31/10/2016 1 Comment Beer Can ChickenBeer can be used for more than just drinking...This weekend I decided to have a go at making beer can chicken, also commonly known as drunken chicken. It is something i'd been interested in trying for a while, and after noticing some great looking chickens by Haigs at Westhill Service Station - I was determined to finally try it. I used a standard 1.2kg whole chicken and made some basic seasoning for it; butter, salt, pepper & parsley. For the beer, I didn't just want to use any old beer...So I decided to go for East IPA by Brooklyn Brewery. A beer that I have tried, and enjoyed before. The good thing about this recipe is that you don't use the whole can of beer...so you get to drink half of it before using it. East IPA is a 6.9% ABV classic IPA that is light, hoppy & full of flavour. I highly recommend this for drinking, let alone sticking inside a chicken! I've only tried a few beers by Brooklyn Brewery, but they have all been extremely enjoyable. I'm hoping to pay them a visit when I visit New York next year, so hopefully i'll have a featured blog on them in the future. I cooked the chicken for 2 hours at gas mark 4 (175°C/350°F). This resulted in a extremely crispy outside and very moist and juicy on the inside. It is such a simple recipe that requires little to no culinary skills, and you get such a tasty result. The most difficult part was actually trying to remove the chicken from the beer can! However, with two sets of hands, a couple of dishcloths, and we got there eventually. The beer without doubt gave the chicken an extra level of flavour that you wouldn't normally get from a roast chicken. It wasn't a strong beery flavour as such, but just enough to give the chicken that other layer of taste that set it apart. I'm interested in experimenting with different beers to see how it changes the flavour. I think that a porter or stout could really be quite interesting.
If you like chicken, and you like beer...then trying out this recipe should be a no brainer 🍻
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29/10/2016 0 Comments Oskar BluesThe craft beer kings of ColoradoI have finally worked my way through the selection of beers by Oskar Blues from my last Beer52 box. It was such a great variety of beers, I felt that I should share my thoughts with you all. The beers that I tried were:
Without doubt my favourite was Priscilla, White Wit Wheat, closely followed by Beerito, Mexican Lager. Priscilla was an exceptional witbier. Taste wise, there is some spice present, with a hint of coriander. There is then a sweetness to it with some slight floral aromas. They all come together wonderfully. Beerito was a fantastic twist on lager. A classic lager backbone with toffee/caramel flavours throughout...very, very drinkable. Oskar Blues began life as a brewpub 1997, however they did not start brewing their own beer until 1999. And in 2002, they became one of the first craft breweries to can their own beer. They now have 3 locations accross America - one in Colarado, one in North Carolina & one in Texas.
Today, they are one of the few craft beweries to package their beers only in cans & kegs - not bottles. Cans help preserve the freshness of beer, and for me it's definately a noticable improvement. You can find out more about Oskar Blues in the following places: https://www.oskarblues.com/ https://www.facebook.com/OskarBluesCANS/ https://www.instagram.com/oskarblues/ Next time you find yourself buying some Buds, Miller or Coors...think again and try to get your hands on some good quality American beer. I for one, look forward to trying more from this craft beer powerhouse 27/10/2016 0 Comments Beer Review - Stingy JackBeavertownIt's getting to the pumpkin beer time of year again! I'm a huge fan of pumpkin beer, having tried and loved both Pumpkin King by Brewdog & Post Road Pumpkin Ale by Brooklyn Brewery. So naturally, I was excited about trying the latest effort from my favourite brewery - Beavertown! Stingy Jack is a 7.2% ABV spiced pumpkin ale. Straight off the bat you are hit with the aromas from the spices they've loaded in there, however on taste this is offset by the sweetness of the maple roasted pumpkin that makes up the beer. It is such a great beer to drink, the spices and sweetness work so well together, and it's not overly hoppy either. And once again, Beavertown pull off another masterclass in can art...I mean just look at how awesome that can looks! All in all, Stingy Jack proves to be another stellar effort by Beavertown, and I highly recommend giving it a try. Also, if you are yet to try any pumpkin ale for yourself...then what are you waiting for? 🍻
www.beavertownbrewery.co.uk/ 11/10/2016 0 Comments Beer52The Colorado BoxMy latest box from Beer52 is themed on the craft beer state of Colorado. I was a week late in picking it up from the post office as I've been on holiday....There's a great selection in this box, including beers from:
Ferment magazine heavily based on Colorado as a craft beer state, including a in depth feature on Oskar Blues brewery. Aberdeen's very own CASC Bar also gets a mention. I'm looking forward to working my way through the selections by Oskar Blues - I've only tried one beer from them previously (Dale's Pale Ale) and it is one of the best IPA's that I've had. As always, if you are interested in trying out Beer52, then you can sign up via my subscription link below...it will save you money 🍻
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