Homebrewer’s Table: Beer-Infused Finger Food for the Big Game

You know how it goes with football parties: you revisit the food line over and over. Maybe you’re nervous-eating on behalf of your team, or maybe your appetite for food goes hand-in-hand with your appetite for beer. Either way, we won’t discriminate, and in fact we’ll offer some suggestions to add to that toothsome spread.

Finger foods are the way to go when you’re having trouble deciding what to contribute to these gatherings because you can almost guarantee that your dish will be the first one gone. Fans lose track of how many times they revisited the chips and dip, and boom! They’re gone. Try some of these easy recipes that incorporate beer for this Sunday’s big game. No need to be a slave to the beer brand—you’ll very likely find similar styles in your local package store (or maybe even in your homebrew trove).

Asian-Glazed Shishito Peppers

They say that one in every eight shishito peppers is packed with heat, so who knows if you’ll be the lucky one. Either way, the mild spiciness of these peppers paired with the Pilsner and sweet Asian glaze will leave you drooling. (Insider tip: eat all but the stems!)

Ingredients:

Directions:

Heat hot chili oil over medium to high heat with minced ginger and garlic. After the pan is hot, add your shishito peppers to the pan. Begin stirring your shishito peppers so that they can get equal coverage on all sides. Once the peppers have softened slightly, add the hoisin, soy and dried chili flakes. Continue stirring the peppers on medium to high heat and slowly adding the Uinta Pilsner until you see some nice blisters on the skin of the peppers. Finish with lime juice for freshness and serve as finger food.

Baked Goat Cheese Dip

There’s something so beautiful about the marriage of beer and cheese, not to mention three different kinds. This recipe will take you a total of 20 minutes, max, so this one’s your winner if you’re in a pinch.

Ingredients:

Directions:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Start by putting the sliced leeks and garlic in a pan, and sauté until aromatic and soft. Set them aside. In the same pan, add more oil or butter and cook on high. Add the sweet peppers to the hot pan and cook until slightly blistered and charred. Allow the peppers to cool, dice, and set aside.

Step 2: Add the sautéed leeks and garlic to your food processor along with the softened goat cheese, cream cheese, parmesan, and olive oil. Pulse a few times and then add your salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, American Pale Ale and dried chiles. Pulse a few more times until the cheese mixture has reached a creamy consistency.

Step 3: Move the dip to a small, oven-safe dish (mine was about 4.5″×7″). Top the dip with the charred sweet peppers and chives, and bake for about 15–20 minutes until the dip has browned slightly on the top. Serve with your favorite type of chip, cracker, or veggie.

Bitter Battered Chicken Wings

Fish and chips with an English-style bitter? A classic pairing…but what about a lightly fried, spicy hot wing doused in an English bitter? These are excellent naked or with your favorite dipping sauce.

Ingredients:

Directions:

Step 1: Combine flour, salt, pepper, cayenne, and parsley in a mixing bowl and whisk until evenly distributed. Add the beer and allow to set for 10–15 minutes.

Step 2: Add the oil to a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat.

Step 3: Dip the chicken wings in the beer batter and toss in oil until golden brown. Remove the chicken wings and place on a towel or paper towel to absorb the grease. Lightly salt the freshly fried wings and serve naked or alongside your favorite sauce.

Homemade Oatmeal Stout Candy Bars

Dark, malty oatmeal stout paired with caramel, chocolate, and shortbread crust? Don’t mind if I do. This recipe makes about 20–30 bars, so there’ll be plenty for fans of all types.

Ingredients:

Directions:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a 9″×13″ pan with butter. Combine almond flour, confectioner’s sugar, vanilla extract, and butter in a medium mixing bowl. Mix with your hands or an electric hand mixer until a solid dough ball forms. Spread the shortbread mixture evenly along the bottom of the pan. Poke holes in the dough mixture with a fork so it can breathe. Bake for 15–20 minutes until golden brown along the edges. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Step 2: In a medium saucepan, heat the almond butter, maple syrup, and coconut oil on medium heat and whisk until well blended. Allow to cool and then pour over top of the cooled shortbread. Place the shortbread/caramel pan in the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour.

Step 3: Heat the butterscotch morsels and semisweet chocolate chips over medium heat and whisk until blended together. Slowly add the oatmeal stout until the mixture reaches a syrupy thickness. If the chocolate appears too runny, just add more chocolate chips. Allow to cool, and then pour over top of the shortbread/caramel pan. Place in freezer for another 30 minutes to an hour. Once the top is slightly hardened (it’s okay if it’s a little gooey), cut into squares and serve.

Tip: If you prefer your candy bars to be less gooey than pictured, try reducing the oatmeal stout between steps 2 and 3. All you need is a small skillet and slightly more beer (approx. 8–12 oz.). Cook the beer over medium to high heat and stir occasionally until it reduces into a syrupy texture. Add the beer syrup to your chocolate mixture in step 3.