What's Brewing? 12 Tasty Beer Recipes: SparkRecipes SlideShow

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12 Tasty Beer Recipes

by Stepfanie Romine, Staff Writer
Crack open a cold one and tie on an apron. We're taking beer out of the cooler and into the kitchen. Whether you are an ale aficionado or a lager lover, you'll adore these dishes that use beer in unexpected and delightful ways--from stew and mac and cheese to cupcakes and soup!

Beer Bread

Beer makes bread making easy, thanks to its natural yeast and carbonation. With one bottle of beer plus flour and sugar, you can whip up a fresh loaf of bread even if you've never baked from scratch.

Beer Can Chicken

With a beer can and a barbecue, you can create the perfect roasted chicken. The beer steams the chicken and adds flavor, and the alcohol burns off in the cooking process. Bonus: You only need half a can, so you can drink the other half if you want!

Brown Beer Beef Stew

Beer takes basic beef stew up about a dozen notches in this hearty recipe. It adds depth of flavor that will leave your guests guessing the secret ingredient.

Chocolate Stout Cupcakes

Whoa. Beer in a cupcake? Yes, please. The rich, creamy stout adds tons of flavor and moisture to these cupcakes. And cream cheese frosting is always a good idea.

Easy Cheese Fondue

Traditionally, fondue is made with white wine, but we love this recipe with an IPA or lager in its place. Think of it as a fancy beer cheese dip. Pair it with pretzels and start dunking.

Garlic-Stout Mac & Cheese

Macaroni and cheese doesn't need anything to make it great, but add plenty of garlic and a rich stout, and you've got an unbelievably delicious meal. We would love to try this grown-up mac and cheese with some crumbled bacon or spicy mustard on top.

Honey Whole Wheat Pretzels

OK, so these pretzels don't actually contain any beer. However, they both pair perfectly with beer on their own and are the best dunker imaginable for our next recipe...

Potato Ale-Cheddar Soup

This potato soup is as decadent--thanks to bacon, cheese, and ale--as it is nutritious--thanks to broccoli and peppers. We love it with a few drops of hot sauce on top.

Onion Pale Ale Dip

For a fun take on classic onion dip, stir in a hoppy pale ale. It mellows out the onion and cuts a bit of the creaminess. It's divine with everything bagel chips.

Smoked Porter Stewed Beans

If you're hesitant to make beans from scratch, you'll change your mind after taking one bite of these smoky, rich beans. They start with caramelized onions, then we layer in chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, loads of garlic, and (the secret ingredient) smoked porter! Serve them in tacos or on their own, topped with hot sauce, sour cream, and shredded Cheddar.

Light Beer Cheese Dip

We love the combo of beer and cheese so much we couldn't narrow down our favorite recipe. You've seen the warm and gooey beer cheese dip (aka fondue), and now here is the easy-peasy no-cook version. Pair with those Honey Whole Wheat Pretzels.

Steak and Ale Stew

Steak and Ale Pie is an English classic, with a buttery crusty and rich beefy filling. This stew nixes the crust and elevates the filling to star status. It takes awhile to cook, which means you'll be drooling by the time the dinner bell rings. Paired with buttered crusty bread, it's the perfect cool-weather supper.