Today’s topic: Learn how to check the alcohol in your beerThe Kitchn’s Beer School: 20 lessons, 7 assignments to brew your first 1-gallon batch of beer. There’s one thing we haven’t talked very much about so far: the alcohol in your beer. Hop aromas and malt flavors are fantastic and all, but let’s be honest here — the buzz that we get from a good beer is also part of why we do this!

Emma Christensen

Oct 5, 2022

These Tulip Glasses Will Replace Half the Glasses on Your Bar Cart

Shopping

Make some room on your bar cart.

Ian Burke

Sep 21, 2022

This Study Revealed the Most Popular Beer in Each State and the Results Will Surprise You Groceries

Can you guess which one is America's favorite?

Ni'Kesia Pannell

Oct 28, 2021

This Easy, Foolproof Shandy Recipe Is Endlessly Customizable Recipes

Make one tonight!

Kristina Vänni

Sep 16, 2021

This 2-Minute, 2-Ingredient Dessert Is All I’m Making for St. Patrick’s Day Recipes

This year, order takeout and make this almost-instant treat.

Nina Elder

Mar 16, 2021

If You Like Guinness, You Should Try These 5 Beers Too Groceries

Some stouts pour like motor oil and drink like a meal—and sometimes that’s exactly what you want when you’re sampling one-offs and specialty brews for an evening. But sometimes you don’t want your beer to fill you up for the evening, and that’s why Guinness has so many fans around the world: despite its dense and creamy appearance, it’s actually light and refreshing.

Casey Barber

Feb 15, 2021

What’s the Difference? Ale vs. Lager Beers Skills

While almost all beers are made from the same base ingredients, they aren't all the same. Here's what you need to know about the differences between these two classic beer styles.

Emma Christensen

Jan 26, 2021

5-Ingredient Beer Bread Is the Perfect Intro to Bread Baking (No Yeast Needed!)Recipes

With its crunchy golden crust and tender, springy crumb, beer bread is exactly what hearty soups, stews, and chilis need this winter.

Patty Catalano

Jan 8, 2021

The 18 Best Beers to Crack Open in 2020 and Beyond

Kitchn Essentials, Bar Edition

Why, yes, we have an election night suggestion for you...

The Kitchn Editors

Nov 2, 2020

Aldi Just Leaked Info on Dozens of New Items That Will Hit Stores in September Groceries

Bring on the pretzel breadsticks, pumpkin swirl cheesecake, and frozen grilled cheese and tomato soup!

Lauren Masur

Aug 25, 2020

Trader Joe’s Just Leaked Info on 4 Wacky New Beers Coming Out Soon Groceries

Three words: Cookie Butter Beer!

Lauren Masur

Jul 2, 2020

Our Quick Guide to 7 Common Beer Styles Skills

From lagers to stouts.

Meghan Splawn

Jul 1, 2020

A Timeline for Brewing Beer at Home Skills

Today’s Topic: A quick overview of the next 5 weeks, from brew day to pouring the first glass.The Kitchn’s Beer School: 20 lessons, 7 assignments to brew your first 1-gallon batch of beer.Sign up & see all the assignments! The Kitchn’s Beer School Brewing a batch of beer is not an overnight affair (unfortunately!). From brew day to cracking open your first bottle, you need to allow a minimum of five weeks.

Emma Christensen

Jun 2, 2020

Recipe: Slow Cooker Sausages with Peppers and Onions Recipes

When I think of my travels in Germany, I think of beers, brats, and mustard, and it’s still that satisfying trinity that I crave when the weather starts to cool down. Throwing everything into a slow cooker means I can come back to tender sausages that have been gently braising in beer, with a pile of sweet peppers and onions coated in grainy mustard right on top.

Christine Gallary

Feb 3, 2020

Recipe: Chunky Pork and Apple Stew Recipes

When the temperature drops in January, what we really want is food that fills us up and nourishes at the same time. So start your day with a hearty smoothie, but finish it with a wholesome stew. This is one of a series of stews designed to make you feel good in every possible way. Brimming with veggies and spices, each of these wholesome stews will support and reward your best New Year’s intentions.

Sheri Castle

Jan 29, 2020

Recipe: Margaritas Made with Beer Recipes

Margarita purists may need to sit down and take a few deep breaths before reading this post.We know, this is an unconventional recipe for margaritas. But we promise it’s good — and, it turns out, the idea is not really that uncommon.Epicurious and Rachael Ray both have recipes for margaritas made with beer, and ours is very similar — a mixture of tequila, beer, and frozen limeade. We refer to these as Markaritas, named after the friend who created them.

Elizabeth Passarella

Jan 29, 2020

My Staple Summer Cocktail Recipe: Campari & IPA Spritzer Recipes

Two years ago I stumbled onto the description of an intriguing summer cocktail: a shot of Campari topped with IPA, served with ice and a twist of lemon. One bitter sip was all it took; I was hooked on what has since become my favorite simple summer apéritif. Have you tried it?

Anjali Prasertong

Jan 29, 2020

Beyond Budweiser: 7 Beers of Summer Skills

There’s something supremely satisfying about an ice-cold brew on a hot summer day. It’s crisp, refreshing, and lower in alcohol than most wines and cocktails, which means you can indulge in a midday pint without succumbing to a midday nap immediately after (unless you want to). While you can, of course, drink whatever you like, there are certain brews that are best-suited for the season.

Geraldine Campbell

Dec 17, 2019

The Very Best Way to (Quickly!) Chill Wine and Beer

Shopping

There's almost no waiting and ZERO need for special equipment.

Sheela Prakash

Dec 7, 2019

Costco Is Now Selling a German Beer Advent Calendar (and Yes, We Need One!)Groceries

Cheers!

Isadora Baum

Oct 2, 2019

Copycat Recipe: Chocolate-Dipped Beer Marshmallows Recipes

Yes, you read that right. Chocolate-dipped. Beer marshmallows. Oh, and they have a little crushed pretzel for a garnish. Want one?You probably saw the images of those beer-and-pretzel marshmallows from Chicago chocolatier Truffle Truffle making rounds in the blogosphere a few weeks ago. We saw them and immediately got to scheming how we could make some for ourselves.

Emma Christensen

Jun 9, 2019

How to Bottle Beer at Home Recipes

If there’s anything better than sharing beers with friends, it’s making beer with friends! For my recent All-American Beer Bottling Party, I invited a bunch of friends over for what is arguably the most fun part of the brewing process: bottling the beer. This is the moment when all the hard work of making the beer and waiting for it to ferment finally comes to fruition — and at the end of the day you have beer. Real beer! Bottled and (nearly) ready to drink. Here’s how!

Emma Christensen

Jun 8, 2019

Beer Fridge: 5 Best Beers for a Party Groceries

You love beer. I love beer. But do you know if your guests love beer? If you’re facing a big crowd with lots of different tastes, here are five great brews to have in the fridge. • Sam Adams Lager• Sierra Nevada Pale Ale• Rogue Dead Guy Ale• Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA• Oskar Blues Ten Fiddy Imperial Stout The idea here is to hit a range of tastes.

Emma Christensen

Jun 4, 2019

Beer Pairings: Best Beers to Drink with Spicy Foods Beer Sessions Skills

There are two ways to go when you want to pair beer with a spicy plate of jerk chicken or chili-spiked seafood. You can cool the burn or you can kick it even higher. Whichever way you go, we have a few suggestions.To tame the heat, you want a beer that balances out the spicy flavors in the dish. Beers that emphasize malts over hops do this job nicely. Light lagers are great – there’s a reason why most Mexican beers are lagers, after all!

Emma Christensen

Jun 4, 2019

IBUs and Degrees Plato: How to Read a Beer Label Skills

Most of the information on a beer label is pretty self-explanatory. You’ve got the name of the beer and the brewery, the alcohol content, and sometimes a description or list of ingredients. But what about those other things? The IBUs? Or that number with a degree symbol? Here’s a quick rundown!We’ve noticed a direct correspondence between the level of craft brew and the amount of information on the label or their website.

Emma Christensen

Jun 4, 2019

The Real Truth About Skunked Beer Skills

Skunked beer is the bogey man of the beer world. New beer drinkers are told to never ever let refrigerated beer get warm – and definitely don’t cool it again! – or suffer off-putting and skunky flavored consequences. Let’s put this myth to rest right now, shall we?The truth is that moderate temperature exchanges will not affect the flavor of your beer, like taking un-opened bottles from the fridge to the counter and back again.

Emma Christensen

Jun 4, 2019

Beer Guide: What is Lambic Beer?Skills

If we had to describe lambic beers in one word, we’d probably go with “funky.” Yes, funky! This beer has a little something extra over those other beers, making every bottle unique and incredibly fun to drink…Most commercial beers are made with carefully selected strains of yeast, but brewers of lambic beers leave things up to chance. Belgian lambic beers are left in open vats where wild yeast and bacterias are allowed to take up residence.

Emma Christensen

Jun 4, 2019

Good Question: What Can I Cook with Pale Ale?Skills

The other day we had a question about beer cheese soup; now here’s one on cooking with pale ale. In our most recent Open Thread, reggiesoang asks:Is there any dish that could be cooked with pale ale? Brown ale is usually the choice for cooking, but since I have a lot of pale ale left that needs to be used (or drank), I wonder if I can use pale ale the same way I use brown ale in like BBQ sauce or chili (best time for a nice pot of chili). Help!

Faith Durand

Jun 4, 2019

Beer Pairings: Pilsner Urquell and Spicy Linguini Recipes

So you know we’ve been getting into beer recently, and we’ve even started using it more in our actual cooking. We’d also like to start getting a better handle on how to go about pairing the beers we love with the foods we cook. When we were invited to try a menu designed by Chef Michael Symon to pair specifically with Pilsner Urquell, we jumped at the chance!Pilsners are pale lager-style beers that are golden in color with a very hoppy flavor profile.

Emma Christensen

Jun 4, 2019

For Beer (And A Lot More): Hydro Flask Vacuum-Insulated Stainless Steel Growler Tools

Item: 64 oz Wide Mouth Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Growler Price: $49.99 Overall Impression: This is a fantastic product for keeping beer and other beverages cold — and hotter foods hot — for hours. Works like a charm. Love. Love. Love. I love this growler. I love it for keeping my beer carbonated and chilled all the way to the party. I love it for keeping my big batch of soup hot for the potluck. I even love it for keeping my milk cozy at it turns into yogurt. I just love it.

Emma Christensen

May 30, 2019

Recipe: Easy Michelada Recipes

It's the perfect thing to drink alongside your favorite game-day apps.

Sheela Prakash

May 29, 2019

Oxbow Beer Brewer Tim Adams Shares His Favorite Summer Beer People

When it comes to summer drinking, the key is to find a beverage that’s cold, refreshing, and not too alcoholic. Wine spritzers are always a favorite, but this year we’re stockpiling farmhouse beers. What’s farmhouse beer, you might ask? We’re so glad you did. Farmhouse beers originally hail from France and Belgium, where they were made with leftover crops and natural yeast in the winter and then enjoyed by farm workers in the summer.

Kate McCarty

May 24, 2019

Drinking in Lebanon: Don’t Forget the Nuts!People

I just returned from my first trip to Lebanon, where I spent a week eating and drinking all over the country. Whether in a restaurant or someone’s home, no matter where I stopped for a drink, I was always offered a bowl or two of mixed nuts. This, I learned, was no coincidence.“If you go somewhere in Lebanon for a drink and they don’t give you nuts, you should leave,” 961 Beer’s Mazen Hajjar advised during my visit to the microbrewery.

Anjali Prasertong

May 24, 2019

5 Tips for Discovering Great Beer While Traveling People

Some people choose vacation destinations based on how many acres of white sandy beaches they can see from their cabana. My husband, Dan, and I have somewhat different priorities—we structure our travels around finding beer we can’t drink at home. (As well as sandwiches, baseball, and national parks, but that’s for another story.) Over the years, we’ve honed our methods for finding the best beer on our travels. And on our recent road trip through the Southeastern U.S.

Casey Barber

May 24, 2019

Does Wearing Lederhosen Make Drinking Beer More Fun?People

We looked to Instagram to find out.

Anna Goldfarb

May 24, 2019

This Is How I’m Drinking Less Alcohol People

It’s been a month since I decided to cut back my alcohol intake, and I owe you an update. Unlike those around me, who were eliminating alcohol completely for Dry January, my strategy was less rigid. The plan was to consider each opportunity to imbibe and make a conscious decision as to whether or not I truly wanted a drink. Not surprisingly, my “make a decision in the moment” approach wasn’t as measurable — or as effective.

Jill Moorhead

May 24, 2019

How To Chill Drinks Fast (& Keep Them Cold) This Weekend Skills

Keep these easy hacks in mind all summer long.

Sheela Prakash

May 20, 2019

Grill Recipe: Blackened Beer-Brined Chicken Breasts Recipes

Grilling is a beautiful thing. You can grill something (perhaps accidentally) until it’s so blackened and beyond edible-looking that you think it won’t be fit for anyone but the dog. But when you tentatively slice off a piece, it turns out to be absolutely perfect. This recipe for beer-brined chicken is a case in point. I didn’t originally intend for “blackened” to be anywhere near this recipe.

Emma Christensen

May 3, 2019

Brewing Beer at Home: Siphoning and 2nd Fermentation Beer Sessions Skills

A week after brewing our first batch of beer1. The End Goal – It’s not completely necessary to transfer the beer into another container at this point. Some sources say that the beer can start to develop off-flavors from the dead yeast or evaporate too much due to the bigger surface area. We think the primary advantage is that your fermentation bucket is then freed up to brew another batch of beer!2.

Emma Christensen

May 2, 2019

Porter vs. Stout: What’s the Difference? Beer Sessions Skills

Can you tell whether this photo is of a porter or a stout? We can’t! These are both dark beers with a similar range of malty, roasted, and bittersweet flavors. They also both have a reputation for being fairly heavy and for making us feel quite toasty while sipping them. So is there any difference at all between a porter and a stout?This mystery has bothered us for quite some time, so we dove into research and discovered some interesting facts!

Emma Christensen

May 2, 2019

Beer Review: Golden Monkey from Victory Brewing Beer Sessions Skills

This beer is absolutely unlike anything else we’ve ever tasted. In fact, when we first tried it a few years ago, we hated it! But now that our taste in beer has grown up a bit, we decided to give this spicy, fruity beer another shot.Beer Details – Golden Monkey from Victory Brewing Company in Downington, Pennsylvania. This is a Belgian-style tripel ale, meaning that it is brewed with triple the amount of malts typical of Belgian ales. (9.

Emma Christensen

May 2, 2019

Cooking with Beer: Best Brews for Winter Stews Beer Sessions People

Yes, Guinness is definitely traditional for stews, and with good reason! Its roasted, malty flavors enhance those already present in the stew and take it to whole ‘nother level of awesomeness. But Guinness is definitely not the only beer that can be used, nor is it ideal for all stews. Here are a few more to try!For beef stews, we really like using porters.

Emma Christensen

May 2, 2019

Quick and Dirty Guide to Lager Beers Beer Sessions Skills

When we’re standing in front of a wall of beer at the store, we often have trouble remembering our dopplebocks from our imperial stouts and our pilsners from our pale ales. As much for our benefit as for yours, we wanted to do a few round-ups of common beer styles for handy reference. First up: lagers!Lagers are on one branch of the beer family tree, with ales on the other. Lager beers are made with a particular kind of yeast that ferments at cooler temperatures than ale yeast.

Emma Christensen

May 2, 2019

Beer Review: Sam Adams Noble Pils Beer Sessions Skills

For years, the Sam Adams spring seasonal has been a white ale – a very tasty white ale, we might add. This year, the brewery decided to change things up on us and they’ve put a Czech-style pilsner in their spring spot instead. Say what?! Let’s see how this “Noble Pils” stacks up, shall we?Beer Details: Noble Pils from Sam Adams/Boston Beer Company in Boston, Massachusetts.

Emma Christensen

May 2, 2019

Quick and Dirty Guide to Belgian Beer Styles Beer Sessions Skills

For such a geographically small country, Belgium sports quite an impressive number of beer styles – and delicious ones at that! Belgian beers are primarily ales (as opposed to lagers) with a heavy emphasis on malts and a lot of fruity yeast flavors. What’s your favorite style?

Emma Christensen

May 2, 2019

Beer Labeling: What Does “Imperial” Mean? Beer Sessions Skills

Browse through the beer section of any well-stocked store and you’ll notice the word “imperial” showing up in front of many of your favorite beers: imperial stout, imperial pale ale, imperial pilsner and who knows what else. That word might actually mean something different than you think!The term “imperial” was used in the 1800’s for beer (usually stout) that was brewed in England but then shipped to Russia – specifically the imperial court of Russia!

Emma Christensen

May 2, 2019

Beer with Dinner: The Basics of Pairing Beer and Food Beer Sessions Skills

We’re probably going to catch some heat for saying this, but we find it infinitely easier to pair food with beer than with wine. Between the roasted malts and the herbal hops, craft brews have so many nuances of flavor that it seems like there’s gotta be something in there that you can match to your dinner. Here’s where to start!The very first rule of pairing beer and food is that anything goes. Seriously!

Emma Christensen

May 2, 2019

Past Its Prime: Does Beer Ever Expire? Beer Sessions Skills

Will a beer left sealed in the bottle ever expire? The short answer is yes. But the longer answer is that it depends. Confused? You’re not alone.The life of a beer doesn’t end once it’s finished fermenting and is sealed into bottles. Like wine, beer continues to age and change over time. They’re at their peak of freshness and flavor the first few months after bottling, but then things slowly decline.

Emma Christensen

May 2, 2019

What’s the Difference? Pale Ales, IPAs, & Double IPAs Beer Sessions Skills

If you like your beers bitter, hoppy, and crisp, the family of pale ales is the place to go. Curious what makes a pale ale pale? Or an India pale ale distinct? You have questions, and we have answers.You can think of these beers as a spectrum with more mild pale ales on one end and aggressively-hopped double IPAs on the other. There is a lot of variation within the spectrum and an exception to every rule, of course, but you can follow this as a general rule of thumb.

Emma Christensen

May 2, 2019

Beer Review: IPA from Lagunitas Brewing Company Beer Sessions Skills

This beer has become our talisman for warmer weather. It’s everything we love about summery IPAs: namely, a hop-tastic brew with a sturdy backbone of toasted malts. We’re convinced that as long as we sip it, winter will continue its fade into distant memory. Think it will work?Beer Details: India Pale Ale from Lagunitas Brewing Company, Petaluma, CA (IPA, 6.2% ABV)Appearance: This ale pours a very clearn golden-honey color.

Emma Christensen

May 2, 2019

Saison to Gueuze: Best Beers for Wine Lovers Beer Sessions Skills

Now, we’re not trying to get into a “Which is better: beer or wine?” debate here. It’s just that we believe that there are some beers that you steadfast wine drinkers out there might really enjoy. Call them cross-over beers. As in, they cross the line between beer and wine. As in, come on over and we’ll pour you a pint.These beer styles draw on many of the same flavor profiles as our favorite wines: robust, fruity, and spicy; crisp, tart, and dry.

Emma Christensen

May 2, 2019

Summer Ales & Winter Lagers: Why Are Beers Seasonal? Beer Sessions Skills

Ever fall in love with a beer, only to discover that it’s a “seasonal” not to be seen again for another year?It can seem cruel for a brewery to hook us on a delicious beer and then snatch it away again, but they have some good reasons for doing so.Back before refrigeration and shipping made it possible to lager beers in the hot summer months and save fresh hops through the winter, some beers were seasonal by virtue of what was available.

Emma Christensen

May 2, 2019

Good Foam, Bad Foam: What’s the Deal with Beer Foam?Skills

Back in college, being handed a foamy beer was cause for exasperated eye-rolling. But glance through any beer review these days, and you’ll see effusive odes to creamy heads of foam and the delicate lacing they leave behind. What gives? The foamy head on a glass of beer offers a few different things for our beer-drinking experience. For starters, each one of those little bubbles is carrying a puff of aroma.

Emma Christensen

May 2, 2019

Garlic, Cheddar, and Stone Ruination IPA Soup Cookbook Review & Recipe from The Craft of Stone Brewing Co.Recipes

Randy ClemensIt’s part history lesson, part beer guide, and part cookbook (with recipes of both the edible and the liquid variety). The title pretty much says it all: The Craft of Stone Brewing Co.: Liquid Lore, Epic Recipes, and Unabashed Arrogance.The Craft of Stone Brewing Co. starts at the beginning. No, not with the origins of the brewery, but with beer. If your understanding of ales vs. lagers is a little rusty, no problem.

Emma Christensen

May 2, 2019

Homebrew Recipe: Brooklyn BrewShop’s Bourbon Dubbel Cookbook Review & Recipe from Brooklyn BrewShop’s Beer Making Book Recipes

Two words: bourbon dubbel. That is the Belgian-style ale that I have fermenting in my kitchen as we speak. And it’s all thanks to this new cookbook (brewbook?) from Erica Shea and Stephen Valand, the creative geniuses behind Brooklyn BrewShop.

Emma Christensen

May 2, 2019

Recipe: Steak with Drunken Mushrooms & Roasted Blue Cheese Potatoes Recipes

The lure of steak is simply irresistible. Add in beer-soaked mushrooms, caramelized onions, and some fingerling potatoes roasted with blue cheese, and you’ll have every neighbor within 300 feet of your front door standing in your kitchen. So lock ’em out, or welcome them in — either way, this 30-minute meal will knock the socks off your local steakhouse. I love to indulge in a great cut of meat and a few rich flavors to go with it.

Sarah Rae Smith

May 2, 2019

Beer Review: Hazelnut Brown Nectar from Rogue Ales Groceries

Sweet malty beers usually aren’t my thing, and nut brown ales are nothing if not sweet. But there was something about the slant of the late-afternoon sun this weekend that made me want to sit back on the sofa with a stack of magazines and sip something smooth, roasty, and yes, sweet. Enter this Hazelnut Brown Nectar from Rogue Ales.Beer Details: Hazelnut Brown Nectar from Rogue Ales, Newport, OR (Brown ale with hazelnut extract, 6.

Emma Christensen

May 2, 2019

Beer for Dessert! Have a Beer Float Recipes

Root beer may be traditional, but a float made with actual beer? Now that’s a treat! Beers like chocolate stouts and fruity lambics are halfway to being desserts already. By adding a scoop of ice cream, we’re just helping things along.As the weather starts to warm and head towards summer, these beer and ice cream combos are sounding particularly appealing: • Chocolate Stout with Chocolate Ice Cream – Double chocolate!

Emma Christensen

May 2, 2019

Beer Review: Old Peculier from Theakston People

Nope, that’s not a misspelling! Old Peculier from the British Theakston Brewery is just as much a legend as its label says. It’s been brewed for nearly 180 years, after all. That’s more than enough time for this rich, malty brew to earn its street cred.Beer Details: Old Peculier from Theakston Brewery, Masham, UK (Old Ale, 5.6% ABV)Appearance: This beer pours dark brown with glints of ruby in the light.

Emma Christensen

May 2, 2019

Asian Flush: Why I Turn Red When I Drink Alcohol Skills

Growing up, I would always laugh at my dad after he drank a beer or a glass of wine. He is Thai-Chinese and even one drink makes his face turn bright red. “You’re red!” I’d say, pointing and laughing. It never stopped being funny.Until the first time I drank alcohol. My face turned beet-red and felt feverishly hot. It wasn’t funny at all.

Anjali Prasertong

May 2, 2019

The Violet Hour People

“This is the violet hour, the hour of hush and wonder, when the affections glow and valor is reborn, when the shadows deepen along the edge of the forest and we believe that, if we watch carefully, at any moment we may see the unicorn.” from The Hour by Bernard DeVoto The violet hour, that time of day roughly starting at 5pm when cocktail hour begins and we start the transition from day into evening, from work to home, from labor to (hopefully) relaxation.

Dana Velden

May 2, 2019

Sriracha In My Beer? Yes, Please: The Cocky Rooster Recipes

Mix icy cold beer with spicy Sriracha, fresh lime juice and a couple dashes of Maggi sauce and what do you have? A refreshing, terrifically savory beer cocktail with a lingering heat that has become my new favorite summer drink. Meet the Cocky Rooster. The recipe comes from An Choi, a banh mi restaurant in New York City that serves the drink alongside their Vietnamese sandwiches.

Anjali Prasertong

May 2, 2019