Eat Your Beer Like A King

There are many ways to consume beer. Sometimes, we drink it out of a pint glass, other times a ram’s horn or a beer bong shaped like a skull. I, sometimes, consume beer out of food. Ever make a beer solely for eating with brats? I have. In Wisconsin, beer and brats go hand-in-hand. Or maybe brat in-bun-in-hand with beer in-the-other-hand.

First make this:

Kinglish Pub Beer (2.5 gallons)

• 3 lbs Halcyon malt
• 0.25 lbs Simpson’s Medium Crystal malt
• 0.5 oz Fuggle (60 min)
• 0.25 oz Fuggle (15 min)
• 0.25 oz (1 min)
• Wyeast 1945 Neo Britannia yeast

Mash at 154 deg F. Ferment at 68 deg F. Bottle up a 12-pack (and try out Cooper’s Carbonation Drops), but reserve the rest for this feast.

Then make a Kinglish Pub mustard to accompany your brat:

• 1 c dry mustard
• ½ c brown sugar, packed
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 6 oz Kinglish Pub Beer

Blend all dry ingredients, then slowly stir in beer. Transfer to a jar with a tight-fitting lid and age in a cool, dark place for about 2 weeks. Store in fridge.

(Check out Leener's mustard kits)

(Also, visit the National Mustard Museum in Middleton, WI)

Then do this:

Simmer brats in Kinglish Pub Beer after grilling to perfection, and serve on a bed of homemade sauerkraut. Here is a video posted here with permission from the kind folks at Leener's on how to make sauerkraut:

APPETIZER!

Beer & Cheese Spread (Get your cheesemaking supplies at Leener's)

• 2 lbs shredded cheese blend (blend at least 2 cheeses such as sharp Cheddar and Swiss)
• 1 tsp Worchestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp Kinglish Pub Mustard
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ½ to 2/3 c Kinglish Pub Beer

Temper cheeses to room temperature. Combine ingredients. Beat in enough beer to make spreadable consistency.

Yields about 3 cups. Serve with Kinglish Bread:

Kinglish Bread (Thanks to Rebecca Gagnon @ CakeWalk for testing my recipe and providing images.)

• 3.5 c white bread flour, plus a bit for the purposes of dusting
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 pkg active Baker’s yeast
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1.25 c Kinglish Pub Beer

Mix to form a soft dough. Knead ~5-7 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Let rise 1 hour or until doubled in size. Punch down for about 30 seconds. Knead until smooth. Shape the dough however the hell you want, but make sure your seam is underneath. Let rise about 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 425 deg F. Bake 25-20 minutes or until deliciously golden brown and firm. The loaf should sound hollow when you tap it on its bottom. Cool for about 1 hour.

Sweet Kingly Potato Salad

• 2.75 c sweet potato, diced
• 2 bananas, sliced thickly (use firm, slightly under-ripe fruit)
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 thick slices Kinglish Bread, crust removed, diced
• salt and pepper to taste

Sweet Kingly Potato Salad Dressing

• 2 tbsp sweet mead (or honey)
• 2 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Boil the sweet potatoes until tender (10-15 minutes), drain, set aside. Melt the butter in a skillet, add lemon juice, garlic, and bell peppers; cook while constantly stirring for about 3 minutes. Add the bananas to the skillet, cook for about 1 minute and remove them from the pan, stir into the potatoes. Toss the bread cubes into the skillet and cook, constantly stirring, for about 2 minutes or until deliciously golden brown. Mix the dressing ingredients in a small pan and heat until well combined. Pour the dressing over the potato-banana mix and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Don’t forget your SIDE DISH!

Wasted Barley and Shroomin’ Pilaf

• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1.5 c white mushrooms, diced
• 1 c barley from you Kinglish Pub mash
• 2.25 c hot Kinglish Pub Beer
• 6-8 sun-dried tomatoes, diced

Heat the oil in a deep pan over low heat, stir in the onion and cook gently until deliciously soft and deliciously golden but not brown. Stir in the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Mix in the barley and heat about 5 minutes over medium heat to add a bit of colour. Stir in hot Kinglish Pub Beer, stir, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and cook gently until all liquid is absorbed (about 25 minutes). Stir in the deliciously sun-dried tomatoes to taste.

Enjoy these dishes with a pint of Kinglish Pub Beer. Eat your beer like a King!