BAM! BEER BRINED TURKEY!!

Can you believe that Thanksgiving is already here? No doubt the blog-o-sphere is blowing up with a flurry with perfect beers to pair with the Thanksgiving feast. But I thought I would post a recipe I found from our friend Emeril Lagasse!

When I lived in Louisiana, I soon came to realize that those Cajun and Creole chefs did things to turkey that very few outsiders would dare. Make sure to start this today as the turkey needs to chill out in the beer brine for 24 hours. Also make sure to use a good dark beer for the brine. It will add smokey,toasty, nutty, and yes chocolate notes to make your Thanksgiving bird unforgettable.

Beer-Brined Turkey with Turkey Giblet Gravy
From chef and author Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients

2 quarts apple cider

2 cups packed dark brown sugar

2 cups kosher salt

1/4 cup black peppercorns

1 tablespoon juniper berries

4 bay leaves

Two 3-inch cinnamon sticks

1 teaspoon whole cloves

4 quarts (that's 10.66 / 12 oz bottles) dark beer
(Use a good one like Deschutes Black Butte Porter or Anchor Christmas)

One 8- to 10-pound turkey, neck and giblets reserved for gravy

3 cups chopped yellow onions

1 1/2 cups chopped celery

1 1/2 cups chopped carrots

6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

8 tablespoons (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 tablespoons Emeril's Original Essence

4 cups chicken stock

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

Directions
Combine the apple cider, brown sugar, salt, peppercorns, juniper berries, bay leaves, cinnamon, and cloves in a large pot or bowl. Stir to dissolve the sugar and salt.

Combine the mixture with the beer in a 40-quart cooler, or large plastic container. Place the turkey in the brine and, if necessary, weigh down with heavy dinner plates to completely submerge. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Spread the onions, celery, carrots, and garlic in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Add the turkey neck to the bottom of the pan. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse well under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels and place on top of the vegetables in the roasting pan.

Combine 1 stick of the butter and the Essence in a small pan and melt over medium heat. Remove from the heat. With a pastry brush, baste the top and sides of the turkey with half of the butter. Roast for 30 minutes.

Baste the turkey with the remaining seasoned butter, reduce the oven temperature to 300 F. and roast for 30 minutes.

Baste the turkey with 1/2 cup of the chicken stock. Return to the oven and roast until golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 160 F, 1 1/2 to 2 hours longer, basting once with 1/2 cup of the chicken stock.

Remove the turkey from the oven and transfer to a platter or cutting board. Tent with foil and let rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Melt the remaining tablespoon butter with the olive oil in a medium heavy pot over medium-high heat.

Add the reserved giblets and cooked turkey neck, and cook, stirring, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add half of the vegetables from the roasting pan and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.

Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the white wine and stir to deglaze the pan. Add the remaining 3 cups chicken stock and any juices accumulated in the roasting pan and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat, add the sage, and simmer briskly until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and discard the neck.

In batches, pulse the liquid and solids in a food processor into a thick liquid. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing against the solids with a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible and transfer to a gravy boat. Adjust the seasoning to taste.

To serve, carve the turkey and serve with the gravy.

Recipe copyright Emeril Lagasse, 2003.

Written by The Beer Chick, November 26, 2008

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HOPPY HOLIDALE

Oh, the holiday season. I guess its been officially upon us since Halloween. But it wasn't until I was at the Wal Mart in Temecula, CA when I heard my first bad syrupy muzak Christmas song, that I realized that I hadn't had my first holiday seasonal beer. I don't know how I missed it, but I immediately set out to remedy that situation. And thanks to Deschutes Brewery, I was able to put an end to what was almost a tragedy.

My first holiday beer of the year was Deschutes 2008 Jubelale, "a festive winter ale." And to my surprise, I found out that this beer was the first beer ever to be bottled by Deschutes. I expected this beer to be much sweeter, but upon tasting it, this beer is dry and piney with toasty, roasty notes and a touch of tobacco. Its got a great balance with a light body and a quick finish for its 6.7% abv. It's a nice break from some winter seasonals that have a tendency to become a bit cloying.

This beer is only available October through December, so if you see some, make sure to nab it up. It would make a perfect accompaniment to Thanksgiving turkey, roasted parsnips or mashed turnips.

I hope you enjoy this beer as much as I did/do, and may I be the first person this year to wish you Hoppy Holidales.

P.S. Every year Deschutes Brewery selects a Northwest artist to create an image evocative of the season's festive atmosphere. In 2008, Pam Jersey Bird, who lives in Sisters, Oregon, painted a winding, abstract river running through the open spaces of Central Oregon's desert, surrounded by fluttering snowfall. More of Pam's work can be viewed at www.pamjerseybird.com.

Written by The Beer Chick, November 16, 2008

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CoCoNut PorTeR from Maui Brewing Co.

For some reason, and I'm not sure why, I've been way into coconut lately. Maybe its because the end of daylight savings time is approaching and I'm mourning the end of sun-drenched days spent on the beach, as if I even did that once this year. Whatever the reason, I find myself buying anything coconut: a coconut cupcake @ Sprinkles (check it out, you'll thank me!), Tom Yum soup, even a Mounds bar! Suffice it to say that I was thrilled when pal Nathalie pulled out a can of Maui Brewing Company Coconut Porter at our most recent Pacific Gravity Ladies Homebrew Club Meeting.

Wait...did I say a "can" of beer? You bet your bumpkiss I did. Craft brewers are putting some great artisenal beers in cans. But don't worry, these aren't the cans of old. New beer cans have a lining that prevents any kind of tinny, metalic flavor from imparting on your favorite beverage. Also, regardless of what some "born on date" people say, "skunkiness" in a beer has nothing to do with how old your beer is. Skunkiness comes from a chemical reaction that takes place when LIGHT strikes your beer. That's why most of the great beers in the world come in very dark bottles. Imagine how much more your beer is protected if its in a can? Don't be a can snob ladies. (More on canned beers to come.)

Back to the beer. Maui Brewing Company is in Kahana on beautiful Maui, where the company practices "Malama i Ka Aina" or "Caring for the land." They use vehicles run on vegetable oil, and many other environmentally safe practices, including the aforementioned use of cans, which protects Maui beaches from broken glass, and are more easily recycled and shipped than bottles. Because of their environmentally conscious nature, I was predisposed to like Maui Brewing Company, which is a dangerous thing in my profession and often leads to disappointment. Thankfully, this was not the case with their Coconut Porter.

This beer is delicious. It's dark and toasty and nice and rich without being cloying. As per the name, this beer is made with toasted coconut, which gives this beer a bright balance and beautiful aromatics, followed by chocolate and coffee notes. You might think that I'm describing a big beer, but I'm not. The flavors are great, but they don't smack you across the face. It's a waft of smoke and just a nip of hops at the end that supplies this nicely nuanced beer a nice dry finish. This beer is the perfect gateway beer to lead you from the summer beach to the winter fire!

Written by The Beer Chick, October 29, 2008

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BLOWING IT OUT OF THE WATER - BEER DINNER @ CRAFT LA

I had the pleasure of hosting a little beer pairing dinner for media this week for the National Beer Wholesalers Association at the fabulous Craft restaurant in Century City. Yes, its the very same Craft owned by Top Chef judge and nice Italian boy Tom Colicchio. Now that I've successfully name-dropped in typical L.A. fashion, I'll say that the real star of the night was nice Italian boy and fellow St. Louisan, Chef de Cuisine Matthew Accarrino!

He rocked it - experimenting with beer in his cooking with a Chimay Cinq Cent Guinea Hen Consomme with a Hop Foam that looked like a little beer (I paired this with a simple Sierra Nevada Pale Ale). He killed a Kampachi Sashimi with Hitachino White Ale Gelee and Crispy Hen of the Woods Mushrooms (paired with Unibroue Blanche de Chambly.) He marinated Pekin Duck in Deschutes Black Butte Porter for FOUR days before stuffing them into perfect handmade Pyramid Pasta pockets with spiced Pine Nuts!

Think Chef was done yet? Think again! The fourth course was delicious Roasted Suzuki (a Japanese Seabass) served on a bed of Mussels braised in Saison DuPont with Japanese Leeks & transparently sliced Dry Cured Chorizo. This was followed by our first course from genius Pastry Chef Catherine Schimenti: a Mothias Goat Cheese (hand-picked by cheesemonger and guest - one half of Hot Knives, writer Alex Brown.) The cheese, served with a delicately rolled Quince Crepe, Lambic Gastrique and baby Frisee paired perfectly with Cantillon Iris Gueuze. An INSANE pairing. (More about Gueuze and Goat Cheese to follow!)

If you're like me, then it'll come as no surprise to you that Chef Schimenti - a nice Italian girl? - then kicked some a-s-s with beer desserts! First she made a beer cake with Young's Double Chocolate Stout, which was topped with Salted Corn Nuts & a sorbet made from my favorite Kolsch, the Reissdorf Kolsch. It was paired with an Ice Cream Beer Float made with North Coast Russian Imperial Stout. So effing good.

Oh, and then we had Chocolate Truffles made from Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale......Oh, and then we had Pate de Fruit (pronounced like pah de fwee) that the chef called "Jello Shots" made from Lindeman's Peach Lambic.

The reason why I'm giving you an entire play by play is so that you can start getting ideas too! So you can start thinking outside the box as far as beer is concerned. So it can make a grassroots leap onto your fine dining menus!

Thank you so much Chef Accarrino, Chef Schimenti, Tobie Cancino, the NBWA, Nancy Piho, Patricia Bannen & Alex Brown for making this such a great night! Et Bon Appetit a mes soeurs en biere!

Written by The Beer Chick, October 22, 2008

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I GOT YOU ( I FEEL GUEUZE )

I'm about to get a little James Brown funky all up in here today. And I mean funky. Why? Because today I'm talking about the funkiest beer around. A little beer style called Gueuze.
This super sour style has been called "farmhouse" or "barnyard" but really the only way I know how to describe it to accurately get the point across is "funky." In other words, its got a little funk to it. Haaaaay!

Gueuze is a pale, dry and obscenely complex beer, and it's not for the weak of heart. This beer will make a decision-maker out of you as it evokes either love or hate. I, personally, am a lover. But I was also the kid in school who started her own "Lemon Club," whose initiation rite was to bite into a big wedge of lemon without making a face. But, I digress.

If you are a beer drinker, you've probably heard of Lambic style beers before, and you probably associate them with sweet fruity beers. But Lambics are actually very tart, sour beers to which brewers add maserated fruit in order for them to be more palatable for us Americans, who are used to tasteless, pale, fizzy, yellow water. True Lambic beer comes from only one place in the world (the Senne valley in Belgium) and is spontaneously fermented by wild yeast and fermented in wood barrels. A Gueuze is a blend of un-fruited mature and lambic (usually 1-3 years old) and young lambic (possibly as young as five months old) beers, which, according to Brewer Garrett Oliver, produces "good carbonation and acidity while still retaining great aroma, complexity and length."

If all this sounds good, here are some Gueuzes to get your funk on.

Lindemans Gueuze, Vlezenbeek, Belgium
The reason I'm writing this article today is because I ran across this beer in the grocery store and was astounded. Lindeman's is known for making very sweet lambics. In fact, the first review I ever did on this site over two years ago was Lindeman's Peche. When I saw that they were selling Gueuze, I immediately bought it and tried it. This beer is good: not too assaulting, super dry, like a tart champagne with brief fruit and citrus notes. If you are already into Gueuzes, this might be a bit weak for you, but it is the perfect starter Gueuze.

Cantillon Gueuze, Brussels, Belgium
This particular Gueuze is a blend of one, two, and three year-old Lambics. It's got a similar profile in the way that most Gueuzes do, but this one has a grassy herbaceousness to it. Darker than the Gueuze's I'm used to, this one pours a copper orange and has good acidity, but its more of a vengar acidity vs. champagne. This beer is great, but definitely more challenging than the Lindemans.

Girardin 1882 Black Label, Sint Ulriks-Kapelle, Belgium
This is my favorite Gueuze. In fact, I perv out on this beer. Its the bomb diggity of all the Gueuze I've had. This beer is a funk bomb on the nose, but then once you get past it, you can smell, citrus, apricot, pear. This flavor is big and super barnyard sour, but damn is there good acidity with green grapes and apples in the finish. Crazy funky and yet still an amazing drinkable balance. So good....so good.... I got Gueuze! Haaaay!

Pronunciation Debate: Some people say that Gueuze is pronounced "Ger-zer," but when I asked some French winemakers how to pronounce it, they said "Gooze" - I usually say "Gooze" because more people understand me when I do. In my experience, "Ger-zer" only leads to one reaction, and it's "What ?!?"

Written by The Beer Chick, October 6, 2008

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New Beer Monday - Bananas and Chocolate

(Mondays suck. So in an effort to make them better, I am now starting "New Beer Mondays" to cheer us all up a little bit. Check back every Monday for a new beer review or subscribe to Beer Chick Feed!)

"Me me me me me ooh ooh ooh me me me!" That's the response that I normally gave whenever my Grandmother would ask "Who wants banana bread?" Fresh and hot from the oven, there's not much better in this world. So imagine my thrill when I was looking for new beers to try and I came across Wells Banana Bread Beer. This beer's been around for a while and I'd heard of it before, but when I saw it there shining in the case I found myself jumping up and down clapping saying "Me me me me me ooh ooh ooh me me me!" The beer chicks will love this one!

I thought that this beer was going to be a huge Bavarian Hefe style that uses a specific kind of yeast that produces big banana aromatics. Instead this beer actually uses Fairtrade bananas in the mash of this "liquid bread."

I also thought that this beer was going to be super malty and sweet and taste just like banana bread. It doesn't. But not in a bad way. The beer is surprisingly balanced and dry, with more of a tart and peppery finish than I was expecting. The banana comes through in the beginning of this beer in the nose and then again at the end in the exhaust. If you are a beer fan and like bananas, you will dig this brew. 5.2% ABV.

This beer is made by Wells and Young, from Bedford, UK. Its actually a pretty big brewery with several different beers. On the Young's side, they used to make a great beer that I loved called Young's Oatmeal Stout (which they stopped and that makes me cry) and now they make a beer called Young's Double Chocolate Stout. Which is... Oh, what the hell, I might as well write about this beer too!

You can pretty much take Young's Double Chocolate Stout right to the bank. It's exactly what it says it is. Rich, creamy and chocolatey. This beer is made with both the addition of chocolate malt and real dark chocolate. A lot of times I think that we Americans think that chocolate with milk chocolate and think that it all tastes sweet, but that's not really the case.

This beer is once again, pretty well balanced. Its definitely chocolatey, but its not too cloying or too sweet. You're not drinking a chocolate shake here, and the carbonation, while creamy, definitely provides a lifting off the palate.

Don't be afraid of the dark ladies, there's nothing bitter or biting about this beer. If you like chocolate, you'll be in heaven with this one. 5.2% ABV.

Written by The Beer Chick, September 29, 2008

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Beers To Your Health

Beer has been used in celebrations since ancient times. Now, many researchers report that moderate alcohol consumption may help reduce risks of serious illnesses like heart disease, stroke and diabetes. However, did you know that beer, in particular, has more unique health contributions beyond what other alcoholic beverages offer?

One study of over 300 heart disease patients found that while all types of alcohol may lower the risk of heart disease, those who consumed beer- mainly or exclusively, had the strongest connection. Other studies show that beer's antioxidant, vitamin B6 and folate content are also proving to be beneficial to health.

Beer also contains silicon, which helps with bone formation. Silicon is usually found in high fiber cereal grains like barley, rye and wheat, which are what is used in beer. London researchers found that eating foods containing silicon improved bone density in both men and women. In addition, beer is the source of disease-fighting antioxidants called polyphenols which can prevent cell damage that may lead to cancer and heart disease.

What about getting a "beer belly?" Well, according to European studies, the "beer belly" is a misconception. Following all of the "low-carb" trends, beer got a bad rap. However, beer is a fermented product, meaning that some of the ingredients that go into a beer undergo a chemical reaction that changes those ingredients. The sugar that you start out with when you brew a beer is almost entirely consumed by yeast in the fermentation process, meaning that there are very few "carbs" in the end product.

In fact, beer contains less calories than the average cocktail. According to the USDA, the average regular beer is around 150 calories, whereas your average mixed drink contains around 300 calories. Some cocktails like the Black Russian, Pina Colada or Margarita are well over 400 calories a pop. And lets consider the things that beer doesn't contain. Beer has no caffeine, no fat and no cholesterol and is very low in sodium.

So cheers, salut, prost. Celebrate with beer - as always, in moderation.
Who knew a brew could be so good for you?

Written by The Beer Chick

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