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| Beer |
| Beer is any of a variety of alcoholic beverages produced by the fermentation of starchy material derived from grains or other plant sources. Known to the Egyptians, Babylonians, and probably to earlier civilizations, beer became the common beverage in northern climates not conducive to grape cultivation. Although beer and wine are both fermented and undistilled, wine is made from basic materials rich in natural sugar, while beer is made from materials high in starch content. Starches must be converted to sugar before fermentation can occur. Most of the world's beers are made from malted barley and flavored with hops. They may be produced by employing a bottom-fermenting yeast strain, which falls to the bottom of the container when fermentation is completed, or a top-fermenting strain, which releases carbon dioxide and rises to the surface, forming a head. Lager beers, preferred in the United States, are aged beers of German origin, taking their name from the German lagern [to store]. Bottom-fermented, they are stored at a low temperature for several months, clearing, acquiring mellowness, and becoming charged with carbon dioxide. Most lagers are light in color, with high carbonation, medium hop flavour, and alcohol content of 3 - 5 percent by volume. They include Pilsener, Dortmund, Munich, and California steam beer. Top-fermented beers, popular in Great Britain, include ale, stout, and a brew intermediate between the two, called porter. They have a sharper, more strongly hopped flavor than lagers and alcohol content ranging from 4 to 6.5 percent or more by volume. Beers made from raw materials other than barley include hundreds of local African drinks made from millet, sorghum, and other available starch crops; Russian kvass, made from fermented rye bread; Chinese samshu, Korean suk, and Japanese sake, all brewed from rice; and pulque, an indigenous Mexican beer made from the fermented sap of the agave plant. The Mexicans and the Japanese also brew and export several brands of Western-style beer. Cooking with beer is nothing new, and in fact has become increasingly popular over the last several years. Beer breads, Beer Can Chicken, and BBQ Sauce with Beer are all venerable favorites, and darn near classics. When cooking with beer, you should be fully aware of what you are adding to the recipe, especially in terms of flavor. Cooking with wine or spirits lend their flavors nicely to sauces and stews once the alcohol has cooked off. As a general rule, you would never cook with a wine that you wouldn't drink. The rule is considerably more important when cooking with beer. As a general rule, you shouldn't cook with a beer that you don't absolutely love. Adding a macro brew to a pot of chili probably won't lend much of anything, other than more liquid, but adding a favorite microbrew could turn the chili into a small triumph worth repeating. Warm Potato Salad with Beer Dressing For Beer Dressing: 1/2 cup olive oil 3/4 cup finely chopped white or yellow onion 1 cup lager beer 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon sugar Salt and freshly ground black pepper For Potato Salad: 3 1/2 pounds red-skinned potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions 1/4 cup finely chopped celery 1/2 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley FOR BEER DRESSING: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in small frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, lager, vinegar and sugar. Boil until liquid is reduced by a third, about 5 minutes. Transfer onion/beer mixture to food processor. Add mustard and blend until smooth. With machine running, drizzle remaining oil through feed tube to form smooth dressing. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm. MEANWHILE, PREPARE SALAD: Steam potato slices until just tender, about 12 minutes. Gently toss warm sliced potatoes in large bowl with 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Toss warm potatoes, red onion, green onions, celery and parsley with warm dressing. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper and serve warm. Beer Bread A dear friend gave me a loaf of this bread as a housewarming gift. She also gave me the challenge of guessing the recipe. Serve this bread with Concord Grape Jelly. 3 cups self rising flour 3/4 cup sugar 1 12 oz. can room temperature beer 3/4 cup butter, melted Preheat oven to 350 Mix the flour, sugar, and beer together in a loaf pan. Let it stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Bake at 350 for 55 minutes. After the loaf has been removed from the oven, pour the melted butter evenly over the top. Copyright Thomas Saaristo All Rights Reserved webmaster@tomsaaristo.com |