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.
Behind the Beer: Blackball Belgian IPA
In April 2010, Blackball Belgian IPA joined Big Barrel Double IPA in KARL’s Coastal Reserve, but this hoppy Belgo-American strong ale got its start long before the first bombers rolled off the line. In fact, the inspiration for this beer, like many of our most popular offerings, came from a small batch brewed at one of our brewpubs. I caught up with brewer Nolan Clark to recount how his “Belgian Stranger” strong ale evolved into today’s Blackball Belgian IPA.
If I remember correctly, it was around this time four-years ago when you started
brewing some crazy one-offs in the pubs. What’s the story behind the infamous Belgian Stranger?
“The Belgian Stranger came about when I was brewing downtown… Some people don’t know me as a brewer for Karl Strauss but as a drummer, specifically for a local San Diego reggae band by the name of Stranger – hence the name of the beer. All the guys in the band love craft beer and enjoy drinking local brew just as much, so I wanted to create something as sort of a tribute to them. Long story short, I wanted to brew a high gravity Belgian Pale Ale with some of my favorite West Coast hops.”
Any particular reason why you chose to create a Belgian-style ale with a West Coast hop profile?
“I’d been drinking a lot of Belgian-style beers at the time but hadn’t really had many West Coast-style Belgian pales. I like simple things that function well, so I went with a pretty simple recipe; Pale 2-row, Carapils and C-40 for color – a pretty typical pale ale malt base that really makes the hops to stand out. I also chose an Abbey ale yeast from White Labs that could handle the higher gravity and would also impart the distinctive clove and spice notes characteristic of many Belgian styles. “
And the result?
“My simple approach ended up working really well. The Belgian yeast strain gave me a super dry and spicy beer that really allowed the citrusy Cascade and Amarillo hops to shine through. I also added some coriander and Curacao orange peel during the boil which added to the citrus and spicy notes in the beer.”
What did people think?
“It was so well received that Paul and the guys had me brew a second batch for American Craft Beer Week 2009, and ultimately we used the recipe to create what is known today as Blackball Belgian IPA.”
Are there any major differences between the original Belgian Stranger and Blackball?
“There’s really not too much difference between the two, other than the Stranger’s alcohol content (10.6%) and Blackball’s massive dry hop addition of choice New Zealand hops. Overall, if you put Stranger up to Blackball, you would notice that Blackball has a more pronounced hop profile, while the Belgian Stranger is a bit higher in ABV. To this day, I still refer to Blackball as the Belgian Stranger. Maybe I’m a little too proud, but sometimes you gotta savor those moments of inspiration and creative satisfaction. Drink up ya’ll and don’t forget to share. Cheers!”
Blackball Belgian IPA
Stats: 8.5% ABV – 14 SRM – 80 IBU
From the label: When checkered blackball flags dot the California coastline, experienced surfers migrate to advanced breaks where strangers to the sport dare not. Blackball is a Belgian-inspired India Pale Ale with a robust West Coast hop profile. Belgian ale yeast, coriander, and Curacao lend a fruity and spicy character for an ale bolder than your average IPA. A blend of New Zealand and Cascade hops add a vibrant floral aroma and clean citrus hop bitterness that lingers through its’ crisp, dry finish. Drink up while it’s young, heavily hopped IPA’s are best enjoyed fresh.
Beer and Bacon Pairing
I’m sick and tired of beer and bacon… said no one ever.
Yes, it seems America’s fixation with barley-based beverages and salty pig parts is one that will continue to transcend even the most radical epicurean trends, and that’s fine with us. So to celebrate our affinity for suds and swine, we put together a few pairings to go with our hoppy Coastal Reserve IPA’s.
Boardwalk Black Rye IPA, Blackball Belgian IPA, Big Barrel Double IPA
Behind the Beer: Wreck Alley Imperial Stout
Behind the Beer: Wreck Alley Imperial Stout
It was around this time last year when we were making the final tweaks to a beer that 
would become Wreck Alley, our Imperial Stout brewed with cocoa nibs and coffee beans. And as we look forward to releasing our first barrel-aged version of Wreck Alley on March 1st, we thought we’d share the story behind the original beer, or at the very least some of the interesting details that wouldn’t fit on the label.
Finding the right coffee…
In our search for the perfect coffee beans, we were certain about two things; first, we wanted a roast that would complement the dark chocolate flavors of the beer without adding bitterness, and second, we wanted to work with a local roaster. Fortunately, the folks at Bird Rock Coffee Roasters were not only willing to supply us with their award-winning coffee, but even offered to create a special roast for Wreck Alley Imperial Stout. After plenty of sampling, we landed on lightly roasted beans from Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee. The flavors were delicate, and when cold-steeped, the coffee had a nutty, roasted, and toffee-like character.
What the heck are cocao nibs, why do I keep hearing about them, and what are they doing in a beer?
Simply put, cocoa nibs are cocoa beans that have been roasted, de-husked, and crushed into pieces– basically chocolate in its rawest form. In brewing, the addition of cocoa nibs will add to and accentuate the dark chocolate flavors in porters and stouts. The Peruvian cocoa nibs used in Wreck Alley are roasted and prepared by Tcho Chocolate Company on Pier 17 in San Francisco, CA.
Where does the coffee and cocoa come into play in the brewing process?
This step is what all the test batches were for. We use coffee and cocoa nibs in Wreck Alley to lend their individual flavors to the beer, while complementing the flavors of the malts. Because both coffee beans and cocoa nibs can be bitter and acidic, we use a cold-steeping process where both ingredients are added to the conditioning tank after fermentation. This technique allows Wreck Alley to extract the flavors and aromas of the coffee and cocoa without adding bitterness or acidity.
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…)
Beer Cheese Soup
If you’re a Wisconsin native or a regular at San Diego’s Hamilton’s Tavern, odds are you’re familiar with beer cheese soup. And while this awe-inspiring comfort food may throw a wrench in your quest to be the biggest loser, we think you’ll agree that beer cheese soup is worth a few extra minutes on the treadmill. So, if you’re looking to add another beer-centric recipe to your repertoire, celebrate this Super Bowl Sunday with Red Trolley Beer Cheese Soup.
Red Trolley Beer Cheese Soup
Ingredients:
8 Strips Bacon
½ Cup Yellow Onion, chopped
½ Cup Celery, chopped
½ Cup Carrots, chopped
1 Jalapeno, seeded and minced
2 Cloves Fresh Garlic, minced
12oz Red Trolley Ale
1 ½ Cup Chicken Stock
1 Cup Half and Half
¼ Cup Flour
8 Ounces Sharp Cheddar, shredded
4 Ounces Extra Sharp Cheddar, shredded
Salt and Pepper to taste
Parsley, chopped
Parrot in a Palm Tree: Two Years Later
If you’re hoarding a private stash of our 2010 holiday offering, Parrot in a Palm Tree, there’s no doubt you’re wondering how well it’s aged – and to be perfectly honest, we were pretty curious ourselves. So, like any self-respecting craft brewery, we took matters into our own hands and recruited a few seasoned craft beer professionals to evaluate the first installment in our less than literal “Twelve Days” series of holiday ales.
An honest and snob-free evaluation of Parrot in a Palm Tree by Ryan Ross and Randy Clemens:
Parrot in a Palm Tree – Holiday Baltic Porter 2010
8.5% ABV – 50 SRM – 35IBU
Original Description: Aged three months in San Pasqual Tawny Portbarrels, this winter warmer boasts a complex bouquet of dark fruits, espresso and chocolate, with hints of oak in its warming finish. Raise a glass to 2010 or save a bottle, as this limited release will age with the best of them.
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
Thanksgiving Beer Bacon Stuffing
What sounds better for Thanksgiving than beer bacon stuffing? It’s not a tough question; if we didn’t have you at beer, we definitely had you at bacon. So, rather than search the web for the latest vegan or paleo-friendly alternative to Thanksgiving’s most important side, commit to diet-busting tradition and try this recipe for beer bacon stuffing. Remember, we all go back to the gym in January when exercise goes back in style. Heck, why not make a practice batch of beer seasoned bacon just for fun? Seriously, make a practice batch.
Beer Seasoned Bacon
Beer Seasoned Bacon
What You’ll Need:
½lb (6-7 Slices) Think-cut Applewood Smoked Bacon
1tbs Honey
2tbs Red Trolley Ale
Black Pepper
Basting Brush
Broiler Pan
What to do:
Position oven rack about 6” from heat source and preheat to broil. Separate uncooked bacon strips and place 6 or 7 across broiler pan. Combine honey and beer in a small mixing bowl and microwave for 15-20 seconds. Remove mixture from microwave, stir, and use basting brush to generously coat both sides of each bacon strip. Dust bacon with black pepper and cook on Broil for 8-10 minutes, turning every few minutes to avoid burning. Once bacon is crispy, remove from oven set aside to cool. After bacon has cooled, finely chop and reserve in a bowl for later use.
Beer Bacon Stuffing
What you’ll need:
½lb Thick-cut Applewood Smoked Bacon, Chopped
1/4lb Salted Butter
2c Yellow Onion, Chopped
2c Celery, Chopped
2c Crimini Mushrooms, Chopped (Optional)
1c Leeks, Chopped
1tbs Fresh Sage, Minced
1tbs Fresh Thyme, Minced
*Pre-prepared Chopped Beer Seasoned Bacon
2c Chicken or Turkey Stock
1c Red Trolley Ale
12c Unseasoned White Bread Stuffing Mix
Salt to taste
5 Quart Oven-safe Sauté Pan or Stock Pot
What to do:
Preheat oven to 350. Add butter and chopped bacon to a large sauté pan or stock pot and cook over high heat until edges begin to brown. Add onions, celery, mushrooms, leeks, sage, thyme, and pepper and sauté for 5 minutes, or until onions are translucent. Reduce heat to medium, add beer seasoned bacon, and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes. Once beer seasoned bacon is incorporated, add beer and stock to the pot, and bring mixture back to a boil. Once you’ve reached a simmer, reduce heat to low and gradually add in stuffing mix. Once all ingredients are well incorporated, taste stuffing and add salt if needed. Cover pot and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove lid and continue baking for an addition 5 minutes. If you’re successful, and you will be, the photo below is what you’ll have on Thanksgiving.
Need help with your Turkey? Try our beer-brine recipe.
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
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
Windansea Shrimp Ceviche
In case you missed the memo, Windansea Wheat is now available in bottles year-round. That’s right, six-packs and twelve-packs of our refreshingly smooth Bavarian-style Hefe hit store shelves just in time for summer. So, to celebrate the bottle release of our favorite warm weather wheat beer, we’re sharing this fresh summertime ceviche recipe and pairing.
Traditional ceviche is a cold dish consisting of fresh fish, shrimp, or shellfish, cooked in citrus juice. Its origins are believed to date back to the Inca, but rather than compromise the brevity of this post with a culinary history lesson, we’ll just say that ceviche has been around long enough to vary from region to region. In SoCal, ceviche is typically prepared Baja-style, using fresh caught shrimp, or rockfish and lime juice. The recipe below is based on the Baja-style, with a few ingredients added to match Windansea Wheat’s bright fruity flavors.
Windansea Shrimp Ceviche
1.5 lbs fresh shrimp – peeled, deveined, and diced in ½” pieces
1.5 cups fresh-squeezed lime juice (8-10 limes)
8oz Windansea Wheat
5 large Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 medium red onion, diced
1 medium hothouse cucumber, diced
1 large mango, peeled and diced
1 cup watermelon, diced
1-2 red jalapenos, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
Sea salt to taste
Step 1: Combine fresh chopped shrimp and lime juice in a medium-sized bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 3 hours. The acidic lime juice will cook the shrimp, causing their color to change from blue/gray to pink.
Step 2: Remove lime marinated shrimp and drain off 2/3 of the lime juice. Add 8oz of Windansea Wheat, cover, and return to the refrigerator for an hour. Adding the beer will not only cut the acidity of the lime, but its sweet, fruity flavors will complement the watermelon and mango.
Step 3: Remove shrimp from refrigerator, drain off liquid, and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add tomato, red onion, cucumber, mango, watermelon, jalapeno, and cilantro. Mix ingredients well, add salt to taste, and return to the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Step 4: Serve with tortilla chips and a Windansea Wheat.
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
Windansea Wheat Vinaigrette
The Holidays are over and, like most years, overindulgence may have played a part in your annual waistline expansion. Now, we’re not card-carrying dietitians but we do know that there’s still room for beer in any healthy diet – it’s purely a matter of prioritizing. Rather than sip on soda water with your cheese fries, why not make room for a beer by having a salad? Even better, why not use beer to make a flavorful dressing with all natural ingredients? Try this recipe for Windansea Wheat Raspberry Vinaigrette and think twice before giving up beer. Remember, nobody likes a quitter.
Windansea Wheat Raspberry Vinaigrette: 
1/4 Cup Windansea Wheat
1/4 Cup Honey
1 Cup Fresh Raspberries
1 Tbs Italian Seasoning
2/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/3 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
Directions: Combine raspberries, honey and Windansea Wheat in a blender and blend until emulsified. You want this mixture to be a little on the sweet side, as the vinegar will balance it. Next, add seasoning, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil and blend on high. Congrats, you’re done!
Salad Featured Below: 
Organic Spring Mix
Persian Cucumbers
Cherry Tomatoes
Fresh Raspberries
Red Pear
Goat Cheese
Candied Walnuts
The Pairing: Windansea Wheat is an unfiltered Bavarian-style Hefeweizen with a slightly sweet and fruity flavor profile. The beer’s fruity flavors are a natural compliment to the raspberry and pear, while its subtle sweetness is a nice contrast to the tangy goat cheese. Also, it doesn’t hurt that the yeast in suspension is rich in complex B vitamins.
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
Turkey Beer Brine Recipe
If you’ve ever made a Clark Griswold-style turkey, perhaps it’s time to give brining a try. A good beer brine will add flavor like a marinade, while sealing in the turkey’s natural juices. The chemistry behind brining is simple, but we’ll leave the osmosis and denatured protein talk for next time. All we need to know is that a beer-brined turkey is more flavorful and tender than a non beer-brined turkey. We’ve found the recipe below works particularly well with Off The Rails , Red Trolley Ale, or Fullsuit Belgian Brown . If cooking isn’t in the cards, we’re serving a full Thanksgiving dinner 
at our Carlsbad Brewery Restaurant.
Turkey Beer Brine:
8 Cups Beer (1 64oz growler)
8 Cups Water
1 Cup Kosher Salt
¾ Cup Brown Sugar
½ Cup Honey
2 Bay Leaves
3 Cloves Garlic (Smashed)
1 Large Yellow Onion (Sliced)
1 Tbs Black Peppercorns
1 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/2 Tsp Clove
2 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary
1/2 Stick Cinnamon
Directions: Bring water to a boil and remove from heat. Add salt, sugar, honey, garlic, onion, and spices. Stir until salt, sugar, and honey are dissolved and cool to room temperature. This should take around 30 minutes and will allow the spices to lend their flavors to the brine. Once your brine has cooled, add beer and refrigerate until cold. Once your brine is cold, submerge your turkey and return to the refrigerator for 12hrs. This will yield 1 gallon of brine; scale the recipe up or down to accommodate the size of your turkey.
Tips: Be sure to THOROUGHLY RINSE your turkey in cold water after removing it from the brine to wash away excess salt. If you’re brining an extra large turkey, a plastic cooler makes a fine brining container.
Turkey Beer Brine
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
Announcing International #IPADay: A Celebration of #CraftBeer
Attention all craft beer evangelists, brewers, bloggers, and suds-savvy citizens! On Thursday, August 4th 2011, you are cordially invited to participate in the largest international craft beer celebration and virtual conversation the world has ever seen.
International #IPADay is a grassroots movement to unite the voices of craft beer enthusiasts, bloggers, and brewers worldwide through social media. On Thursday August 4th, craft beer drinkers across the social sphere and across the globe will raise pints in a collective toast to one of craft beer’s most iconic styles: the India Pale Ale. This celebrated style represents the pinnacle of brewing innovation with its broad spectrum of diverse brands, subcategories, and regional flavor variations – making it the perfect style to galvanize craft beer’s social voice.
#IPADay is not the brainchild of a corporate marketing machine, nor is it meant to serve any particular beer brand. #IPADay is opportunity for breweries, bloggers, businesses and consumers to connect and share their love of craft beer. Getting involved is easy; the only requirements are an appreciation for great beer and the will to spread the word. Anyone can participate by enjoying IPA with friends, making some noise online with the #IPADay hashtag, and showing the world that craft beer is more than a trend!
Tips on How to Take Part:
1. Organize an #IPADay event at your brewery, brewpub, restaurant, bar, home, or office (Ex: An IPA dinner/cheese pairing/comparative or educational tasting/cask night/tap takeover…). Share your events on the official #IPADay forum at http://www.ratebeer.com.
2. On August 4th, share your photos, videos, blog posts, tasting notes, recipes, and thoughts with the world. Be sure to include the #IPADay hashtag in your posts Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, WordPress, RateBeer, Foursquare, Yelp, Untappd or any other social media site.
3. See what other people are saying by searching “#IPADay” on Google, search.twitter.com, et cetera…
4. Track down your favorite IPA’s, ones you’ve been meaning to try, and ones you’ve never heard of; share them with friends and share your thoughts with the world.
5. Have a good time and know that by sharing your experiences online, you’re strengthening the craft beer community at large.
About International #IPADAY
Founded in 2011 by beer evangelists and social media personalities Ashley V Routson and Ryan A Ross, International #IPADay is the largest grassroots social media-based celebration of craft beer. The goal of #IPADay is to use social media to strengthen the collective voice of craft beer through the simple celebration of beer itself. The success of #IPADay hinges on the passionate voices of beer enthusiasts worldwide and their willingness to share that passion across the social sphere.
For more information on events or how you can be part of #IPADay, visit http://ipaday.eventbrite.com and follow your regional host brewery on facebook & twitter .
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.
Recent Comments