99 bottles of beer
September 9, 2013 6:19 PM Subscribe
Due to extremely poor planning, I have a lot of summer ale. I DON'T want to drink it -- it's okay, but I am tired of its stupid face.
So... what are your favorite things to do with beer besides drink it? I'm looking for kick ass bread recipes, or anything else edible, that can help me work through the beers in this variety pack.
So... what are your favorite things to do with beer besides drink it? I'm looking for kick ass bread recipes, or anything else edible, that can help me work through the beers in this variety pack.
Beer & Cheddar soup!
posted by SpecialSpaghettiBowl at 6:26 PM on September 9, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by SpecialSpaghettiBowl at 6:26 PM on September 9, 2013 [2 favorites]
Brats. Boil 'em in beer.
Or send beer to me.
posted by cjorgensen at 6:30 PM on September 9, 2013 [3 favorites]
Or send beer to me.
posted by cjorgensen at 6:30 PM on September 9, 2013 [3 favorites]
I like cooking with it. Risotto, chili, stews, anything you might put wine into you can consider putting beer into!
You could also have a beer-swap party, where everyone brings a six pack and leaves with a six-pack of different beers. Although then you risk ending up with other beers you don't really like.
posted by aka burlap at 6:32 PM on September 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
You could also have a beer-swap party, where everyone brings a six pack and leaves with a six-pack of different beers. Although then you risk ending up with other beers you don't really like.
posted by aka burlap at 6:32 PM on September 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
Here's my recipe for beer bread, adapted slightly from popular recipes by slightly reducing the sugar and butter (or other fat), which I like to mix into the batter. I also usually make it with up to half whole wheat/ white whole wheat flour.
It's very fast to make, and I often keep the dry mix on the shelf in a jar or bag. That means I can have bread in the oven as fast as I can melt the butter, and have fresh hot beer bread in ~45 minutes, or ~20 if I make it in muffin tins.
posted by Elsa at 6:34 PM on September 9, 2013 [3 favorites]
It's very fast to make, and I often keep the dry mix on the shelf in a jar or bag. That means I can have bread in the oven as fast as I can melt the butter, and have fresh hot beer bread in ~45 minutes, or ~20 if I make it in muffin tins.
posted by Elsa at 6:34 PM on September 9, 2013 [3 favorites]
I make cheesy beer bread bowls for cheesy beer soup: http://www.bhg.com/recipes/recipedetail.jsp?recipeId=37406
posted by turtlefu at 6:35 PM on September 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by turtlefu at 6:35 PM on September 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
I came in to say Welsh rarebit, but looking at the beer in question I don't know if that's the appropriate thing to do to cheese. That looks more like 'tempura beer battered X' beer.
I too have a beer surplus and at the moment I am using it to sweeten the for-sale ads I am posting on local classifieds while de-cluttering. I live out of the way so INCLUDES A FREE BEER! is hopefully incentivizing when it comes to buying a used XYZ.
posted by kmennie at 6:35 PM on September 9, 2013
I too have a beer surplus and at the moment I am using it to sweeten the for-sale ads I am posting on local classifieds while de-cluttering. I live out of the way so INCLUDES A FREE BEER! is hopefully incentivizing when it comes to buying a used XYZ.
posted by kmennie at 6:35 PM on September 9, 2013
Oh, and! One of my most well-received homemade gifts was a packet of beer bread mix (I actually packed it in the extra-large beer-style bottles that my favorite cider comes bottled in, which made a very handsome package) wrapped up along with a bottle of beer and the recipe. All the recipient needs to add is butter or oil.
posted by Elsa at 6:38 PM on September 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Elsa at 6:38 PM on September 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
Beer battered prawns!
posted by pompomtom at 6:38 PM on September 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by pompomtom at 6:38 PM on September 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
You can make soft pretzels boiled in beer (here's a possible recipe). Carbonnade a flamande is also wonderful (possible recipe).
posted by TrarNoir at 6:45 PM on September 9, 2013
posted by TrarNoir at 6:45 PM on September 9, 2013
How much beer? My husband and I throw a BYOB summer bbq every year where I cook a ton of food. This year I was pregnant and not inclined to stand on my feet cooking all weekend, so we reversed it and had a potluck where we supplied all of the alcohol and told everyone to bring a favorite dish. It was really fun and I'd definitely do it again if we had a lot of extra beer to get rid of.
Recipe option: clams steamed in beer are delicious.
posted by gatorae at 6:59 PM on September 9, 2013
Recipe option: clams steamed in beer are delicious.
posted by gatorae at 6:59 PM on September 9, 2013
Stick a few bottles in your cabinet to use over the next few months in marinating stuff (chicken/beef/fake meat) for tacos. I don't really drink beer but I work for a beer distributor and always have some around for this purpose. It keeps for a long time for this type of use.
posted by something something at 7:31 PM on September 9, 2013
posted by something something at 7:31 PM on September 9, 2013
I always replace a third to a half of the water in normal yeast bread/rolls with beer. It ends up not tasting at all beer-y, just bready. Here's my usual recipe:
Combine in a mixing bowl:
12 oz of flour (about 3 kinda scant cups, depending on humidity..)
4 oz beer (1/2 cup)
4.5 oz water (1/2 cup plus a splash)
tsp active dry or instant yeast
couple tsp salt
combine and then knead, or if you have a mixer or bread machine that kneads use that.
let it rise in the bowl or on the counter, loosely covered for an hour or two, until it looks super-puffy and has doubled or so in volume.
gently deflate, knead by hand for a minute. Like, four or five turns at most.
Place in the center of a 9 inch or bigger cast iron pan, and let rise again for an hour or so, until it's doubled again.
425 oven for 25-30 minutes, until it's deliciously brown on the outside, or 190 degrees inside if you want to be sure.
posted by contrarian at 7:37 PM on September 9, 2013
Combine in a mixing bowl:
12 oz of flour (about 3 kinda scant cups, depending on humidity..)
4 oz beer (1/2 cup)
4.5 oz water (1/2 cup plus a splash)
tsp active dry or instant yeast
couple tsp salt
combine and then knead, or if you have a mixer or bread machine that kneads use that.
let it rise in the bowl or on the counter, loosely covered for an hour or two, until it looks super-puffy and has doubled or so in volume.
gently deflate, knead by hand for a minute. Like, four or five turns at most.
Place in the center of a 9 inch or bigger cast iron pan, and let rise again for an hour or so, until it's doubled again.
425 oven for 25-30 minutes, until it's deliciously brown on the outside, or 190 degrees inside if you want to be sure.
posted by contrarian at 7:37 PM on September 9, 2013
Why don't you just throw a party?
posted by Jacqueline at 7:48 PM on September 9, 2013
posted by Jacqueline at 7:48 PM on September 9, 2013
Fish and chips. Use pancake batter mix and use beer for the liquid.
posted by plinth at 8:01 PM on September 9, 2013
posted by plinth at 8:01 PM on September 9, 2013
For recipes like beer breads, soups and chilis where you don't want carbonation, just flavor, pour it into a ziplock freezer bag- like 2/3 full- and freeze for later use.
This method will cause an epic fail if you freeze in original bottle or want to preserve carbonation. But if you want to save a bottle or two for a November chili recipe? Win.
posted by slateyness at 10:10 PM on September 9, 2013
This method will cause an epic fail if you freeze in original bottle or want to preserve carbonation. But if you want to save a bottle or two for a November chili recipe? Win.
posted by slateyness at 10:10 PM on September 9, 2013
And seconding beer brats.
posted by slateyness at 10:11 PM on September 9, 2013
posted by slateyness at 10:11 PM on September 9, 2013
seconding beer brats
Dammit, I thought he was suggesting something totally different.
posted by glasseyes at 4:03 AM on September 10, 2013
Dammit, I thought he was suggesting something totally different.
posted by glasseyes at 4:03 AM on September 10, 2013
How to Use Beer to Get Rid of Snails in Your Garden.
posted by misteraitch at 4:17 AM on September 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by misteraitch at 4:17 AM on September 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
Put it on Craigslist as a freebie. You'll certainly make someone's day.
posted by Jandoe at 6:40 AM on September 10, 2013
posted by Jandoe at 6:40 AM on September 10, 2013
I suspect posting an ad giving away free beer on Craigslist would run afoul of several laws in most jurisdictions.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:50 AM on September 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:50 AM on September 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
Beer is great in tomato based sauces, because there are alcohol soluble flavors in tomatoes.
* You can use a bottle or two in your favorite chili recipe
Bonus--I've found that if you use beer in your recipe it doesn't really have to cook as long
* In a braise for ribs or pot roast
For something easy, put bbq sauce and beer in crockpot for ribs, canned tomatoes and beer for pot roast, if you want something more complicated there are lots of recipes out there
* In homemade enchilada sauce,
Tomato sauce, chili powder, onions, garlic, whatever else sounds good, some beer
* For beer-can chicken
You can use a rig if your beer isn't in cans--or even if it is
posted by Kimberly at 8:51 AM on September 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
* You can use a bottle or two in your favorite chili recipe
Bonus--I've found that if you use beer in your recipe it doesn't really have to cook as long
* In a braise for ribs or pot roast
For something easy, put bbq sauce and beer in crockpot for ribs, canned tomatoes and beer for pot roast, if you want something more complicated there are lots of recipes out there
* In homemade enchilada sauce,
Tomato sauce, chili powder, onions, garlic, whatever else sounds good, some beer
* For beer-can chicken
You can use a rig if your beer isn't in cans--or even if it is
posted by Kimberly at 8:51 AM on September 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
Barter. You could probably get a lot of bike repair or somesuch. Need any painting done?
posted by advicepig at 9:02 AM on September 10, 2013
posted by advicepig at 9:02 AM on September 10, 2013
I like using up those stray bottles in the back of the fridge by making beer-steamed shrimp (I don't really use a recipe but this one is as good as any). You can also steam other crustaceans. Any beer you can see through works great for this. But it only uses up one bottle.
If drinking the beer in an altered format that changes the taste is an option for you, there's micheladas or any of these beer cocktails. I've also had more refined cocktails where the beer was reduced to a syrup and mixed in.
If it were me, I'd get rid of whatever's left over after exhausting my repertoire of beer recipes by giving it away: to the bike shop, or the college kids next door, or as part of a reddit gift exchange, or whatever.
posted by rhiannonstone at 9:39 AM on September 10, 2013
If drinking the beer in an altered format that changes the taste is an option for you, there's micheladas or any of these beer cocktails. I've also had more refined cocktails where the beer was reduced to a syrup and mixed in.
If it were me, I'd get rid of whatever's left over after exhausting my repertoire of beer recipes by giving it away: to the bike shop, or the college kids next door, or as part of a reddit gift exchange, or whatever.
posted by rhiannonstone at 9:39 AM on September 10, 2013
Carbonnade a la Flamande is crazy delicious but it is meant to be made with a Belgian beer. Not sure how much of a difference a summer ale will make.
In any case, definitely use them to cook brats along with some sliced onions, peppercorn and other spices. Beer is also great in chilli.
posted by mmascolino at 9:59 AM on September 10, 2013
In any case, definitely use them to cook brats along with some sliced onions, peppercorn and other spices. Beer is also great in chilli.
posted by mmascolino at 9:59 AM on September 10, 2013
Seconding EmpressCallipygos on the hair rinse thing. My mother-in-law swears by the practice, and though it's maybe not my favorite thing to come home after a long day and find she has used, say, my last Bell's Oberon as shampoo, I will admit that she has wonderfully soft, shiny hair.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:29 AM on September 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:29 AM on September 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
The only thing that I haven't seen recommended yet is using beer to make pizza dough. Since it's summer ale, you'd have to play with the toppings to get the right balance with the fruitier taste, but it's pretty easy. Recipes differ online; I tend to use more beer so I don't need yeast in the dough (other folks use more yeast).
posted by klangklangston at 5:12 PM on September 10, 2013
posted by klangklangston at 5:12 PM on September 10, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:24 PM on September 9, 2013 [2 favorites]