Things You Can Do With Beer (Other Than Drink It!)
Summer is over, but the season of beer is just getting started! Fall brings in the hop harvest and with it comes fresh wet hopped brews, rich Marzen lagers and robust amber ales. But especially with craft beer it doesn’t stay fresh forever. With all these delicious flavours to experience, it’s hard to imagine anyone letting perfectly good beer go stale but it happens to the best of us. So what can you do with beer that is now past its best before date? To answer this question we’ve put together a list of things you can do with beer other than drink it. Enjoy!
Make Bread
Beer bread is a quick and easy recipe. In fact, with only four ingredients it’s one of the easier bread recipes to make! Pair your beer bread with any beef or cheese dish and experiment with different beer-styles for different flavours. (This recipe was tested in the Deerhurst kitchen and declared a winner!)
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 3 cups self-rising flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 375ml beer
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and beer. Mix well. Pour mixture into buttered loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes. In the last few minutes of baking, remove from oven, brush the top of the loaf with butter and return to oven. Let cool and enjoy!
Make a Tasty Meat-Tenderizing Marinade
Now that you’ve made a beer bread, it’s time to flavour the main course. The first thing you’ll need to do is choose the type of beer you’d like to use. A good start is with the stronger flavoured brews like an IPA or a stout. The bitter hop and full malt tastes will shine through and create a BBQ masterpiece.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 200ml beer
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- cracked pepper
Combine these ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let it simmer for 10 minutes uncovered. Allow to completely cool, place in fridge, then marinate the meat in the mixture for 1-2 hours.
Make Beer Soap
The best part about beer soap is it doesn’t make you smell like a brewery. In fact, it doesn’t smell like beer at all. Replacing the water in your favourite soap recipe with beer brings out the aromas of the hops used in the brewing process. Don’t have a favourite soap recipe? You can find lots of excellent step-by-step guides online! The resulting beer-infused soap produces a thicker lather and leaves your skin feeling silky smooth. The advantages of beer soap are almost as good as it smells! Amino acids from the hops help soothe irritated skin, the yeast has antibacterial properties and an abundance of Vitamin B helps moisturize your skin. If you’re thinking about bringing beer into your hygiene routine just wait until we tell you the next thing you can do with beer (other than drink it).
Give Your Hair Volume
Ever wonder how celebrities get all that amazing volume in their hair? If your guess is beer you’re probably wrong, but you’re probably wondering if beer would help with increasing hair volume. The answer is “yes” (it’s on this list, isn’t it?). Using a spray bottle to administer beer to your hair will not only help with your scalp’s health, but also help with getting that rich head of hair. Just make sure you rinse well!
Polish Copper Pots
In the past, many breweries had vats made of copper. Some still do! Brewers use leftover beer in kegs to clean the copper. The acidity from the beer makes it a cheap alternative to other cleaners. Don’t worry, the list doesn’t stop with copper pots as this tip will also work with gold jewelry. Just let it soak in the beer then polish.
Even though we’ve discovered other uses for beer, we still like drinking it best of all! Experience the ultimate beer lover’s getaway at Deerhurst Resort this November. The ‘Muskoka Brewery Package’ includes a VIP tour of Muskoka Brewery, 4 pack of Muskoka Brewery beer delivered to your room, and more! Learn more and book here.
Posted October 2018