Beer is a beautiful thing. Storied, versatile, and delicious, beer is cemented into the human experience.

What better way to exalt our favorite brew with a little culinary prowess. Today we bring you Beer Foods (foods with beer in ‘em).

What does beer add to food? It depends on the dish, but overall beer adds flavor. Beer in itself has complex flavor profiles; a porter is malty and warm whereas an IPA is more bitter and floral.

Understanding how these flavors meld with the rest of your ingredients is key. A good tip is to use a beer you enjoy. A bitter beer will add bitterness to your food, keep the beer’s flavor in mind as you cook.

Don’t be afraid to use beer in dessert! A stout can deepen rich flavors like chocolate or caramel. Beer can also act as a leavening agent in cake giving it a little extra lift.

Here are a few Funky Picnic items that feature beer!

Beer Cheese Fondue

Beer Used: La Raza- Mexican Lager

La Raza is a golden colored lager; crisp, with notes of corn. The flavor from the beer mixed with the rich creamy cheese adds a layer of depth. Our tip? Use full-fat dairy; the acidity in beer can curdle low–fat dairy products.

Beer Batter

Beer Used: ESB- Funny Accent

Funny Accent is an English ale; malty and slightly bitter with a dry finish, ideal for a beer batter. The purpose of ‘beer’ in ‘beer batter’ is air (and flavor, of course). The carbonation creates a fluffy and flavorful batter, perfect for fish or pickles.

Silver tray with battered pickle spears and a ramekin of ranch

TIPS FROM THE CICERONE: Don’t use highly bitter beer in a recipe if you are going to reduce it down, the bitterness will be amplified and become very astringent.

Beer Chili

Beer Used: Kolsch- Vibes

Vibes is bright and crisp; lightly hoppy yet slightly malty. It adds a brightness to the heavy ingredients used in chili. One of the best ways to cook with beer is to simmer. The more moisture that is lost, the more intense the flavor; therefore beer is a flawless companion to stews, soups, and chilis.

Brownie with Beer Caramel Drizzle

Beer Used: PB Stout- Two Peanut Butters, One Cup

Two Peanut Butters, One Cup is a milk stout with chocolate malt and peanut butter. The number one thing to remember when cooking with beer is complimentary flavors. You want to find beers that compliment your dish without overpowering it. Stouts have rich, chocolatey flavors that pair well with rich, chocolatey dishes like a warm brownie.

TIPS FROM THE CICERONE: When choosing a beer to cook with, use similar flavors that are also in the food

Try out these tips for yourself at home, or come down to Funky Picnic and try our favorites!

Beer Foods & Cooking with Beer

What does beer add to food? It depends on the dish, but overall beer adds flavor. Beer in itself has complex flavor profiles; a porter is malty and warm whereas an IPA is more bitter and floral.

Here are a few Funky Picnic items that feature beer!