100 Ways to Use Beer in Food and Drink #8 and #9: Black and Tan Beer-Infused Garlic Pesto

Hopefully you realize that black and tan is a reference to a mix of two tasty and contrasting beers. The mix of beers varies depending on where you get it and from whom, but is generally a dark beer with a pale ale or lager. This time, I used Yuengling’s version: a mix of their porter and their premium beer. I was hoping the porter part of this would bring out the nutty flavor of the pine nuts, but because it’s only half porter, wouldn’t turn the pesto dark.

The black and tan did bring out the pine nuts, while also giving the pesto a bit of the bite when mixed with the garlic. I put one slice of sun-dried tomato in the mix and it lent a very subtle taste that again, I believe was brought out by the beer. I served this as a snack on toast, topped with a slice of sun-dried tomato. Then, for dinner we put it on our burgers, along with the beer-infused ketchup! OR you can make an open-faced tuna sandwich and top it off with some pesto (see above). You’re welcome.

Beer-Infused Garlic

• Cloves of garlic (as many as you think are necessary)
• Extra virgin olive oil (I will NOT say EVOO like Rachel does)
• Pale ale brew

Black and Tan Pesto

• 1/4 cup black and tan beer
• 3/4 cup olive oil (plus a little bit more to bring to texture of your liking)
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 cup fresh basil
• 3 cloves of roasted beer-infused garlic

You’ll need a food processor for this. Put the basil and a little bit of the olive oil in first and break that down. Then add the pine nuts and roasted garlic—chop up the garlic a bit before you throw that in. Then add the rest of the olive oil. As that is pulsing together, add the beer, 1/4 cup at a time, to your own taste. Finally, add the cheese!

Serve with some crispy toast, pasta, burgers, whatever floats your boat. I’m saving some for open-faced salmon later this week. Be intrigued.

As always, make it your own with different ingredients, different beer, or different amounts of the ingredients. And tell us about it! Of course you know by now, don’t be a tool and use big beer—craft/local beer only!