belgian Quad, give this a try. If you’re a bread pudding aficionado, check out this recipe by our Chefs Gunther & Corey in December’s West Coaster Magazine.
Two Tortugas Spiced Bread Pudding
Two Tortugas Spiced Bread Pudding
1 16oz Loaf Challah Egg Bread
3 Cups Straus Family Organic Whole Milk
2 Cups White Baking Sugar
1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar
8 Large Eggs
1 Tbs Pure Vanilla Extract
1 Tbs Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp Nutmeg
1/2 Tsp Powdered Ginger
1/4 Tsp Ground Cloves
1/4 Tsp Cayenne
1/2 Cup Dried Cherries
1/2 Cup Dried Black Currants
1/2 Cup Raisins
10 oz Two Tortugas Belgian Quad- for cooking
12 oz Two Tortugas Belgian Quad – for drinking
Day/Night Before: Place cubed bread in a large mixing bowl and leave out to stale overnight. In a medium-sized mixing bowl soak dried raisins, currants, and cherries in 10 ounces of Two Tortugas, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Pour the remaining 12oz of Two Torugas into a glass, sit down, put your feet up, and enjoy.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, grease a 13″ x 9″ x 2” baking dish, and strain excess beer from beer-soaked fruit.
Step 2: Whisk milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and spices until well blended. Pour liquid over cubed bread, add beer-soaked fruit, gently mix by hand until well combined, and let rest for 25 minutes.
Step 3: Pour mixture into 13″ x 9″ x 2′ baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown.
Step 4: Remove from oven and allow to cool. Serve with fresh whipped cream and candied walnuts or frost with vanilla butter cream.
Two Tortugas Spiced Bread Pudding, Whipped Cream, Candied Walnuts & Poached Pears
Beer for Breakfast: Part III
Rather than dazzle you with fun facts about Prince Ludwig of Bavaria, Gabriel Sedlmayr, or the origins of Märzenbier, we’ll leave the historical relevance of Oktoberfest to Wikipedia. What began as a Royal Bavarian marital celebration in 1810 has since evolved into the world’s largest celebration of beer drinking. So, before you strap on your lederhosen and head off to your local Oktoberfest biergarten for an afternoon of responsible consumption, consider priming your tank with a solid breakfast.
Below are a few breakfast options that will keep you going until you buy a pretzel necklace from a stranger. If you’re in the mood for something else, check out our previous Beer for Breakfast posts. And if you wake up on Sunday and don’t feel like cooking, we do a Beer Brunch at Brewery Gardens.
Oktoberfest Bacon & Potato Fritters
Oktoberfest Braised Bratwursts, Black Forest Bacon Fritters, Beer Onions, Sauerkraut, Fried Eggs & Black Forest Bacon
Ingredients:
1 lb Potatoes, skinned & shredded
1 Small Yellow Onion, grated
½ Cup Karl Strauss Oktoberfest
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
½ Cup Pre-fried Black Forest Bacon (Finely Chopped)
½ Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Tbs Baking Powder
½ Tsp Salt
½ Tsp Pepper
Reserved Bacon Fat or Vegetable Oil (for frying)
Step 1: Using a box grater, grate potatoes and onions and combine in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add Oktoberfest, mix together, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Step 2: Remove potato mixture from the refrigerator and drain off excess liquid. Transfer to a towel or cheese cloth, form a pouch, and ring out as much liquid as possible.
Step 3: In a large mixing bowl, combine potato-onion mixture, eggs, bacon, flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until you’ve achieved a consistency that’s somewhere between a batter and a dough.
Step 4: Form mixture into small patties that fit in the palm of your hand. Reserve on a cookie sheet until you’re ready to begin frying.
Step 5: Heat bacon fat or vegetable oil in large skillet on medium-high heat until hot. Fry 3-4 fritters at a time for 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel and serve hot.
Oktoberfest Braised Bratwurst
Ingredients:
4 German-style Bratwursts, uncooked
2 12oz Karl Strauss Oktoberfests
1 Medium Yellow Onion (sliced)
2 Springs Fresh Thyme
1 Bay Leaf
1 Garlic Clove, (Crushed)
1 Tbs Butter
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Pepper
Step 1: In a large saucepan, combine sliced onions, thyme, bay leaf, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add brats, beer, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Step 2: Remove brats and set aside for the grill. Remove thyme sprigs, garlic clove, and bay leaf from the braising liquid and discard.
Step 3: Strain onions from braising liquid and place in a small saute pan with 1 tbs butter. Season with salt and pepper and saute over medium-high heat until golden brown.
Step 3: Finish your brats on the BBQ or George Foreman grill, just long enough to give them nice grill marks. Top with beer onions and serve with German mustard.
Karl Strauss Oktoberfest 5.0% ABV – A traditional German Oktoberfest Lager brewed in honor of the world’s largest beer festival. Vienna, Munich and Carahell malts provide crisp toasted malt flavors, while Bavarian Hallertau hops lend a delicate noble hop character.
Special Brownies from Oregon
Remember that one time in college when you split a brownie with your roommate and then ate an entire box of cereal? These aren’t those brownies but that’s not to say they’re not special. Until two weeks ago, I had never heard of a hop brownie. In fact, the thought of cooking, let alone baking, with hops left a bitter taste in my mouth. That all changed the day I visited the Goschie Hop Farm in Oregon and experienced Gayle Goschie’s special hop brownies. The interplay between hop character and chocolate was assertive yet delicately balanced – I was a fan.
Back in San Diego, I couldn’t help but wonder how well a hop brownie would pair with Boardwalk Black Rye. I decided to find out– and after several failed attempts in the unofficial Karl Strauss R&D kitchen (my house), I struck gold. In hindsight, I should have asked Gayle for her recipe but I think we can all agree that experimenting is fun.
Goschie Hop Farm, Oregon
Cascade Hop Brownies:
Preparing hop butter/oil:
¾ Cup Vegetable Oil or Melted Butter
1/2 tablespoon ground Cascade hop pellets
* Use a food processor or clean coffee grinder to grind hop pellets
Cascade hop infused oil
Heat butter or oil in small saucepan over low heat until warm (too hot and you’ll extract too much bitterness from your hops). Remove from heat and stir in ground hops. Let stand for 5 minutes and strain through a coffee filter. Yields a little over ½ a cup of green hop infused oil/butter.
Method #1: From the Box
Step #1: Go to the grocery store and purchase a box of Ghirardelli Ultimate Fudge Brownie Mix.
Step #2: Substitute 1/3 cup veggie oil with 1/3 cup of hop infused oil.
Step #3: Follow the instructions on the box.
Method #2: From Scratch
Hop Brownie from the box
1/2 Cup hop infused vegetable oil or butter
1 Cup Sugar
2 Large eggs
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/3 Cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 Cup semisweet chocolate chips
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
* Vanilla Bean Frosting (recipe below)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8×8 nonstick metal baking pan.
2. In a small bowl, combine dry ingredients and sift together. Set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk hop-infused oil, sugar and vanilla extract. Next, add the egg and beat in well.
3. Gradually mix in dry ingredients until batter is well blended. Fold in chocolate chips before spreading evenly in your 8×8″ baking pan.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, rotating the pan in the oven half way through the cooking time for even baking. The brownies are done when a stick inserted into the center has a few moist crumbs but no batter.
Vanilla Bean Frosting
Hop Brownies from scratch
Ingredients
1/2 Cup butter (softened)
2 Cups powdered sugar ( sifted)
1 Vanilla bean (seeded)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
1. Using a paring knife, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean. Add butter, sugar and 1/2 vanilla bean to a mixing bowl. Gently whisk until well blended. Whisk vigorously for 3 minutes, until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and continue to whisk for 1 minute.
Tower 10 Jerk Chicken
You were planning to celebrate #IPADay at your favorite watering hole when your significant other reminded you that Thursday’s your night to make dinner. Don’t be a jerk and bail; flex your culinary skills and spice things up with some IPA jerk chicken . It may look like a lot of ingredients but it’s EASY and odds are you’ve had most of these spices in your cabinet since the 90′s. To further help the cause, growlers of IPA-to-go are $8 all day on August 2nd in our brewpubs. And if you’re not feeling like a culinary wizard, bookmark this recipe and join us at our #IPADay Cask Night tomorrow.
Tower 10 IPA Jerk Chicken with Pineapple Slaw
3lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
*Vegan/Vegetarian: Sub chicken with Portobello Mushrooms, Tempeh, Zucchini, or your favorite herbivore option.
Tower 10 Jerk Marinade:
2 medium white onions
5 cloves garlic
3 scallions
4-6 Scotch Bonnet or Habanero chilies (seeded & chopped)
Tower 10 Jerk Marinade
1 cup Tower 10 IPA
½ cup Olive Oil
½ cup White Vinegar
½ cup Orange Juice
¼ cup Soy Sauce
2 tbsp. Lime Juice (one large lime)
2 tbsp. Fresh Thyme
2 tbsp. Allspice
2 tbsp. Light Brown Sugar
2 tsp. Black Pepper
2 tbs. Salt
1 tsp. Nutmeg
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Ginger
Step 1: Coarsely chop onions, garlic, scallions, and peppers and add to a blender or food processor.
Step 2: Add liquid ingredients to blender or food processor.
Step 3: Add spices and dry ingredients to blender or food processor and emulsify on high for 90 seconds.
Step 4: Combine chicken and marinade and refrigerate for 8-12 hours.
Step 5: For best results, grill over an open flame on high heat. Cook times will vary, depending on the heat of your grill and whether you’re using charcoal or gas. Keep in mind that poultry should reach an internal temp of 165 degrees before serving.
Pineapple Slaw
1 cup Fresh pineapple (chopped)
1 cup Roma tomato (finely diced)
½ cup Red onion (chopped)
2 tbsp. Fresh Cilantro (chopped)
1 Red Jalapeno (minced)
Juice of 1 lime
Salt to taste
* Combine ingredients in small mixing bowl and serve.
Tower 10 Jerk Chicken
Tower 10 Jerk Chicken Wraps
Cutting the Cheese on #IPADay
Still not sure what to do with your #IPADay? Looking for a simple yet enjoyable way to celebrate your favorite India Pale Ales. Here’s a guide to selecting the best cheeses from around to world to match with your favorite IPAs. Since our beers are only available in Southern California, you can use these suggestions as a guide for finding IPAs in your neck of the woods. If you’re planning to spend your #IPADay in So-Cal, come see us for Cask Night with $4 IPA pints & $8 growlers of IPA to-go.
#IPADay Cheese Pairings
IPA & Cheese Basics:
It’s beer, not rocket science but consider the following when seeking the perfect cheese for your IPA.
Hop Bitterness:
- More IBU = More PU – Assertively hopped IPAs can handle the stinkiest blues.
- Dry bitterness balances sweetness and cuts richness.
- Bitterness will over power certain spices but will also intensify scoville units (i.e heat).
Hop Flavors/Terroir: Different growing regions produce hops with very distinct flavors and aromatics. Here are some basic examples:
USA Pacific Northwest: Floral, grapefruit, tangerine, lemon, resinous pine
Continental Europe: Grassy, minty, floral, herbal, spicy
England: Woodsy, earthy, herbal
New Zealand/Australia: Floral, berries, tropical, citrus
Tower 10 IPA & Apricot Stilton
Tower 10 IPA – A West Coast-style India Pale Ale brewed with tons of Chinook and Cascade hops for a floral aroma and zesty grapefruit-like bitterness that lingers through the dry finish.
Stats: 7.0% ABV – 9 SRM – 70 IBU
Apricot Stilton: England’s “King of Blues” studded with dried apricots for a pleasant blend of fruit and tang.
The Pairing: Tower 10′s forward hop bitterness stands up to the assertive tang of the Stilton, while the apricot draws out the citrus and fruity hop flavors in the beer.
Worthy Substitutions: Racer 5 IPA, Bell’s Two Hearted Ale, Ballast Point Sculpin IPA.
Big Barrel Double IPA & Mango Stilton
Big Barrel Double IPA - A boldly hopped Double IPA brewed in true West Coast fashion. A blend of Ahtanum and New Zealand grown Nelson hops lend a vibrant tropical aroma and clean citrus hop bitterness that lingers through a dry finish.
Stats:9.0% ABV – 15 SRM – 80 IBU
Mango Stilton: A tangy English blue studded with candied mango and spicy ginger.
The Pairing: New Zealand-grown Nelson Sauvin hops give the beer an intense floral and tropical hop character. When paired together, the hop bitterness stands up to the tanginess, while accentuating the tropical fruit flavors in both the beer and the cheese.
Worthy Substitutions: Epic Armagedon IPA, Kern River Double IPA, Alpine Nelson
Mango & Apricot Stilton
Boardwalk Black Rye & Memoire + Midnight Moon
Boardwalk Black Rye - Inspired purely by imagination, this full-bodied black ale combines rich and spicy rye malts with the vibrant hop profile of a West Coast Double IPA.
Stats: 8.0% ABV – 80 SRM – 80 IBU
Memoire: A smooth a creamy Dutch Gouda, sprinkled with truffles for added spice.
Midnight Moon: A 1 year-aged goat’s milk cheese from California with sweet toffee flavors and a nutty finish.
The Pairings: Memoire’s spicy black truffle flavors draw out Boardwalk’s spicy rye malt character, while the sweet Midnight Moon softens the hop bitterness and accentuates the beer’s toffee undertones.
Worthy Substitutions: Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale, Deschutes Hop in the Dark, Firestone Walker Wookey Jack
BeerBQ: Part I
We’ve all heard the debates about what is or is not considered barbecue, and while arguments and theories are great, we’re more concerned with flavor. Technically, steaming is a shortcut but when you maintain the proper heat, use the right beer, and finish on the grill, the results are unmatched. So, if you’re on the fence about how to prepare your “famous” ribs this summer, try this method and feel free to take all the credit when the compliments start flooding in.
Red Trolley Steamed Ribs & Off The Rails BeerBQ Sauce
Beer Steamed Ribs:
2 1/2 Cups Red Trolley Ale or Off The Rails
2 Racks Baby Back or Spare Pork Ribs
1 Medium Yellow Onion, sliced
1 Aluminum Rectangular Roasting Pan (16 x 12 x 2.5)
Aluminum Foil
Dry-Rub:
Combine the following ingredients in a mixing bowl:
½ Cup Light Brown Sugar
¼ Cup Paprika
1 Tablesoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
1 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
Step 1. Prep: Preheat oven to 300, rinse ribs in cold water and pat dry.
Quality Baby Backs from Iowa Meat Farms
Step 2. Prep: Apply a generous of amount of dry-rub to each rack, about 1/3 cup or more.
Step 3. Prep: Add sliced onions and beer to rectangular roasting tin. Add ribs bone-side down and tightly cover roasting pan with foil. See picture —>
Step 4. Cooking: Steam ribs in 300 degree oven for 2.5 hours. If you’re short on time, you can get away with 75 minutes and 350 degrees.
Step 5. Cooking: Remove ribs from the oven and drain all liquid from the pan. Using a barbecue mop or basting brush, liberally coat the ribs with Off the Rails BeerBQ Sauce.
Step 6. Finishing: Depending on your setup, you can finish your ribs uncovered in the oven at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or on the grill 10-15 minutes.
Off The Rails BeerBQ Sauce:
Ingredients:
1 Cup Ketchup
½ Cup Off The Rails
¼ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
¼ Cup Brown Sugar
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Paprika
1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
1 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
Preparation : In a medium sauce pan, sauté garlic in oil until golden. Add remaining ingredients and heat to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Application:Use a basting brush or mop to liberally apply sauce to ribs. This recipe yields enough for two racks but feel free to double the recipe if you prefer more sauce.
Beer for Breakfast: Part II
If you’re over 21, hopefully you’re aware that arts and crafts are no longer appropriate gifts for Dad. While he may not admit it in front of Mom, Dad probably wants to do Dad things on Father’s Day – and while we won’t delve too deeply into “Dad things”, rest assured that beer and breakfast are a great start. If you’re in the market for a few good options you’ve clicked on the right link and if Dad needs some beer, our Brewery Restaurants are celebrating Father’s Day with 64oz growlers to-go for $8 bucks – including the glass.
Below is a DIY recipe for our beer-brined pork chops, along with a hearty side, and a morning cocktail. If you’re in the mood for more variety, check out our previous Beer for Breakfast post. If you’re too lazy to cook, you can always take the old man to our Sunday Brunch at Brewery Gardens.
Breakfast Cocktail: The Berlini
Berlini
Based on the Bellini, a sparking wine cocktail, the Berlini combines our Berliner Weisse with fresh fruit puree. There’s a reason Napoleon called Berliner Weisse the Champagne of Germany but this isn’t a history lesson and we’re not going into that.
11 oz Berliner Weisse
1 oz Fresh Strawberry, Raspberry, Peach Puree
Add puree to the bottom of a stemmed glass and pour beer.
Brine Ingredients
Beer-Brined Pork Chops
2 Cups Red Trolley Ale
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Honey
1/4 Cup Kosher Salt
2 (8-ounce) Center-cut Pork Chops
Step 1. Brine the pork chops: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, honey, salt,and Red Trolley Ale. Mix until sugar and salt are dissolved. Add the pork chops, submerging them completely, and refrigerate for 4-6 hours. Turn the chops ever couple of hours.
Step 2. Grill pork chops: Removed chops from brine, rinse with water, and pat dry with a paper towel. Grill chops on hot grill for 12 minutes, rotating a quarter turn on each side after three minutes.
Beer Bacon Hash
Beer Bacon Hash
2 Large Russet Potatoes (pre-baked & chopped)
1/2 Cup Yellow Onion (Finely Chopped)
6 Strips Thick-cut Bacon
1/4 Cup Honey
1/2 Cup Red Trolley Ale
2 Tbs Italian Seasoning
Prep 1. Chop uncooked bacon into 1″ pieces. Combine bacon, honey, and Red Trolley in small mixing bowl and refrigerate for 4-6 hours.
Prep 2. Scrub potatoes, bake on 375 for 1 hour, cool to room temperature, and chop into cubes.
Cooking Step 1: Drain bacon, pat-dry, and add to hot skillet. Cook bacon until edges turn golden brown and drain 1/2 the grease from the pan.
Cooking Step 2: Add chopped onion and Italian seasoning and saute until onions are translucent. Add chopped potatoes and cook on med/high heat until potatoes are golden brown. Serve with Beer-brined chops, eggs, and a Whistler Imperial Pils.
Beer-Brined Chop, Beer-Bacon Hash & Eggs Sunny Side Up
Pintail Pale Ale 5.3% ABV – An American Pale Ale brewed with Cascade and Amarillo hops for a vibrant floral aroma and citrus hoppiness. Caramel malts provide balance, rounding out its dry refreshing finish.
Whistler Imperial Pils 7.5% ABV – A bold Imperial Pilsner brewed with floor-malted Moravian barley and Noble Saaz hops for toasted malt flavors and a dry grassy finish.
Berliner Weisse 3.4 % ABV – A refreshingly tart take on a classic German style. Our version undergoes a special lactic fermentation in the brew kettle that produces its trademark tartness.
Scott’s Big India Pale Lager 8.0 % ABV – The winner of our American Homebrewers Association Pro-Am Competition, this hoppy offering will be on tap starting June 10th until it’s gone.
Whistler Imperial Pils & Shrimp Street Tacos
Shrimp Street Tacos: Crispy shrimp, shredded lettuce, Asian and cactus pear, cotija, radish, cilantro, corn tortillas, and smoky tomatillo salsa.
The Pairing:This fresh and flavorful appetizer pairing is a tasty way to welcome summer. Whistler’s rich toasted malt flavors provide a crisp complement to the tender shrimp and corn tortilla, while its clean hop profile and dry finish temper the spicy tomatillo salsa between bites.
Whistler Imperial Pils
American Craft Beer Week: Rye Not?
Just when every week was starting to feel like craft beer week, the Brewers Association went and made it official. We kicked-off this year’s ACBW with a beer we brewed especially for the occasion. Our ACBW Rye IPA is a robust India Pale ale with spicy rye malt flavors, a vibrant floral aroma, and a clean citrus hop bitterness. It’s currently on tap in our Brewery Restaurants and in honor of ACBW, 64oz growlers to-go are $9 bucks – including the glass.
Below is a recipe I came up with, ironically on Meatless Monday, which highlights multiple layers of this hoppy special release. I’ve got no beef with the herbivores; this was purely by chance, so be on the lookout for a Meatless Monday installment next month. Ya dig?
Spicy Rye IPA Skirt Steak
ACBW RYE IPA Marinade
Ingredients:
1 Growler of American Craft Beer Week Rye IPA
1 lb Skirt Steak
1 Meyer Lemon
1/2 Cup White Onion (sliced)
2 Garlic Cloves (minced)
1 Jalapeno Pepper (coarsely chopped)
1/3 Cup Fresh Cilantro (bruised)
¼ Cup Clover Honey
1 Tbs Kosher Salt
1 Tbs Course Ground Black Pepper
Instructions:
Step 1: Pour one 16oz pint of Rye IPA into a glass mixing bowl and reserve the rest for drinking.
Step 2: Halve lemon, squeeze juice into beer, and add both halves to the bowl. Add salt and honey and whisk until dissolved. Add remaining ingredients and transfer to a 5 gallon freezer bag.
Step 3: Add steak, seal bag, and refrigerate for 3-4 hours.
Step 4: Cook steak in a grill pan on high heat for 3 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and let rest for an additional 3-5 minutes.
Fire-Roasted Habanero Aioli
Ingredients: 
4 Vine-Ripened Tomatoes
1 Medium White Onion
3 Garlic Cloves
2 Habanero Peppers
1 Tbs Powdered Chicken Bouillon
¼ Cup ACBW Rye IPA
¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Cup Mayonnaise
Instructions:
Step 1: Adjust oven rack to top position (about 6 inches below flame) and preheat to broil.
Step 2: Peel and quarter onion, quarter tomatoes, peel garlic, and remove stems from habaneros.
Step 3: Place above ingredients in a baking dish and broil for 15-20 minutes or until skins begin to char.
Step 4: Transfer cooked ingredients to a blender or food processor and emulsify. Slowly add in beer, olive oil, and bouillon.
Step 5: Allow emulsion to cool to room temperature before mixing in mayonnaise.
*Tip: Omit mayonnaise for a killer hot sauce.
Steak on Rye Sandwich with Fire-Roasted Habanero Ailoi
Spicy Rye IPA Skirt Steak
Pintail Pale Ale 5.3% ABV – An American Pale Ale brewed with Cascade and Amarillo hops for a vibrant floral aroma and citrus hoppiness. Caramel malts provide balance, rounding out its dry refreshing finish.
American Craft Beer Week Rye IPA 7.6% ABV –Our American Craft Beer Week Rye IPA is a celebration of craft beer culture in America. This robust India Pale Ale combines the zesty spice of malted rye with the citrus and floral hop character of American Ahtanum hops. Finishing crisp and dry, it’s the perfect way to celebrate ACBW on the West Coast.
Minden Maibock 7.5 % ABV – A traditional German springtime lager with crisp toasted malt flavors, balanced by the soft bitterness of noble Tettnanger hops.
American Craft Beer Week Rye IPA & Crispy Cheese Stack
Crispy Cheese Stack: Rye breadcrumb-crusted sharp cheddar and provolone sticks, crispy pastrami bacon, and jalapeno honey.
The Pairing: This dynamic and flavorful appetizer pairing puts tired cheese sticks to bed. Spicy rye flavors in the beer provide a delicate complement top the savory melted cheese and crispy breadcrumb crust, while its assertive hop flavors balance the richness and jalapeno spice between bites.
American Craft Beer Week Rye IPA
Blackball Belgian IPA Mussels
Every so often a small but dedicated group of our employees gather to talk beer and food. The group includes our Executive and R&D Chefs, our Brewmaster, and a few other foodies lucky enough to make the guest list. During these discussions we chat about great beers we’ve tried, restaurants we’ve visited, and even dishes we’ve prepared at home. By taking ourselves out of “work” mode, we’re able to get great work done. Our Chefs Gunther and Corey use these gatherings as an opportunity to prepare and share their latest beer and food pairings. Over the years these guys have done some truly remarkable things with beer in the kitchen – and this month’s post is a homage to their passion for beer and food. Below is a recipe inspired by their Belgian IPA Mussels, created especially for April’s menu. This version uses ingredients available at local farmers markets, including the Carlsbad Aquafarm mussels we use in our brewery restaurants. I picked up the mussels, produce, and bread at Sunday’s Hillcrest Farmers Market. 
Ingredients: Prep Time – 25 Minutes
2 lbs Carlsbad Black Mussels (cleaned and de-bearded)
6 Slices Bacon Chopped (pre-cook and pat dry before chopping)
½ Cup Finely Chopped Yellow Onion
½ Cup Finely Chopped Fennel
1 Shallot Finely Chopped
3 Garlic Cloves Crushed
4 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
2 Tbs Clover Honey
2 Tbs Butter
½ Cup Heavy Cream
1 ½ Cup Blackball Belgian IPA (room temperature)
Salt & Pepper (to taste)
French Bread
Instructions:
Step 1: Scrub mussels with a 
coarse brush under cold running water. Remove any beards and discard any mussels that are broken or open. Reserve cleaned mussels in a large bowl of ice water until ready to steam.
Step 2: Melt butter in large saucepan. Add bacon, fennel, onions, shallots, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Sauté on medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes or until onions are translucent.
Step 3: Add Blackball Belgian IPA and bring to a boil. Add mussels, cover, and steam until mussels have opened (4-5 Minutes). Remove from heat and discard any mussels that have not opened.
Step 4: Transfer mussels to serving dish, reserving the broth in the saucepan. Return broth to medium heat and stir in honey and cream. Ladle broth over mussels and serve with grilled French bread.
22nd Anniversary PubCakes = #Winning
Misty Birchall, the founder/owner/baker of PubCakes, has made a name for herself in the San Diego beer scene by combining her passion for baking with her love of craft beer. Her avant-garde method of using beer to craft decadent desserts has caught the attention of foodies far beyond America’s finest city – most notably the folks at Food Network. Misty is a champion of San Diego’s brewing community and was kind enough to create a recipe celebrating our birthday with our 22nd Anniversary Vanilla Imperial Stout.
Our 22nd Anniversary PubCake will be available on Saturdays at the PubCakes shop, starting March 12th. If you’re unable to make it down on a Saturday, drop by during the week and try the Top 10 Cake made with Tower 10 IPA. For those of you jonesing to get your bake on at home, follow Misty’s DIY recipe below and let us know what you think.
Photo by Misty Birchall @Pubcakes
Karl Strauss 22nd Anniversary PubCake
Ingredients
1 cup Karl Strauss 22nd Anniversary Stout
*Pour remaining beer into a tulip or snifter and enjoy while baking.
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 tbs vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground coffee (I used Treehouse Coffee Co’s Costa Rican)
1 tsp ground cloves
*Bourbon Vanilla Bean Buttercream (recipe below)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring the beer to a boil, remove from heat, and cool to room temperature. While the beer is cooling, place cupcake liners into your muffin pan (you’ll need about 12 standard size cupcake liners).
2. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients and sift together. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar on high until mixture lightens and increases in volume. Next, add the egg and beat in well. Finally, set the mixer to low and add dry ingredients and beer in 1/3 increments until fully incorporated.
3. Using an ice cream scoop or large spoon, fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, rotating the pan in the oven half way through the cooking time for even baking. The cupcakes are done when a stick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from the pan as soon as they’ve cooled enough to touch, this will prevent the bottoms from steaming.
Top 10 Cake & Punkin' Vegan Photo by Jeff Hammett @SDBeerBlog
Bourbon Vanilla Bean Buttercream
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 vanilla bean, seeded
1 tbs vanilla extract
1 tbs Bourbon (I used Jim Beam)
Directions
1. Using a paring knife, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean. Add butter,sugar and vanilla bean to your standing mixer bowl which should be fitted with the whisk attachment.Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase the speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and bourbon and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute, adding more vanilla (or bourbon) if needed for spreading consistency.
2. Use a piping bag with a number 9 round decorating tip to get the same look achieved by PubCakes. Sprinkle with a bit of Mexican chocolate, if you have it on hand. Otherwise, a dash of cloves will work.
On Tap in the Brewery Restaurants:
Pintail Pale Ale 5.3% ABV – An American Pale Ale brewed with Cascade and Amarillo hops for a vibrant floral aroma and citrus hoppiness. Caramel malts provide balance, rounding out its dry refreshing finish.
Oatmeal Stout 5.5% ABV – We brew our Oat Stout once a year, just in time for St. Patty’s Day. A generous amount of dark roasted malts lend coffee and dark chocolate flavors, while rolled oats provide a smooth body and delicate finish.
Scotch Ale 8.0 % ABV – A hearty Scottish-style Wee Heavy brewed with caramel and cherry wood smoked malts. This full-bodied strong ale has rich toffee flavors, hints of dark fruit, and a touch of smoke in its warming finish.
Red Trolley Ale had a banner year in 2010, winning gold medals at the World Beer Cup and Great American Beer Festival. It takes more than two thousand pounds of hand-milled caramel malts to brew each batch but after enjoying this malty red ale for more than twenty years, we’re convinced it’s worth the extra effort.
Red Trolley Roasted Chicken: Red Trolley-brined ½ chicken, spice-rubbed, and oven-roasted. It’s served over edamame hash with corn, bacon, peppers, onions, potatoes, and Red Trolley BBQ sauce.
The Pairing: This delectable pairing is an inviting departure from Dad’s beer can chicken. The Red Trolley brine seals in layers of flavor that complement the sweetness of the succulent chicken, while its caramel malt character and undertones of dried fruit balance the savory spice between bites.
Valentine’s Day Beer & Chocolate Pairings
If your better half says they don’t care about Valentine’s Day, don’t be fooled – IT’S A TEST! For all you last minute romantics looking to mix things up this year, we’ve got your game plan. Below are some decadent pairings combining our beers with artisan chocolates from the fine folks at Eclipse Chocolat in San Diego. If you haven’t had a chance to check them out, they’ve got quite an impressive selection at their store on El Cajon Blvd in the North Park area.
Beer & Chocolate Pairing Basics:
Complement: Find a beer that shares similar flavors with your chocolate. An example would be the the milk chocolate and dark fruit undertones of a Baltic Porter paired with a blackberry infused dark chocolate truffle. Easy, right?
Contrast: Find a beer and chocolate combination that enhances both by combining different flavors. An example would be pairing a tart Kriek or Framboise with a sweet berry infused white chocolate. Also, don’t discount hoppier beers; they’re great with chili infused chocolate.
Red Trolley Ale & Salty Dulce de Leche - Fullsuit Belgian Brown & Balsamic Pink Peppercorn Truffle
Red Trolley Ale & Salty Dulce de Leche Chocolate
The salty white chocolate and pretzel contrast nicely with the sweet caramel malt flavors of Red Trolley Ale for a delicious balance of sweet and savory.
Fullsuit Belgian Brown Ale & Balsamic Pink Peppercorn Truffle
While Fullsuit’s complex malt profile is a natural fit with the rich dark chocolate, it’s the beer’s phenolic peppery character that matches beautifully with this peppercorn infused truffle.
Parrot in a Palm Tree & Blackberry Goat Cheese Truffle - 22nd Anniversary Vanilla Imperial Stout & Chili Hazelnut Chocolate
Parrot in a Palm Tree & Blackberry Goat Cheese Truffle
Parrot in a Palm Tree’s layered chocolate and dark fruit flavors meld perfectly with this blackberry and goat cheese truffle for the quintessential complementary pairing.
22nd Anniversary Vanilla Imperial Stout & Chili Hazelnut Chocolate
The dark chocolate flavors of an Imperial Stout are a natural match with chocolate but this robust pairing takes it a step further. The spicy cayenne-candied hazelnuts enhance the beer’s bourbon flavors that linger through its warming finish.
Pintail Pale Ale – Lemon Thyme Truffle
Pintail Pale Ale & Lemon Thyme Truffle - Tower 10 IPA & Mango Masala Chocolate
The floral and citrus character of Amarillo hops mirror the zesty flavors of this lemon and thyme infused truffle, while the sweet white chocolate balances Pintail’s hop bitterness.
Tower 10 IPA – Mango Masala Chocolate
American IPA’s are a great match with spicy India cuisine so it’s no surprise that Tower 10 is a bitchin addition to the Mango Masala Chocolate. T10′s hop bitterness tempers the spice of the masala, while citrus hop flavors highlight the candied mango. Who says IPA’s can’t pair with chocolate?!
Coming Soon: Karl teams up with Misty from Pub Cakes for special recipes and pairings with our 22nd Anniversary Stout.
On Tap in the Brewery Restaurants:
22nd Anniversary Stout 9.0 % ABV – A bold Russian Imperial Stout brewed with vanilla beans and aged three months in American oak bourbon barrels. This robust strong ale has rich dark chocolate and espresso flavors, underpinned by nuances of vanilla, bourbon, and oak.
Old Columbia Barleywine 9.5% ABV – A full-bodied English-style Barleywine with rich toffee and caramel malt flavors, undertones of fried fruit, and a sweet warming finish.
Imperial Amber Lager 7.5% ABV – A massive amount of Centennial hops give this more robust version of Karl’s favorite beer an aggressive floral and pine-like hop character, over a backdrop of caramel and toasted malts.
Fullsuit Belgian Brown Ale 6.3% ABV – A Belgian-style brown ale brewed with a blend of caramel and brown malts for toasted and sweet coffee-like flavors, underpinned by the peppery spice of Belgian yeast. Aging on French oak adds a hint of vanilla to its slightly dry and warming finish.
Featured Pairing: Steak N’ Egg Sandwich
Steak N’ Egg Sandwich: Grilled prime rib-eye steak, poached egg, provolone and broccoli rabe on a grilled French roll. It’s served open-faced with a field green salad.
The Pairing: For our Anniversary, we created a flavorful pairing worth celebrating. The caramel and toasted flavors of our Amber Lager seamlessly complement the succulent steak, while its smooth finish balances the savory egg and cheese, refreshing the palate between bites. You’ll want a fork and knife with this one.
Beer for Breakfast: Part I
Breakfast on weekends should be more exciting than high-fiber cereal and protein shakes. The weekend is our opportunity to indulge, to sample new foods and drinks, and to not feel guilty about doing it. Weekend mornings are for French toast, biscuits and gravy, Irish coffees, and mimosas – and this month beer claims a spot at the breakfast table. Below are a few breakfast recipes and beer-cocktails for the craft beer enthusiast with a penchant for barley based beverages before noon.
Windansea Wheat French Toast
Windansea Wheat French Toast & Hefmosa
Prep Time: 15min – Serves 2
Ingredients:
4 Large Eggs
1/3 cup Windansea Wheat 1/3 cup Heavy Cream
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1 tsp Orange Zest
2 tbs Butter
4 Slices thick-cut Egg Bread, Brioche, or Challah
Preparation:
Combine eggs, cream, beer, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and orange zest in a mixing bowl. Whisk vigorously for 2 minutes until batter is well blended. Add butter to large skillet and heat on medium-high until hot but NOT smoking. Generously coat each slice of bread in batter until saturated but still firm. Fry slices in butter for 2 minutes on each side, until slightly crispy and golden brown. Top with butter, orange blossom honey, and powdered sugar. Serve with scrambled eggs, bacon, and a Hefmosa.
Windansea Wheat Hefmosa:
Bavarian Hefeweizens are unfiltered wheat beers know for their banana and clove flavors. The yeast in these beers is rich in complex B vitamins, something your body might need a little more of on a weekend morning. A splash of OJ adds a nice flavor and a shot of vitamin C, why wouldn’t you want one of these with breakfast?
How to make:
Combine 12oz of Windansea Wheat Hefeweizen with 4oz of fresh orange juice.
Red Trolley Sausage Gravy
Prep Time: 15min – Serves 2
Red Trolley Sausage Gravy with Biscuits and Poached Eggs
Ingredients:
½ lb Pork Sausage
½ tsp Red Pepper Flakes
½ tsp Fresh Rosemary (finely chopped)
2 tbs Unsalted Butter
2 tbs All-purpose Flour
¾ Cup Whole Milk
¼ Cup Red Trolley AleSalt
Pepper
Preparation:
Brown pork sausage in a medium sauce pan until crumbling. Reduce heat to medium and add butter, salt, and pepper. After butter has melted, gradually add flour –stirring constantly for 3-4 minutes. Slowly stir in milk, about a quarter cup at a time, until the gravy begins to thicken. Add Red Trolley Ale and stir for an additional 2-3 minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste. Serve over buttermilk biscuits with poached eggs and a Hop Hound.
Tower 10 IPA Hop Hound:
Hop Heads across the country crave the grapefruit hop flavors of a West Coast IPA but few are bold enough to enjoy this robust style with breakfast. Inspired by the Greyhound cocktail, this crafty mixture tastes awesome when paired with rich and savory breakfast fare.
How to make:
Combine 12oz of Tower 10 IPA with 4oz of ruby red grapefruit juice.
Holiday Beer & Cheese Pairing
Whether you’re hosting a holiday get together or bringing something to your office party, a thoughtfully paired beer and cheese spread is always a good call. Sure, you can bust out your Mom’s favorite Chardonnay with some store-bought brie but this isn’t 1987 and you’re more original than that. When most of us think of paring cheese, wine is the first thing that comes to mind – and while wine and cheese have their moments, any Sommelier will be hard-pressed to compete with beer’s range of flavors. When was the last time you found a Zinfandel that tempered the heat of a chipotle infused cheddar or a Riesling that complemented a coffee & lavender-rubbed cheese? The answer is probably never and that’s why beer is a much better partner to cheese. Here you’ll find a few simple yet sophisticated cheese parings to accompany the beers in our Holiday 4-pack, along with a DIY tasting sheet to guide your friends.
Holiday Beer & Cheese
Beer & Cheese Pairing Basics:
There are many different approaches to planning a great pairing but the general principles are rather simple. Start with your beer, evaluate its flavors and decide what you want to accomplish with your pairing. Use these tips as a guide:
Complement: Find a cheese that mirrors the flavors of your beer. An example would be taking a sweeter English Barleywine and finding a cheese like Noord Hollander (aged Gouda) that matches the caramel and toffee notes in the beer.
Contrast: Find a beer and cheese combination that enhances both by combining different flavors. An example would be tempering the heat of a spicy cheese like Chipotle Cranberry Cheddar with the hop profile of an IPA or balancing the tanginess of Bucherondin with the sweetness of a malty Red Ale.
Cleanse: For soft, creamy cheeses like Camembert or Brie de Meaux, choose a crisp, effervescent beer to cleanse your palate. Saisons, Belgian Trippels and Pilsners work well here.
Beer & Cheese Pairings with Our Holiday 4-Pack
Our Holiday 4-Pack is available exclusively in our Brewery Restaurants and includes a 22oz bomber of Red Trolley Ale, Tower 10 IPA, Parrot in a Palm Tree & Big Barrel Double IPA. Below are some beer and cheese pairings featuring all four beers included.
Red Trolley Ale & Bucherondin
Bucherondin with Fig Jam
Red Trolley is a medium-bodied red ale with a sweet caramel malt profile, underpinned by notes of dried fruit.
Bucherondin is a semi-aged goat’s milk cheese from the Loire Valley of France with a creamy texture and tangy flavor.
The Pairing: Red Trolley’s sweet caramel malt flavors provide a nice contrast to the tangy Bucherondin. Try this pairing with fig jam to add a complement to the dried fruit flavors in the beer.
Chipotle Cranberry Cheddar
Tower 10 IPA & Chipotle Cranberry Cheddar
Tower 10 IPA is an American-style India Pale Ale with assertive citrus and floral hop flavors from Cascade and Chinook hops.
Chipotle Cranberry Cheddar is studded with dried cranberries and infused with spicy chipotle for a nice blend of sweet and spicy flavors.
The Pairing: Tower 1o’s hop bitterness gently tempers the spicy chipotle, while the citrus and floral flavors in the beer are complemented by the cranberry.
Parrot in a Palm Tree & Barely Buzzed
Barely Buzzed
Parrot in a Palm Tree is a robust Baltic Porter with layers of chocolate, coffee and dried fruit flavors.
Barely Buzzed is an American white cheddar, dusted in coffee and lavender. This full-bodied cheese is aged on Blue Spruce racks, developing notes of caramel and butterscotch with hints of cocoa and coffee.
The Pairing: Parrot’s milk-chocolate and espresso flavors draw out the coffee and nutty flavors in the cheese.
Stilton with Grilled Persimmons
Big Barrel IIPA & Stilton Blue
Big Barrel is an aggressively hopped Double IPA with a vibrant floral aroma and tropical fruit character.
Stilton, “The King of Blues”, is a soft, tangy, and complex English blue with an assertively ripe flavor.
The Pairing: Both Big Barrel and Stilton possess bold flavors on their own but when paired together their flavors are mellowed. Big Barrel’s hop bitterness is balanced by Stilton’s bold flavors, allowing a rich floral and tropical fruit character to emerge in both the beer and the cheese.
On Tap in the Brewery Restaurants:
Parrot in a Palm Tree 8.5 % ABV – A robust Baltic Porter brewed especially for the Holidays. Aged two months in San Pasqual Tawny port barrels, the resulting brew boasts a complex bouquet of dark fruits, espresso and chocolate, with hints of oak in its warming finish.
Extra Special Bitter 5.6% ABV – A traditional English-style ale brewed with imported Ashburne and Maris Otter malts for rich caramel and toasted malt flavors. Dry-hopping with Willamette hops adds an earthy hop character that lingers through the finish.
Fullsuit Belgian Brown Ale 6.3% ABV – A Belgian-style brown ale brewed with a blend of caramel and brown malts for toasted and sweet coffee-like flavors, underpinned by the peppery spice of Belgian yeast. Aging on French oak adds a hint of vanilla to its slightly dry and warming finish.
Featured Pairing: Parrot in a Palm Tree with Holiday Shake N’ Cake
Holiday Shake N’ Cake: Baltic Porter vanilla bean ice cream shake topped with spiced whipped cream. Chocolate cupcake, caramel pecans, and raspberry coulis.
The Pairing: Whether you’ve been naughty or nice, this is the perfect pairing to end the year on a high note. Our Baltic Porter ice cream shake is a decadent blend of vanilla and chocolate malt flavors. It’s served with a caramel and raspberry drizzled chocolate cake that draws out layers of dark fruit and espresso in the beer. Santa’s coming to town for this one.
12/23 San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl – San Diego State University vs. Navy – We’re the exclusive beer of this years VIP Tailgate. Join us before kick-off between 2:30 and 4:30pm for pints of Karl Strauss Amber Lager, Red Trolley Ale & Tower 10 IPA.
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