Classic beer dip
Makes 3 cups

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
1 (5 oz.) jar sharp cheese spread, such as Kraft’s Old English brand
1 tsp. dried parsley
Garlic salt to taste
1/2 cup light beer

1. In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients except the beer. Mix until smooth.
2. While continuing to mix, pour in the light beer until the mixture is as thick as you prefer.
3. For the best flavor, pack the dip in a storage container, cover and refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to settle.
Source: “The Ultimate Beer Lover’s Cookbook” by John Schlimm

Carbonnade (beef and beer stew)
Serves 6

3 1/2 lbs. chuck roast, cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 Tbsp. butter
3 medium yellow onions sliced about 14-inch thick (about 8 cups)
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken or beef broth
1 1/2 cups (12-oz bottle) Belgian beer
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp. whole grain mustard
1 Tbsp. brown sugar

1. Pat beef dry with paper towels, then season well with salt and pepper. On the stove top, heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large heavy-bottomed dutch oven over medium-high heat until hot, almost smoking. Working in batches, brown the meat, without stirring, about 3 minutes on each side (do not stir, give the meat an opportunity to brown well). Transfer browned beef to a separate bowl.

2. Add 2 tablespoons butter to dutch oven; reduce heat to medium. Add the onions and 1/2 teaspoon of salt; cook until onions are browned, about 15 minutes. Add flour and stir until onions are evenly coated and flour is lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
Stir in broth, scraping pan bottom to loosen browned bits; stir in beer, thyme, bay, browned beef with any of the accumulated juices, and salt and pepper to taste. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a full simmer. Reduce heat to low, partially cover, let cook for 2-3 hours until beef is fork tender. (Alternatively can cook in the oven at 300 degrees.)
Stir occasionally, scraping up anything that is sticking to the bottom of the pan. About half an hour before it finishes cooking, add the mustard and brown sugar. Adjust seasonings to taste.

3. Discard thyme and bay leaf. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to taste and serve. Can serve plain, with potatoes, over noodles or rice.
Source: Simply Recipes (www.elise.com/recipes)

Guinness bread with molasses
3 cups self-rising flour*
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup molasses
A pinch of salt (roughly 1/8 tsp.)
12 oz. of Guinness beer
Butter for greasing the pan and painting the top, about 3 Tbsp.

*If you don’t have self-rising flour, you can substitute using a ratio of 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, plus 1/8 teaspoon of salt, for every cup of self-rising flour. Self-rising flour does yield better results, though.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan well with butter.
2. Pour the flour, salt and sugar into a large bowl and whisk to combine.
3. Slowly pour the Guinness into the flour mixture. (The “pub cans” are larger than 12 ounces, but they have better carbonation, so pour most of it out and leave a swig to drink. If you are a stickler, use a 12-ounce bottle of Guinness instead.)
Start stirring the beer into the dry ingredients, and when you are about halfway done, add the molasses. Mix well, just to combine. You don’t want lumps, but you don’t want to work the batter too much, either.
4. Pour into the loaf pan to no more than two-thirds full. Pop into the oven immediately and bake for 50 minutes. Because ovens can vary, check the bread after 40 minutes and see if a toothpick inserted into the deepest part of the loaf comes out clean. If it does, you’re done.
5. Let the loaf cool at least 5 minutes, and then turn it out onto a rack. Paint it with lots of soft butter, which will melt as you go.
Source: Simply Recipes

Chocolate Guinness cake
2 cups Guinness (or another stout)
4 sticks unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 cups sugar
3 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cups sour cream (not low fat)

Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Butter or spray three 8-inch cake rounds well. Bring Guinness and butter to a simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.
Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add Guinness-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake cake about 35 minutes, taking extra care to not overbake. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer cake to rack and cool completely in the pan before removing and frosting.

Frosting:
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
16 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup heavy cream

Whip the cream cheese with the powdered sugar, then add the heavy cream slowly and continue whipping until you have a light, fluffy consistency. Spread a thin layer of icing in between each layer of cake, then frost the outside of the cake with the remaining icing.
Source: Mechelle Gillispie, wine and beer buyer at Trio Bistro Bar Bottle in Roanoke