For More Flavorful Stews, There's One Type Of Ale You Should Pour In

For many, as the temperature drops and the daylight hours gradually get shorter and shorter, you know winter is coming. And for those who absolutely love cooking up some hearty soups and stews, there's perhaps no better news than this. Late fall and winter often screams stew season to many, and there's a panoply of delicious and warming recipes to cook up. And while it's definitely important to avoid the common mistakes when making beef stew, it's also wise to think about what you can add to optimize your stew's flavor. In this case, that addition comes in the form of a richly-brewed ingredient.

It's not uncommon to add some malty ale to various stew recipes for an extra hearty kick, but you should remember that not all ales are created equal. While there are different categories of ale on the market, a brown ale will provide the satisfying balance of malty depth without getting into overly-bitter territory. So save a bottle of your preferred brown ale — it can be just as enjoyable in a stew as it is in a pint glass.

When you toss a brown ale into your stew recipe, you're automatically adding a toasty, roasted quality to the overall product. This can mostly be chalked up to the malted barley in beer which is typically quite present in brown ales. This flavor component — which is already worthy of being celebrated in traditional brown ales — adds to the robustness of your stew, as well as any braised meats you may have in it. You'll find a standard English brown ale in the likes of a brand like Newcastle. But you can also grab an American-style brown ale for that same maltiness — with a little more variety in flavor — from breweries like Dogfish Head, Lagunitas, and Brooklyn Brewery.

It should also be noted that while brown ales are a wonderful addition to your stews, they aren't the only type of beer that's worth giving a try. Porter beer and stouts, while not exactly the same as brown ales, live in a similar vein as far as taste and depth are concerned. The roasted malt quality present in the likes of these can become a worst-kept-secret in a savory, malty stew. A German-style bock beer can also add some beautiful nutty notes that are perfect for rich stews. While a brown ale is a surefire choice, there's always room for experimentation. And if that means making lots of stew this winter, is that really so bad?