Homebrew Home Cooking
“Oh there’s no place like home for the holidays…” Good old Perry Como had it right — especially if you are enjoying and cooking with homebrew. The holidays are the perfect time to celebrate and be thankful with friends and family.
Here is a menu for three courses — appetizer, entrée, and dessert — for a night around the holidays when you have a few houseguests to impress, and you want to show off some of your homebrewing skills.
Mussels cook up very quickly, don’t take too much time to prep — and for seafood lovers, these are a treat! I use a Citra® IPA homebrew recipe and grapefruit zest and juice to accent the citrus notes and fresh tarragon to add an interesting herb aroma.
When making this recipe, It’s best to add highly aromatic notes — the herbs and zest — to the food just before serving, very similar to dry hopping, so the essential oils are enjoyed by your guests as opposed to releasing them in the kitchen.
Appetizer: Steamed IPA Mussels with Grapefruit and Tarragon
(serves 4)
Ingredients
4 pounds (1.8 kg) fresh mussels
24 oz. (~0.7 L) IPA homebrew (see beer recipe below)
1 lb. (0.45 kg) cold, unsalted butter (cubed)
2 grapefruits (zest and juice)
4 Tb. chopped fresh tarragon
Step by Step
1. Clean the mussels (1 pound/1.8 kg per person) in the sink under cold running water and remove the beard (this is the stringy mass that the mussel attached itself to rocks or ropes in the ocean.) Make sure to discard any open or cracked mussels as they are most likely dead. (Yes, the others are still alive. To check, squeeze shut any mussels that are open — if they stay closed they are still alive).
2. Bring a 5-gallon (19-L) heavy-bottom pot to high heat with no oil. Once the pot is hot, add all the mussels at once. There will be a sound like making popcorn. Put a lid on the pot to cover and cook the mussels for 7 to 10 minutes or until all the mussel shells
are open.
3. Once the mussels are cooked, pour the homebrewed IPA into the pot and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Add the cold, unsalted butter, the grapefruit zest and juice, and the chopped tarragon.
5. Serve in a bowl with plenty of the beer liquid and some crusty bread.
Citra® Creek Walk (American IPA)
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.067 FG = 1.015
IBU = 73 SRM = 8 ABV = 7.2%
Ingredients
12 lbs. (5.4 kg) Briess pale ale malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) Briess caramel malt (20 °L)
1 lb. (0.45 kg) Dingemans Munich malt (7 °L)
8.5 AAU Apollo hops (0.5 oz./14 g
at 17% alpha acids) (60 min.)
12 AAU Citra® hops (10 min.)
(1 oz./28 g at 12% alpha acids)
12.3 AAU Mosaic® hops (10 min.)
(1 oz./28 g at 12.3% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Citra® hops (0 min.)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Mosaic® hops (0 min.)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Mosaic® hops (dry hop)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Citra® hops (dry hop)
1 Whirlfloc tablet (15 min.)
White Labs WLP007 (Dry English Ale) or Wyeast 1098 (British Ale) or
Lallemand Nottingham yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Heat 5 gallons (19 L) strike water to 165 °F (74 °C) in order to stabilize mash temperature at 152 °F (67 °C) and hold for 90 minutes. After the mash, recirculate then sparge with enough 168 °F (75 °C) water to collect 6 gallons (23 L) of wort. Boil for 60 minutes, adding the kettle hops and Whirlfloc tablet at the times indicated in the ingredients list. When the boil is finished, turn off the heat and add the flameout hop addition and allow to steep in the hot wort for 15 minutes. Chill the wort rapidly to 65 °F (18 °C) and pitch the yeast. Ferment in the primary at 68 °F (20 °C) for 7 to 10 days or until final gravity is achieved. Add the dry hop additions with about three days left in the primary. Bottle or keg as normal.
Citra® Creek Walk (American IPA)
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.067 FG = 1.015
IBU = 73 SRM = 8 ABV = 7.2%
Ingredients
6.6 lbs. (3 kg) Briess pale ale liquid malt extract
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) Munich dried malt extract
1 lb. (0.45 kg) Briess caramel malt (20 °L)
8.5 AAU Apollo hops (0.5 oz./14 g at 17% alpha acids) (60 min.)
12 AAU Citra® hops (10 min.)
(1 oz./28 g at 12% alpha acids)
12.3 AAU Mosaic®hops (10 min.)
(1 oz./28 g at 12.3% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Citra® hops (0 min.)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Mosaic® hops (0 min.)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Mosaic® hops (dry hop)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Citra® hops (dry hop)
1 Whirlfloc tablet (15 min.)
White Labs WLP007 (Dry English Ale) or Wyeast 1098 (British Ale) or Lallemand Nottingham yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Heat 5 gallons (19 L) water to 165 °F (74 °C). Place crushed grains in a muslin bag and steep in the hot water for 15 minutes. Add the liquid and dried malt extracts then top off to 6 gallons (23 L). Boil for 60 minutes, adding the kettle hops and Whirlfloc tablet at the times indicated. When the boil is finished, turn off the heat and add the flameout hop addition and allow to steep in the hot wort for 15 minutes. Chill the wort rapidly to 65 °F (18 °C) and pitch the yeast. Ferment at 68 °F (20 °C) for 7 to 10 days or until final gravity is achieved. Add the dry hop additions with three days left in the primary. Bottle or keg.
Entrée: Alt Braised Short Ribs with Caramelized Onions and Black Pepper-Parmesan Capellini
(serves 4 to 6)
Beef short ribs (bone-in for more flavor) seared in a hot, lightly oiled pan until mahogany brown on all sides and then braised with a homebrewedaltbier yield a decadent, malty mouthfeel.
BEER: AltTimer
Ingredients
For the short ribs:
6 bone-in beef short ribs (trimmed)
6 large white onions (peeled and sliced thinly)
2 large carrots (peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces)
2–3 ribs of celery (cut into 1-inch pieces)
10 cloves fresh garlic (peeled)
4 cups (~1 L) homebrewed alt beer (see homebrew recipe)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
2 bay leaves (dried)
2–2.5 qts. (1.8-2.5 L) beef broth or stock (enough to braise)
Vegetable oil
3 Tb. unsalted butter
Salt and ground pepper to taste
For the pasta:
1 box dry capellini pasta
Zest of 1 fresh lemon, finely chopped
2 Tb. fresh chopped parsley
2-3 Tb. unsalted butter
grated parmesan cheese
Step by Step
1. Preheat your oven to 350 °F (~180 °C). Season the short ribs with salt and ground pepper.
2. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium to high heat. When the oil is hot, sear the ribs on all sides until brown.
3. Remove the beef from the pot and discard the bulk of the fat, leaving a tablespoon or so. Turn the heat down add 2⁄3 of the sliced onions, and all of the chopped celery and onion. Toss the vegetables in the fat until they are slightly browned on a few sides. Add the tomato paste to the pan and stir
to incorporate.
4. Return the beef to the pot, add the beer and beef stock, more salt and the black peppercorns, bay leaves, and bring the pot up to a slow boil. Put the lid on the pot and put it in the oven for 2 to 3 hours — until the beef is tender and starting to separate from the bone.
5. When the beef is done, remove it from the pot and hold it somewhere warm while you make the pan sauce. To make the sauce, simply boil the liquid left behind from the braising in the Dutch oven until it reduces and the consistency of the liquid can coat the back of a spoon.
6. When the beef is finished, and while the pan sauce is reducing, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente. When it’s cooked, strain it and return it to the pot, tossing it with the butter and the parmesan, chopped lemon zest, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. For the caramelized onions, take the remainder of the sliced onions and cook over low heat while the beef is braising until they become very soft and browned.
8. To plate the meal, lay the pasta on the bottom of a plate and carefully rest the tender rib meat on top. Ladle some of the sauce over the meat and top with caramelized onions.
AltTimer
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.047 FG = 1.009
IBU = 43 SRM = 16 ABV = 5%
Ingredients
6 lbs. (2.7 kg) Weyermann Pilsner malt
2 lbs. (0.9 kg) dark Munich malt (9 °L)
1 lb. (0.45 kg) Belgian aromatic malt (19 °L)
8 oz. (0.23 kg) Caramunich® II malt (45 °L)
3 oz. (85 g) Weyermann Carafa® II malt (425 °L)
11.2 AAU Magnum hops (60 min.)
(0.8 oz./23 g at 14% alpha acids)
2 AAU Perle hops (15 min.)
(0.25 oz./7 g at 8% alpha acids)
1.13 AAU Tettnang hops (15 min.)
(0.25 oz./7 g at 4.5% alpha acids)
Wyeast 1007 (German Ale) or White Labs WLP036 (Dusseldorf Alt) yeast
¾ cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Two days prior to brewing, make a 2-L yeast starter. Heat 3.5 gallons (13 L) strike water to 162 °F (72 °C) in order to stabilize mash temperature at 149 °F (65 °C) and hold for 90 minutes. After the mash, recirculate then sparge with enough 168 °F (76 °C) water to collect 6.5 gallons (25 L) of wort. Boil for 90 minutes, adding the hops at the times indicated in the ingredients list. Chill the wort rapidly to 60 °F (15 °C) and pitch the yeast. Ferment at this temperature in the primary for 7 to 10 days or until final gravity is achieved. Then transfer the beer to a secondary fermenter and store at 40 °F (4 °C)
to condition for 30 days. Bottle or keg as usual.
AltTimer
(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.047 FG = 1.009
IBU = 43 SRM = 16 ABV = 5%
Ingredients
4 lbs. (1.8 kg) Pilsen liquid malt extract
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) Munich dried malt extract
1 lb. (0.45 kg) dark Munich malt (9 °L)
1 lb. (0.45 kg) Belgian aromatic malt (19 °L)
8 oz. (0.23 kg) Caramunich® II malt (45 °L)
3 oz. (85 g) Weyermann Carafa® II malt (425 °L)
11.2 AAU Magnum hops (60 min.)
(0.8 oz./23 g at 14% alpha acids)
2 AAU Perle hops (15 min.)
(0.25 oz./7 g at 8% alpha acids)
1.13 AAU Tettnang hops (15 min.)
(0.25 oz./7 g at 4.5% alpha acids)
Wyeast 1007 (German Ale) or White Labs WLP036 (Dusseldorf Alt) yeast
¾ cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Two days prior to brewing, make a 2-L yeast starter. Heat 4 qts. (4 L) water to 160 °F (71 °C). Place the crushed Munich and aromatic malt in a large muslin bag and submerge in the water. This should stabilize the mash temperature at 149 °F (65 °C). Hold this temperature for 60 minutes. Add the crushed Carafa® and Caramunich® malts in with the first bag or utilize a second muslin bag. Steep for 15 minutes. Place all the grains in a colander and slowly wash with 1.5 gallons (6 L) water at 168 °F (76 °C). Stir in the liquid and dried malt extract and top off to 6 gallons (23 L) of wort. Boil for 60 minutes, adding the kettle hops at the times indicated in the ingredients list. Now follow the remainder of the all-grain recipe.
Dessert: Imperial Chocolate Stout Cream Pie
(makes one 9-inch pie)
This is a pie we look forward to every Christmas!
BEER: Milk Stout
Ingredients
For crust:
15 peppermint jojo cookies (or plain or peppermint Oreo cookies)
2 Tb. melted unsalted butter
For the filling:
12 fluid oz. (355 mL) half and half
8 fluid oz. (237 mL) homebrewed milk stout
1⁄4 cup plus 3 Tb. white granulated sugar (divided)
6 egg yolks
2 Tb. cornstarch
Pinch of salt
6 Tb. cold unsalted butter (cubed)
6 oz. (170 g) milk chocolate chips
1 oz. (28 g) semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
For the topping:
2 cups heavy cream
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2–3 crushed candy canes
Step by Step:
For the crust:
1. Process the peppermint cookies in a food processer fitted with a blade until they become a fine crumb. Add the 2 Tb. of melted butter and mix together with the cookie crumbs.
2. Press the mixture into a 9-inch pie shell and bake at 350 °F (~180 °C) for 8 to 10 minutes then allow to cool.
For the filling:
1. Mix the half and half, milk stout and 3 Tb. of sugar together in a medium size, heavy-bottomed sauce pan and bring to simmer to dissolve the sugar.
2. In a small bowl mix 1⁄4 cup sugar and 2 Tb. cornstarch.
3. In a medium bowl whisk the egg yolks until combined then add sugar/cornstarch mixture and whisk for 1 minute.
4. Add the half and half/stout liquid mixture to the yolks in three additions while constantly whisking. This technique is known as tempering. Once all the liquid is added to the yolks, return the mixture to the sauce pot and gently bring to a simmer. Cook until the mixture has thickened and bubbles push up from bottom. Do not overcook.
5. Remove the pot from the heat and quickly whisk in the 6 Tb. of cold butter, plus both the milk and semisweet chocolate chips, as well as the vanilla extract. Pour the filling into the cookie crumb lined pie shell and place plastic wrap directly on the surface so that a film does not form when you cool it completely in the refrigerator.
6. Place the pie in the refrigerator to cool until ready to place the topping.
For the topping:
Whip the 2 cups of heavy cream along with 2 Tb. sugar and 2 tsp. vanilla extract until you reach stiff peaks. Once the pie is cool, spread or pipe the whipped cream on top and sprinkle with grated or crushed candy canes.
Milk Stout
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.063 FG = 1.019
IBU = 29 SRM = 39 ABV = 6.1%
Ingredients
7.5 lbs. (3.4 kg) US 2-row pale malt
1 lb. (0.45 kg) chocolate malt (350 °L)
1 lb. (0.45 kg) Munich malt (7 °L)
12 oz. (0.34 kg) caramel malt (60 °L)
10 oz. (0.28 kg) flaked barley
9 oz. (255 g) roasted barley (300 °L)
8 oz. (227 g) flaked oats
1 lb. (0.45 kg) lactose sugar (10 min.)
7 AAU Magnum hops (60 min.) (0.5 oz./
14 g at 14% alpha acids)
5 AAU East Kent Goldings hops
(10 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 5% alpha acids)
1 Whirlfloc tablet (15 min.)
White Labs WLP002 (English Ale) or Wyeast 1968 (London ESB Ale) or Lallemand Windsor Ale yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Heat 4 gallons (15.2 L) strike water to 170 °F (77 °C) in order to stabilize the mash temperature at 158 °F (70 °C) and hold for 90 minutes. After the mash, recirculate and then sparge with enough 168 °F (76 °C) water to collect 6 gallons (23 L) of wort. Boil for 60 minutes, adding the kettle hops, Whirlfloc tablet and lactose at the times indicated in the ingredients list. Chill the wort rapidly to 65 °F (18 °C) and pitch the yeast. Ferment in the primary at 68 °F (20 °C) for 7 to 10 days until final gravity is achieved. Bottle or keg as normal.
Milk Stout
(5 gallons/19 L, partial mash)
OG = 1.063 FG = 1.019
IBU = 29 SRM = 39 ABV = 6.1%
Ingredients
4 lbs. (1.8 kg) extra light dried malt extract
1 lb. (0.45 kg) chocolate malt (350 °L)
1 lb. (0.45 kg) Munich malt (7 °L)
12 oz. (0.34 kg) caramel malt (60 °L)
10 oz. (0.28 kg) flaked barley
9 oz. (255 g) roasted barley (300 °L)
8 oz. (227 g) flaked oats
1 lb. (0.45 kg) lactose sugar (10 min.)
7 AAU Magnum hops (60 min.) (0.5 oz./
14 g at 14% alpha acids)
5 AAU East Kent Goldings hops
(10 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 5% alpha acids)
1 Whirlfloc tablet (15 min.)
White Labs WLP002 (English Ale) or Wyeast 1968 (London ESB Ale) or Lallemand Windsor Ale yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Heat 6 qts. (5.7 L) water to 166 °F (74 °C). Place the crushed Munich malt, flaked barley and flaked oats in a large muslin bag and submerge in the water. This should stabilize the mash temperature at 158 °F (70 °C). Hold this temperature for 60 minutes. Add the crushed chocolate malt, caramel malt and roasted barley in with the first bag or utilize a second muslin bag. Steep for 15 minutes. Place all the grains in a colander and slowly wash with 1.5 gallons (6 L) water at 168 °F (76 °C).
Stir in the dried malt extract and top off to 6 gallons (23 L) of wort. Boil for 60 minutes, and you can now follow the remainder of the all-grain recipe.
