Why You Should Let Beer Replace The Dairy In Your Next Batch Of Pancakes

Whipping up a batch of pancakes is a fun and convenient way to start the morning. And whether you're making a mix alongside milk or basic buttermilk pancakes from scratch, dairy is the typical liquid go-to. Yet curiously, you can also swap this ingredient for beer. You may have heard of cooks adding seltzer water or club soda to flapjacks for added fluffiness; this addition works in a similar manner.

In fact, molecularly speaking, a brew even offers  added advantages. Like with bubbly water, its carbonation enhances frothiness, lending to airier, more crisp textures. Yet by way of its denser composition, beer's foamy nature even extends into when cooking occurs. This helps maintain structure while the pancake cooks, lending that mouth-watering golden brown exterior.

Furthermore, alcohol is more volatile than other liquids in a flour-based batter. This means that water starts evaporating quicker, and the pancakes cook faster, letting you curtail that dreaded burnt on the outside, raw in the interior situation. So throw a beer into the pancake mix; it's a surprisingly effective swap.

Lots of foods are an excellent choice for a beer-battered fry, so don't underestimate the power a brew can bring while cooking breakfast. Understandably, you may worry about the flavor clash — the beer will alter the taste of the resultant pancake. However, depending on the brew you use, the imbued palate may even be pleasant.

Beer can be incorporated in both savory and sweet pancake renditions. Employ a bitter ESB style beer and you'll get a nutty-tasting stack of flapjacks that goes well with salty sides. Alternatively, a rich and sweet stout will make for the perfect cake-like decadence. And lighter beers like blondes, ambers, or lagers can inspire more gentle floral, herbal, or malty notes.

As a result, pancake recipes open an opportunity to use craft beer in cooking. Whether leftovers from a previous night or a bottle purchased specifically for the occasion, pancakes present a new opportunity to make a beer batter shine.