Article by Travis Lindblad
Lead photo of Lindblad by Fitz
Beer batter this, beer batter that. Fish, onion rings, shrimp, and so on. Several years ago that was considered cooking with beer. There were also only the 3 major beer brands and a handful of then called microbreweries. That was that. Fast forward a little, and today you have more appropriately named craft breweries in every state, over 200 in Virginia alone with more than 20 breweries in the Hampton Roads area. Between local breweries and shops like Exception(Ale), Mix It Up, Total Wine, Grape and Gourmet, Bottlebox, and others, you are only minutes away from a quality craft beer anywhere in Hampton Roads. And who loves quality ingredients, including great beer, more than a cook.
Braising, sauces, desserts oh my. Everyone has heard of Guinness stew, but how about using a stout with character, flavor, and brewed locally like O’Connor Brewing Company’s O.D.I.S. (O’Connor Dry Irish Stout). Now your Irish stew just went from a 6 to 12.
“I’ve had Guinness before, I don’t like stouts.”
I was always turned off to stouts for no other reason than I didn’t like Guinness, but believe me when I say, not all stouts are created equal. The coffee, chocolate, and roasted barley flavors of a good stout like Moat Monster from Oozlefinch Brewery in Hampton do well with tougher cheaper cuts of beef that require a low and slow approach. I’ve used Moat Monster to braise top round until it falls apart, served over sweet potatoes and greens from Brothers Farm, with sweet potato ricotta ravioli from Homegrown in Portsmouth with a brown butter sauce. This is just one example of using an American stout for cooking, you can also use an American stout for making gravies, beer cheese soup, as well as beer cheese dip. (For the real stout drinkers, feel free to substitute an Imperial Stout like Commonwealth Brewing’s Marvolo or Bull Island Brewing’s Dare Double stout. Other stouts in the area like Bold Mariner’s Pier 6 or Wasserhund’s Bacon stout and Alewerks’s Cafe Royale- which is currently in their Williamsburg tasting room- are also all good choices.)
“Stouts are too heavy and dry”
So says you, and so did I for a while. Contrary to what Guinness will have you believe, not all stouts are like my ex-wife. Dry, heavy, and bitter. For example, Virginia Beer Company has Elbow Patches oatmeal stout. Oatmeal stouts are not as heavy or dry as a Guinness, there is a creamy texture that comes from the oatmeal as well as a slight sweetness while still getting those chocolate, coffee, and roasted barley flavors.
Top: Lamb chops/sautéed spinach/potato salad/O’Connor Dry Irish Stout mustard Bottom Left: 1st growler of Virginia Beer Company Elbow Patches Bottom Right: Oozlefinch Brewery Moat Monster sous vide NY Strip/blue cheese crust/hericot verts (Photos and food by Lindblad)
Who doesn’t love steaks and beer?
Take a trip to Virginia Beer Company and pick up a growler of Elbow Patches, when you get home pour 16 ounces of the beer into a glass and enjoy, repeat 1 more time. Take the remaining beer and pour into a ziplock bag with minced garlic, onion, fresh rosemary, and thyme. Place a few steaks in the marinade and let them hang for a couple hours. Remove, pat dry, and season with salt and pepper. Grill and serve with your favorite style of potatoes (I like whipped sweet potatoes or a crispy warm potato salad) and grilled scallions (season with only salt, pepper, and minced garlic). If you’re trying to get laid, top the steak with a little crab meat and blue cheese crumbles and throw on some Barry White. (Other local oatmeal stouts. YVBC Goat Locker and Coelacanth Jazz Age)
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For more on Wasserhund’s German style beer with a Beach KICK, visit them online at wasserhundbrewing.com or click the flier above.
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“Yeah that’s good and all, but stouts are still too bitter”
So you’re looking for something a little sweeter. Well, milk stouts are what you’re looking for. The coffee notes aren’t as prominent in milk stouts but still have the chocolate and roasted barley notes plus being brewed with lactose gives it a much sweeter flavor. Milk stouts are good for chocolate stout cake, ice cream, and chocolate sauces, you can also do some savory cooking with milk stouts. Take your favorite chili recipe and use a quality milk stout like Smartmouth Brewing’s Cowcatcher to deglaze when making the chili to add a nice low key sweetness to your favorite chili. (Other local milk stouts. Wasserhund Haagen dog ice cream stout and Alewerks Coffeehouse stout)
From Phil’s Grille, to Oleary’s, Woody McGees, Homegrown, and now currently at The Corner Bar Bistro in Poquoson, Cook Travis Lindblad has worked in the Hampton Roads food industry for the better part of 25 plus years.
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