Ger-Nis INTERNATIONAL, LLC

Herbs & Beer …Summer Brew Cookin’

Beer is the worlds oldest and most widely consumer alcoholic beverage and the third most popular consumed beverage behind water and tea.  The production and distribution of beer is as ancient as time itself with evidence of beer making tracing back to the earliest times of man.  Shared across all cultures and lands, beer making has again revived itself as an artisanal trade and we are seeing a new trend in beer making emerging both here in the USA and across the world.  People are now brewing beer at home and in the process are using a host of ingredients; including fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices.

Cooking with and making beer dates back many years and is currently experiencing a comeback along with the specialty beers that are being produced.  Adding beer to recipes changes the complexity and characteristics of a dish, enhancing it by building layer upon layer of flavors.  We have all heard of and perhaps tried beer batter and the infamous "beer can chicken" but outside of these there are a plethora of choices to be made.  Herbs add a unique dimension to cooking with beer and can be an extremely enjoyable process if you like the two together.

As they say about cooking with wine, never cook with a beer you wouldn’t want to drink!  All beer is not created equally and therefore tastes different, so choose accordingly when you are using beer to replace a liquid in a recipe. Beer has amazing tenderizing qualities, so using it in marindades along with herbs can be a perfect summer experience.  Due to the leavening agent of the yeast in beer it is also a spectacular liquid to bake with and can make baked goods fluffier and lighter than normal (try adding beer to pancakes!).  The sweetness of the malt also makes it perfect for glazes and sauces and many folks these days are experimenting with beer in barbeque sauces.  Remember dark beer is stronger so be careful which beer you choose.

Basically beer contains
Malt…Barley…Hops and now a day’s other flavorings of herbs, spices and fruits

Each of these add a unique dimension to the cooking process

• Hops adds bitterness
• Malt adds sweetness
• Fermentation adds a yeasty bite

There are many types of beers to experiment with so don’t be afraid to just play, if you like beer and you know your way around the kitchen, it’s kind of a win-win experimentation process.

There are literally hundreds of styles of beer to choose from, here is a quick guide on the ins-and-outs of the main styles.

Lagers The main difference between lager and ale is the type of yeast used.  In lager, the yeast sinks and is therefore known as a bottom fermenter.  Lager yeasts like cool or cold temperatures in order to work their magic.

Ales The yeast likes to hover around the top at the beginning of the fermentation process in ales and only sinks to the bottom after the first few days of fermentation.  The fermentation process of ales also requires warmer temperatures.  Ales tend to be higher in alcohol content, are a bit more complex and have a drier taste.  Lagers, by far are a much more thirst quenching because of this dry taste that ales tend to have.

Specialty Beers Can be either a lager or ale and typically have specialty ingredients added to them like fruits or spices, and nuts or herbs.

Here are a few distinct styles:

Pale Ales  Uses a paler colored malt and range in finished color from amber to dark brown to a bright copper color.  They have a bitterness, flavor and aroma dominated by hops.  They are low medium in body and maltiness.

Porter/Stout  A dark brown almost black beer made with dark roasted malts.  They can be medium to full body.

Pilsner Basically a pale colored lager. Very Light and slight yellowish to clear in color. With a distinct hop aroma and flavor.  Light bodies and distinctly light flavor.

Bock High alcohol content and very strong beers, they are full bodied with a signifanct malt taste, which can be overwhelming.

Fruit Beers Typically lagers or ales flavored with fruits or fruit syrups.  Often sweet and excellent cooking beers.

Beer is such an enjoyable drink in the summer time that it’s easy to forget it’s potential for being a wonderful seasoning and flavor agent, changing ordinary into extraordinary food.

Herbal Beer Can Chicken
Serves 4-6

2 tablespoons each, finely chopped thyme, rosemary, chives, and oregano
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 whole chicken (3 to 4 lbs), cleaned
1 can beer (your favorite kind)

Mix the herbs, salt, pepper and oil and rub over chicken. Set aside.

Open beer can and either take a few drinks or discard a bit so it is about ¾ full.  Place beer can on a solid surface and place one chicken leg over  each side of the beer can.  Place the bird on the can in the center of the grate, balancing the bird on its 2 legs and the can like a tripod.

Cook the chicken over medium-high, indirect heat (i.e. no coals or burners directly under the bird), with the grill cover on, for approximately 1 hour or until the thigh juice runs clear when stabbed with a sharp knife. Remove from grill and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Horseradish Herb BBQ Beer Brats
Serves 6

1 bottle (16 oz) dark beer, preferably Guinness
1 tablespoon grated fresh horseradish
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon mustard
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
6 bratwursts, with a few holes poked in each

Place all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and whisk well, add bratwurst and marinate for about an hour. Grill on high heat brushing with remainder of marinade.

Herbed Hefeweizen Mussels
Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 bottle (16 oz) Hefeweizen beer
¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup finely chopped fresh chives
3 pounds mussels, beards removed and scrubbed

Whisk together all the ingredients except the mussels in a medium mixing bowl.  Place the mussels in a large heavy bottom pan with a lid.  Pour liquid over the mussels and boil until all are open.  Discard any that are unopened.

Beer Mint Battered Snap Peas with Mint Wasabi Aioli
Serves 4

1 bottle (16 oz) Kirin or Sapporo Japanese beer
½ cup seltzer water
1 tablespoon oil
1 egg white
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1 cup panko bread crumbs
½ cup flour
¼ teaspoon wasabi powder
Oil, for frying  
2 to 3 red chilies, sliced
1 lb. snap peas

Whisk together all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Batter should rensemble pancake batter, add more water or flour for the texture to be correct. In a medium sauté pan over high heat, add oil and sauté chilies.  Meanwhile, dip the snap peas in batter and fry turning over a few times until golden brown.  Drain on a papertowel.  Serve with Mint Wasabi Aioli (½ cup chopped fresh mint, 1 teaspoon wasabi powder and ½ cup mayo).

Tecate Cilantro ceviche
Serves 6

2 lbs. red snapper filets, cut into bite sized pieces
1 medium red onion, chopped fine
1 red pepper, chopped fine
1 jalapeno, deseeded and chopped fine
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped fine
Juice of 5 to 6 limes
1 tablespoon salt (maybe more to taste)
1 can (12 oz) tecate beer

Mix all ingredients gently together and let stand for 2 hours.  Serve Ice cold.

Beer Battered Lavender Belgium White ale Fish & chips
Serves 4

2/3 cup all purpose flour
¼ cup tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 bottle (16 oz) Belgium white ale

Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, soda, salt and beer (you may not use entire) till a pancake-like batter consistency.

Spicy Mint Blackberry Wheat BBQ Chicken
Makes 3 cups

½ cup fresh mint
¼ cup chopped fine yellow onion
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 jalapeno pepper, deseeded and chopped fine
1 can (8 oz) plain tomato sauce
Juice and zest of 1 navel orange
Juice and zest of 1 lime
¼ cup fresh blackberries
1 bottle (16 oz) Blackberry wheat beer
Mix all ingredients in a blender and pulsate until almost smooth. Use for BBQ slopping sauce on chicken. Also excellent on pulled pork or steaks!