Maple Coffee Brewtail

When hubby and I were in New Hampshire for vacation we stopped at Fuller's Sugarhouse to pick up maple syrup. While browsing the store I spied a bottle of maple cream soda made by Squamscot in the cooler. Next to the cooler were six pack of said soda pop.

I grabbed a cold bottle for then and the six pack for later.

On our way to our next next destination, I commented to hubby that I'll bet the soda would make an awesome mixer for a beer cocktail. Specifically, mixed with a hearty stout.

So, when we got back home whipped up this amazing drink with Granite Ledge Stout which is brewed by Canterbury Aleworks (a New Hampshire nana brewery).

Maple Coffee Brewtail

1 1/2 - 2 Oz Patron XO Cafe Coffee Liquor
6 Ounces Maple Cream Soda
6 Ounces Expresso or other Stout

Pour the ingredients into a pint sized glass. Stir gently. Enjoy responsibly.

Cheers!

Ale Flip

Hubby and I were lounging around celebrating the independence of our nation by watching patriotic movies. During one movie - Scarlet Coat, The (1955) - there was a scene where a robust gentleman poured beer, molasses into a flagon and then *gasp* mixed the concoction with a hot poker pulled from the fire.

WTF?

After a little poking around on the internet I discovered that this particular odd beverage is called an Ale Flip and that it was quite popular in colonial days. In fact, it was very likely that our founding fathers consumed a version of this beverage. The ale flip was the apple-tini of its day!

A flip is a classification of cocktails that is, in fact,  a mixture of beer, rum, and sugar, heated with a red-hot iron. The hot poker causes the beverage to flip - or froth - making the drink creamy and smooth.

Some versions of the flip include the addition of eggs to add texture and substitute molasses for the sugar. Sound familiar? Kind of like a classic winter beverage called egg nog?  They are actually very similar drinks. The difference between an egg nog and a flip is the omission of cream in a flip.

So, being in a patriotic mood and all, I decided to make a flip based on a recipe from Corin Hirsch's book Forgotten Drinks of Colonial New England.

I made it with Canterbury Aleworks Granite Ledge Stout. It is an interesting drink but unusual. It is velvety smooth, gently sweet but odd tasting.






Ale Flip

1 1/2 Ounces Rum
1 Tablespoon Molasses
1 Large Egg
8 Ounces Dark Beer (brown ale, porter, or stout)
Freshly Grated Nutmeg for Garnish

Pour the rum and molasses into one shaker pint glass. Crack the egg into another shaker pint glass and beat well with a fork.

Warm the beer in a small saucepan over low heat just until it begins to froth and steam; don’t let it come to a boil.

Pour the beer into the glass filled with rum, then pour the egg into the beer. Continue to pour the drink back and forth between the pint glasses until smooth and well-blended, then transfer to a mug or other clean and heat-safe drinking glass.

Grate fresh nutmeg over the flip and serve immediately.

Cooking with Beer - AleMan’s Beer-B-Q sauce

Hubby and I visited a nano brewery when we were vacationing in New Hampshire a couple months ago.  Not only does Canterbury Aleworks have some pretty darned tasty beer but the brewery is situated in an amazing location.

Recently, I came across a link where the Aleman himself  - Steve Allman - was doing a cooking demonstration on a local New Hampshire television station. He was making a barbecue sauce using his beer.

The ingredient list includes a splash of this, a finger of that and a blump of something else. Oh, and as much Canterbury Aleworks beer as you can part with.  Yeah, that's not so easy, that's good beer!

The recipe looked so good I just had to try it.

We happened to have a growlerette of Canterbury Aleworks Granite Ledge Stout in the fridge.  My husband just about had a fit when he found out I was using it to cook with.  Kind of like the time he found out I opened his 30 year old bottle of whiskey to cook with.  ლ(ಠ益ಠლ)   

He said, what ever I cooked with had better come out my portion of that growler!  Good thing I didn't use it all, huh? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  

The Aleman's recipe was somewhat ambiguous, so I decided to take a crack at deciphering it. I did good!  It was super tasty.

This tangy sauce is the perfect Beer-B-Q baster for anything on the grill. Build up a glaze by brushing the sauce often over meat beginning about 15 minutes from the end of cooking time.  

Use whatever beer you like but the Aleman says: Amber to darker-colored beers are best!



This is Bräuista's interpretation of AleMan’s Beer-B-Q sauce

1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 Medium Onion, Chopped
4 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1/4 Cup Sherry Vinegar
1 Cup Granite Ledge Stout
1/4 Cup Maple Syrup
1/2 C Tomato Paste
1 Tbsp Spicy Guinness Mustard
1 Tsp Fresh Ground Pepper
1 Tsp Kosher Salt

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.  Saute onion and garlic until the onions start to caramelize.

Add vinegar, beer, maple syrup, mustard, tomato paste, salt, pepper to taste.

Simmer and stir uncovered, about 20 minutes or until sauce thickens.

I used this sauce over a stout marinated flank steak; seared then glazed. Served with Beer'd Warm German Potato Salad on the side. Amazing!