Tasty Pizza

The Complete Guide to an IPA Beer

2018-08-29

Do you love a good bottle of your favorite beer? When it comes to our taste in brews, some of us are adventurous and love to dig into new flavors and brew types whenever we get a chance, while others prefer to stick to the same brew we've been drinking for years. It's one or the other, and people's tastes in India Pale Ale is often just as polarized.

When you mention IPA beer, anyone you ask will usually have one of two emphatic reactions: either they can't stand it because of its excessive bitterness or they love it because it contains much more alcohol. While these are the most common conceptions of IPA beer, neither of them apply to all flavors and varieties, and there's a lot about IPAs that most people don't understand.

How much do you know about IPAs? Offering a variety of flavors for any beer lover, India Pale Ale is a category of brews worth exploring. Expand your tastes and your knowledge of beer! Here's everything you need to know about IPA beer.

What Is an IPA?

Classified as its own specific variety within the broader category of pale ales, India Pale Ale is a hoppy beer style originally brewed from pale malt. Gaining its name from the East India Company — which revolutionized trade in the 18th century — this export style of beer originated and gained popularity in England, eventually making its way to the United States and Canada, where it has a long history and evolution.

IPAs are available in many different styles, brew types and flavors, depending on where they're made.

IPA Vocabulary

When it comes to understanding IPA types, strengths and percentages, there are a few terms you should know — although these can apply to any kind of beer. Here's some vocabulary you might come across when trying to pick an IPA beer to try:

Session: This term denotes a lower alcohol content — usually below 5 percent — and a thinner body, meaning you can drink more at a time.
Double/Imperial: Both imperial and double IPAs boast a higher alcohol percentage, more malt and a higher hop concentration — packing a real punch!
Dry-Hopped and Double Dry-Hopped: Referring to the process of steeping hops in the beer as it ferments rather than adding them while boiling, dry-hopped and double dry-hopped beers have an especially strong aroma and emphasize the fruity, sweet or herbal notes in the hops.
Single-Hopped: Brewers often combine hops to bring out different flavors or create unique blended brews, but single-hopped IPAs are brewed with only one hop variety, giving them a defined, simple, strong flavor.
Fresh-Hopped: Only available once every year at the end of harvesting season in late summer, fresh-hopped IPAs are brewed from hops delivered directly to the brewery from the vine and boiled within 24 hours. They can also be called "harvest ales" or "wet-hopped."

IPA Styles

When it comes to IPA flavors, there are so many varieties brewed with different ingredients, techniques, textures and appearances — but certain types of IPAs are well-known and beloved. Here are some of the most popular IPA styles:

British IPA: Invented in Britain, these IPA beers are one-noted, malted and especially bitter.
West Coast IPA: These IPAs balance bitterness with a crisp, clean, fruity flavor.
New England IPA: As one of the most popular types of IPAs in the modern beer sphere, this IPA beer is unfiltered, fruity and low in bitterness.
East Coast IPA: Falling somewhere between the West Coast IPA and the British IPA on the beer spectrum, the East Coast IPA is known for its piney, malty flavor that's both solid and somewhat complex.
Belgian IPA: Bready and sweet, the Belgian IPA offers a warm flavor.

The brewing world offers so many more types of IPA beer flavors, from fruited and sour IPAs to lactose and oat IPAs. What's your favorite? Share your IPA preferences and knowledge on our social media pages.

Evolution of Flavor — How Beer Has Changed Over the Years

2018-08-29

Are you a beer lover? When it comes to kicking back, enjoying a Vikings game and relaxing with friends in your living room or getting rowdy with other football fans at the bar, there's nothing better than sipping a few cans or pints of your favorite brew. Whether it's Friday happy hour, Sunday football time or a quiet moment to yourself, the best beer keeps you warm through these long Minnesota winters and cools you down when summer comes back around.

There's nothing you know better than the taste of your favorite beer flavor, but how much do you know about its history? Not all brews are created equal, and the flavors we've come to know and love have changed over time. From the top beer ingredients to how beer has changed over time, here's a breakdown of beer evolution:

The History of Beer

Beer brewing and drinking began almost as early as human civilization — in fact, some anthropologists even believe that early people moved away from hunter-gatherer societies and settled into agriculture in order to be able to grow large quantities of grain to refine more beer. Alcohol occurs naturally in fruits, but one of man's most important discoveries was a method of creating and fermenting sugar into alcoholic beverages without needing any fruit or honey to begin with — what we know now as brewing.

Beer brewing originated as many as 5,000 years ago in the Mesopotamian region, where grains grew wild in the grasslands with the help of rich soils. People gathered these grains to make bread and discovered their propensity to be soaked, fermented and brewed into beer, a filling, delightful beverage with mood-altering properties and a healthy, heavy ability to sustain people. To hone the production of this beverage, tribes settled and created an agricultural system — and beer began to spread throughout the world, becoming more complex in ingredients, process, flavors and popularity.

Top Beer Ingredients

Today, we brew beer with all varieties of grains, spices, flavorings and specialized processes to create more varieties than our ancestors may ever have thought possible. To create the finest brews, we use our tastes and technology to mill specific grains, mix them with heated water, separate the husks from the sweet liquid component, boil the liquid, ferment and mature the beer into the brews you love.

Depending on the season, brewing company, region and a variety of other factors, so many ingredients can go into a good brew. The basic components of beer are water, a starch or grain source, a yeast for fermentation and a type of flavoring to give the brew its signature taste. Some ingredients commonly used to flavor beer include:

Hops, which come from flower vines and add bitterness as well as floral, herbal and citrus aromas.
Spices and herbs like nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla, cocoa, chili pepper, coriander, sugar and coffee.
Fruits like apple, orange, grapefruit, raspberry and even banana.
Honey, maple, chocolate and other sweet additives.

How Beer Tastes Change Beer

As beer has evolved, so have people's preferences and tastes — and this subsequently affects what ingredients and flavors brewers and craft brewers choose to sell.

For example, while hops used to be more popular, recent taste trends show a preference for lighter, softer beers with reduced hops, and while Americans used to prefer the reliability of a classic, mass-produced American beer flavor, sales of imported beers have been at an all-time high in neighborhood markets — meaning people are becoming more experimental and refined in their tastes, choosing distinctive flavors and independent brews rather than the standby.

With changing tastes, beer companies begin to alter their brewing formulas, add new ingredients and offer new, more distinctive brews, contributing to the ever-changing face of the brewing industry and beer flavors. What's your favorite brew? Head to our social media pages to share your thoughts on beer evolution!

4 Beer Games to Play at Your Summer Cookout

2018-06-20

Summer is back again, and you know what that means — hot, steamy days, long, lazy evenings, picnics, cookouts and neighborhood fun. Are you hosting a cookout this season for the Fourth of July or simply some old-fashioned eating enjoyment, outdoor-style? Celebrate summer with your friends and neighbors by making your get-together a little extra fun. For adults, here are four summer beer games to play at a cookout.

1.GIANT BEER PONG

Since you're already outside, you might as well take advantage of the space — and the opportunity for some old-fashioned beer pong, supersized for extra excitement. Collect some giant trashcans and set them up beer-pong-style in your yard in lieu of small solo cups, then use an appropriately sized soccer ball or volleyball to make your shots. Your guests will enjoy the energy — just make sure you still use solo cups for drinking, because filling those trash cans with beer would take a hefty dollar.

2.HIGH NOON

Want to try something silly? Inspired by the Wild West film, this wacky game is the six-pack version of a shootout. Players will pair up and stand with their backs to each other, then take 10 paces. Facing away from each other, chug your beers, crush your cans, turn around and chuck the cans at each other. The first person to hit his or her opponent is the winner.

3.WATER PONG

Does your backyard include a pool for cooling off? Use it to your advantage when planning your cookout games this summer. If your guests want to have some fun in the sun while staying pleasingly refreshed, treat them to a game of pool pong. Using a level floating table or blowup bed, set up your solo cups and usher your guests into the pool. Some floaties are even made to hold cups! A bonus of this beer game is that when you miss a shot, your ball will just float in the pool, and you'll get some exercise when you swim to retrieve it. Make a splash!

4.DIZZY BAT

Are your guests fans of baseball or big-shots when it comes to hand-eye coordination games? Shake up their sense of balance with this dynamic drinking game perfect for outdoor picnics and cookouts. Just make sure your players can hold their liquor and there aren't any obstacles present.

Start with a Wiffle ball and bat. Carefully cut off the end of the plastic bat, make sure the inside is clean and get ready for a wild time. Fill up the hollow bat with beer and pass it around your group of guests. Each player must chug as much as they can, spin around in a circle for 10 seconds and use the bat to try to hit the ball another player pitches. Your guests will be spinning, running and stumbling around in good fun — but look out for weak stomachs.

This summer, nothing says relaxation like letting go of that workplace tension and kicking back with friends and neighbors at an evening cookout. Enjoy these summer beer games and stay safe!

Four Local Craft Beers to Try

2017-05-10

If you enjoy a frosty, frothy beverage from time to time, you already know there’s nothing quite like the Minneapolis craft beers you’ll find in the City of Lakes. Craft beer lovers can explore the beverage menu at Tasty Pizza’s Hangar 45. When you visit our aviation-themed bar, you’ll see we offer a generous selection of craft beers that will satisfy even the most discerning beer connoisseur.

Craft Beers at Tasty Pizza

We’re hard-pressed to think of anything that goes together better than a cold craft beer and our thin-crust pizza. No matter what toppings you add to your pizza and regardless of the brew you choose, they simply go hand in hand. Whether you appreciate full-flavored craft beers or a beverage with a less-powerful flavor profile, we have a locally crafted beer for you.

We have 18 beers on tap in Hangar 45, most of which are local craft beers. When you visit Tasty Pizza, you’ll discover just how satisfying Minneapolis craft beers can be, especially when paired with the best pizza in town.

Here are four craft beers you should sample when you come to our family-owned and operated restaurant:

Obsidian Stout: When you see this drink poured into your glass, you’ll know exactly what inspired its name — volcanic flow. This beer has several palette-pleasing layers of flavor that increase the refreshment it provides. With just one sip, you’ll taste espresso and a chocolate flavor that lingers for the perfect amount of time. The roasted malt and barley Deschutes Brewery uses to create this masterpiece give the beer a smooth finish.
Troll Way IPA: Troll Way IPA isn’t one of our most popular beers just because it’s fun to say. It’s the beverage of choice for many of our visitors because it’s simply delicious. The first thing you’ll notice as you prepare to take a sip of this beer is a subtle scent of peach and lemon zest. These flavors work perfectly with the beer’s tropical fruitiness.
Cacao Bender: If you like the indulgent combination of coffee, vanilla beans, and cacao nibs, you’ll favor this flavorful beer. You’ll only find this beer during special events hosted by Tasty Pizza, however, so book your next special event to get it.
Odell IPA: The Odell Brewing Company used the traditional IPA shipped to India from breweries based in England centuries ago as the model for this deliciously bitter beer. Once you try this beverage, you’ll realize there’s nothing else quite like it, and you’ll have to order another 16-oz draft the next time you visit Tasty Pizza’s Hangar 45.

If you’re looking for a comfortable, inviting place to indulge in some of the region’s best craft beers, visit Tasty Pizza in Central Plaza today.

A Look at Different Styles of Beer for International Beer Day

2017-08-09

International Beer Day is celebrated in more than 200 cities across the globe — and here at Tasty Pizza, we’re happy to raise a toast and rejoice in the unmatched greatness of beer. To celebrate, let’s take a look at the different styles of beer that stem from ales and lagers.

Different Styles of Ale

Ale is the parent to several types of beers. It’s brewed at room temperature with top-fermenting yeast and has a fruity and spicy flavor. Ale also breaks down into different styles, including stouts, wheat and India pale ale (IPA):

IPA. This style of ale is popular because it uses different varieties of hops. Most IPAs have a citrus, pine or floral aroma and a mild bitter taste, as well as a strong, hoppy flavor.
Stout. Stouts are a dark, strong beer. They’re made with roasted malt or barley, hops, water, and yeast. They tend to have a heavily roasted flavor with hints of coffee, chocolate, molasses, and licorice.
Wheat. A lighter beer, wheat beer is mostly made with wheat and a small amount of malted barley. Flavor varies between wheat beers, but many have a fruity taste and aroma. They’re also considered an excellent beer for summer due to their lightness and lack of aftertaste.

Other styles of ale include Belgians, porters, browns, and sours. If you’re interested in an ale, we serve local craft beers called Castle Cream Ale, Obsidian Stout, IPA and Four Cords.

Different Styles of Lager

Lagers are brewed with a bottom-fermenting yeast and are stored at cooler temperatures — that’s the difference between lagers and ales. Lagers offer a clean, crisp taste that highlights the flavors of the hops and malts. Different types of lagers include pale and dark lagers, as well as bock:

Pale Lagers. Pilsners are a favorite type of lager, as well as India Pale Lager. These lagers are lighter in color and body, which makes for a dry, lean taste. They also have a substantial amount of carbonation and vary in bitterness based on the hop used
Dark Lagers. These lagers have a distinct, smooth malty flavor. Dark lagers range in color from amber to a deep reddish brown, but they’re considered a light beer. Dark lager styles include Dunkels and Helles.
Bock. This style of beer used to be classified as a dark lager but now has a lighter color. Its flavor lies in its malts rather than its hops. Bocks also have a heavier body than dark and pale lagers.

Whether you’re a fan of lagers or ales, we offer both at Tasty Pizza — plus delicious, thin-crust pizza that’ll complement your choice of beer, no matter what it is. Visit us to try our locally brewed craft beer and freshly made pizza while you watch the latest UFC match.

Tasty Pizza Craft Beer Pairings

2017-08-23

Pairing pizza with craft beer is a must. Not only does the crust, sauce and cheese of the pizza complement your beer, but your brew’s flavoring highlights your pizza’s toppings for an unmatched taste bud experience. At Tasty Pizza, we offer 18 beers on tap, many of which are craft beers from local breweries.

Check out which craft beers you should pair with our savory pizzas the next time you stop in:

Summer Ale With Veggie Pizza

Brewed by the Summit Brewing Company, Summer Ale is a Kölsch beer. Kölschs pair great with vegetable pizzas because of their crisp, clean bitterness and fruity, floral hops that complement the onions, mushrooms, olives and green peppers on our Veggie Pizza.

IPA With Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Odell Brewing Company makes an American IPA beer that’s excellent to pair with our Buffalo Chicken Pizza. American IPA beers capture the flavor of our zesty buffalo sauce and bleu cheese, which is served on the side. Odell Brewing Company’s IPA offers a bold flavor and a distinct bitterness profile.

Cold Press Black With Tasty Variety Pizza

Bent Paddle Brewing Company’s Cold Press Black beer is a dark ale that’s meant to be poured alongside a dish of our Tasty Variety Pizza. Our Tasty Variety Pizza includes hamburger, sausage, mushroom, green pepper, onion and pepperoni. Dark ales, like Cold Press Black, pair well with the slight spiciness of pepperoni.

Fort Road Helles With Tasty Highlight Pizza

Produced by the August Schell Brewing Company, the Fort Road Helles lager is a great craft beer to enjoy with our Tasty Highlight Pizza, which features sausage, green pepper and onion. The lager’s caramel flavors pair well with sausage and doesn’t overwhelm the flavor of the onions and peppers. Hell by Surly Brewing Company is another lager we recommend pairing with our Tasty Highlight Pizza.

Summer Shandy With Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza

Brewed by the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company, Summer Shandy will become your favorite craft beer if you’re a fan of our Bacon Cheeseburger pizza. The wheat beer has a citrus, yet spicy flavor that gives the bacon, hamburger, pickles and onions on our pizza a kick

Four Cords With Single Topping Pizza

Able Seedhouse and Brewery’s Four Cords’ ale has a meaty, earthy flavor that pairs well with mushrooms, which is why we recommend eating our Single Topping Pizza while you sip on Four Cords. The ale adds some sweetness to mushroom pizzas.

At Tasty Pizza, we offer the above craft beers and many more. So, if you can’t stop thinking about delicious, thin-crust pizza and crisp, cold beer, come visit us at Central Plaza for the tastiest pizza in town.

Five Fantastic Fall Beers

2017-10-06

For some, it may be hard to accept that fall has already arrived — but not for beer lovers. The arrival of fall means a fresh crop of some of the year’s tastiest beers, which are a welcoming departure from the pale ales and lighter beverages we all enjoyed throughout the summer months.

From tailgating and apple picking to enjoying harvest festivals, attending holiday gatherings, going on outdoor excursions and more, there isn’t a fall activity we can think of that isn’t made better by having a beer that complements the season in hand. While you may have come to expect pumpkin beer to make a much-anticipated appearance in autumn, there are plenty of other flavors for you to try this season — and there’s at least one that will pair well with whatever meal or activity you have planned.

The Best Fall Beers for 2017

If you’re looking for fantastic fall beers that should be on your must-try and must-have-again (and again) lists, you’ve come to the right place. Here are five fall beer flavors you should make it a point not to miss:

1. Bell’s Best Brown Ale

Just as fashion trends change from year to year and season to season, so do trends in beer preferences. While that may be the case, this yummy beer may be the beer industry’s equivalent of a little black dress — classic, always in style and a perennial mainstay you simply can’t go without. Made in Michigan, this beer is satisfying without being too heavy. It delivers the perfect balance of nuttiness paired with hints of caramel, cocoa and coffee, which makes it ideal for imbibing before, during and/or after a meal.

2. Harpoon Flannel Friday

This beer tells you everything you need to know on the can when it reads, “Hoppy, Malty, Crisp Amber Ale.” There’s a reason the first three words of that tagline are highlighted in a red banner on the can — they describe this delicious beverage perfectly. With a subtle taste of pine and fruitiness, this beer is a great choice for a night exchanging stories around the campfire.

3. Jolly Pumpkin Bam Noire Dark Farmhouse Ale

Although the name of this beer seems like it could be the title for a twisted horror movie, the beverage isn’t anything to be afraid of. In fact, it’d be a welcoming addition to any refrigerator or cooler. With hints of plums and toasted raisins, this beer will get you ready for colder weather and fall fun with your friends and family.

4. Ballast Point Brewing Co. Dead Ringer Oktoberfest

With the taste of fall spices, toffee and citrus dancing on your tongue, you simply won’t be able to get enough of this beverage. As its name suggests, this medium-bodied beer is a dead ringer for being on the must-have list of beer connoisseurs throughout the county.

5. Anchor Porter

Brewed by the Anchor Brewing Company, this beer is truly a treat for your taste buds. With notes of chocolate, caramel, toffee, a cup of joe and even maple syrup, this beer will linger on your tongue in the most pleasant way imaginable.

Do you think another fall beer should have made our list of the best fall beers for 2017? If so, visit our social media pages and let us know what it is!

New Craft Breweries in Minnesota this Year

2017-12-06

Last year, Minnesota saw a tremendous number of breweries open within its borders. While many of them seem like they have some real staying power, others have missed the mark so far. Although the competition between craft beer breweries has increased as the result of the greater number of breweries in Minneapolis and other cities, entrepreneurs continue to open new breweries in Minneapolis on what seems like a regular basis.

Here are three of the newest entrants in the Minneapolis craft beer market:

1. Finnegans Brew Co.

We couldn’t be happier that Finnegans Brew Co. opened its doors this year. This company is committed to giving back to the community. In fact, 100 percent of this brewery’s profits goes toward feeding the hungry. You read that right — every penny of this company’s profits helps people in need.

Finnegans Brew Co. proves that “doing good and having fun play nicely together.” The company offers several beers, including Freckled Rooster, Hoppy Shepherd, Finnegans Irish Amber and Dead Irish Poet. The brewery also makes Finnegans Blonde Ale.

Even if you’re not a fan of beer, you can still help this local brewery fight hunger by purchasing some of its gear. The brewery’s product line is impressive. From t-shirts to LED signs to creatively shaped pitchers, baseball hats, bottle openers, men’s and women’s “showels” and more, you’ll find something you want in Finnegans Brew Co.’s online store. You can even order a dog collar from Finnegans Brew Co.

2. Headflyer Brewing

Headflyer Brewing produces some tasty IPAs and other beers that are sure to please even the most discerning beer connoisseurs. The company’s golden ale, None The Wiser, boasts citrus flavors that stem from Amarillo and Cascade hops. Freckled, the brewery’s amber ale, is nothing short of a delicious, caramelly treat for your tongue. Heavy D, a double juicy IPA, will have you coming back for more every time you enjoy this great beer.

3. Utepils Brewing

Utepils Brewing is another fine brewery that recently opened in Minneapolis. Part of the city’s Harrison neighborhood, this brewery is located near three area parks and Basset Creek on Thomas Avenue North. The brewery’s taproom is open every day, making it easy for you to sample beers that are destined to become your new favorites. This brewery has quickly become known for producing a nice range of fantastic beers, including Czech, Belgian, Dusseldorf and Bavarian-style brews.

With so many great entrants in the Minneapolis craft beer market, which one will you try first? Let us know which beer you try, the brewery that made it and what beer is your favorite on our social media pages. At Tasty Pizza, we’re always on the lookout for new beers produced in our home state. If you know of another new brewery in Minnesota, let us know about it!

A Brief History of Beer in America

2018-01-18

It should be no surprise that beer has had a presence in America since its first settlers arrived in Virginia in the late 1500s. But did you know early attempts of brewed beer were undrinkable? Or that several of the founding fathers brewed their own beer at their estates? Explore a brief history of beer in America below.

First Batches of Brew

Beer was a staple in early America because it was considered a clean source of drinking water. The Virginia settlers first started brewing beer using corn, but the batches they developed weren’t good. England shipped barrels of beer to the colonies and signs were placed in England trying to encourage brewers to start settling in the New World. In 1612, Adrian Block and Hans Christiansen opened the first known brewery in New Amsterdam — now known as New York.

Once colonies were firmly established, settlers were able to gather and grow the necessary ingredients to properly brew beer like barley, wheat and hops. From there, more breweries started popping up in New Amsterdam, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania. Colonists could also start establishing taverns — the first being in Boston by Samuel Cole.

The Founding Fathers

Did you know that not only did George Washington have his own brew house on his estate, but in 1754, he first recorded his own recipe for beer? In addition to Washington, Thomas Jefferson had his own brewery, and John Adams owned and operated a commercial brewery. During the Revolutionary War, beer was even given to soldiers as part of their daily rations.

To encourage beer consumption and with the hope of establishing a brewery in each state, in 1789, James Madison suggested an eight cent tax on each barrel of malt liquor — hoping a low tax would increase beer manufacturing. In the 1800s beer and liquor was a major aspect of the American economy. By 1870, 6.6 million barrels of beer were being brewed in America.

Prohibition and Beyond

Beer remained a popular staple in American culture until the early 20th century with the passing of the 18th amendment, prohibiting the manufacturing, distribution and sale of alcohol. During this time, citizens turned from beer and wine to other distilled beverages, and criminal activity increased, despite the amendment’s original intentions. Prohibition was repealed with the passing of the 21st amendment in late 1933.

From there, other beer innovations popped up like cans in the early 1930s, the pull-tab can in 1965 and the beginning of home brewing — a law passed by Jimmy Carter in 1978.

Join Us for a Beer at Tasty Pizza Today

If you love and appreciate the history of beer in America, then join us for a cold one at Tasty Pizza in Minneapolis, MN. We have 18 beers on tap from local craftsman — all pair perfectly with the tastiest pizza in town! Visit us online today to view our full menu and to check out a list of our weekly events, including bingo and trivia.

3 Summer Recipes That Include Beer

2018-06-06

When the hot, hazy days and long, balmy nights of summer roll around again, there's nothing more refreshing than a cold splash of craft beer to tantalize your taste buds and cool you down. All those delicious drinks call for some accompanying dishes, but that doesn't mean you have to put the bottle down and say goodbye to that irresistible beer flavor. Here's how to take it a step further and incorporate your love for a good brew into some sweet summer recipes with beer.

BEER MAC AND CHEESE

Nothing beats the gooey, chewy delight of some comforting cheesy macaroni — unless, of course, there's beer involved. Try this delicious, creamy mac and cheese with a hint of beer to spice up all your summer picnics.

Ingredients: One package elbow macaroni, 1/4 cup flour, 3/4 cups amber ale, five crumbled strips of cooked bacon, 2 cups shredded fontina, 2 tablespoons grated parmesan, 3 cups shredded cheddar, 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, 2 1/2 cups milk, 2 tablespoons minced chives, 1 tablespoon ground mustard, 3/4 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 cup butter
How to Make: Begin by cooking the macaroni according to package instructions. When pasta is al dente, strain and set aside. Meanwhile, heat butter and garlic on medium-high heat in a Dutch oven and stir. After one minute, add the salt, pepper, mustard and flour and continue to stir until mixture is smooth, then whisk in milk, cream and beer. Bring to a boil and cook for two minutes, stirring until thickened. Reduce heat, then add in cheddar, fontina and 1 tablespoon parmesan. Stir until melted, toss in chives and stir the macaroni into the cheese sauce. Transfer into a greased baking dish, sprinkle with remaining parmesan and bake at 400 degrees F for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Top with crumbled bacon and enjoy.

CHEESY RANCH BEER DIP

Need a delicious quick fix for a summer party? Try this hoppy, flavorful dip perfect for pairing with pretzels.

Ingredients: 1/3 cup beer, two packages softened cream cheese, 2 cups shredded cheddar, one package ranch dressing mix, pretzels
How to Make: In a mixing bowl, beat together beer, dressing mix and cream cheese until smooth, then stir in cheddar cheese. It's that simple! Serve in your favorite dip bowl and dig in with pretzels.

BEER BRAT CHILI

Need a spicy meal to mix up for your friends, family or evening entertainment this summer? Chili is a changeable classic, and this beer-infused version will have everyone coming back for seconds. Best of all, it's so easy to prepare when you have a slow cooker.

Ingredients: One can pinto beans, one can cannellini beans, one can black beans, one can diced tomatoes with juice, one can green chilies and diced tomatoes with juice, one package sliced and cooked beer bratwurst, 1 cup beer, one medium chopped red pepper, One medium chopped onion, 1 1/2 cups frozen corn, one minced garlic clove, 1/4 cup chili seasoning
How to Make: Make sure each can of beans is fully drained and rinsed, then combine all ingredients in a slow cooker and simmer on low, covered, for five to six hours. Dinner for everyone has never been so easy or tasty.

Stay cool this summer with the tastiest brews and beer recipes!