Tonight I brewed up a recipe that I have been mulling over for quite some time, a juniper Rye pale ale. The idea is merge a floral hoppiness of a pale ale with the unique juniper aroma and essence. The following is a summary of the boil and pitch process. Just as the northern lights can be a splash of color and life during a long, cold winter, I want the Northern Lights Juniper Rye PA to be a bright, vibrant brew that awakens a winter palette that has been overwhelmed with thick stouts and complex porters. I will, as always, keep everyone up-to-date as this beer ferments, ages, and is consumed.

For this particular brew, I am using two hop varieties that I have not previously used; the Magnum and Motueka (a New Zealand variety). Another first for me is the use of Juniper Berries, which should lend a pleasant, bitter-sweet aroma which reminds me of gin. The berries are sweet, with a hint of pine and turpentine. This ingredient is traditional in the Scandinavian beers…the homeland of the northern lights.

Fermentables
2 lbs. - Rye Male
7 lbs. - Pale Liquid Male Extract

Hops
2.0 oz. - Magnum 13.5% AA - 60 minutes
1.0 oz. - Motueka 8.9% AA - 15 minutes
1.0 oz. - Motueka 8.9% AA - 5 minutes

Yeast
White Labs American Irish Ale (WLP004)

Steep rye malt for 30 minutes at ~150 F.

Add pale liquid malt extract, and return to boil. Add 2 oz. of the Magnum hops to the boil. A heavy curtain of hop aroma steams up from the kettle. Add 1 oz. of Motueka hops (whole leaf) in steeping bag. Steep the juniper berries in a small pot and pour mixture into a food processor. A quick pulse will crack the berries and create a juniper “slurry”.

With 5 boil minutes remaining, place the remaining 1 oz. of Motueka hops to another steeping bag. Pour the juniper “slurry” through the hops into the kettle and let the berries fall into the bag. Let the entire mixture steep in the boiling wort for the remaining time.

Cool the wort, place into the fermenter, pitch the yeast, and wait for the bubbles.

This was an amazing recipe made with good friends and beer.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of flank steak (trimmed)
• 1 medium onion
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
• Cumin
• Kosher salt
• 1 lime
• 1 avocado
• 1/2 cup of white wine vinegar
• 1 cup of olive oil
• Small flour tortillas
• Full Sail Nut Brown Ale
• Chipotle-Tomatillo Sauce (made previously)

Preparation

Slice flank steak across the bias into strips Prepare marinade with lime juice, white wine vinegar, cilantro, garlic, cumin, kosher salt, and olive oil. Allow to sit for 1 hour.
		Place meat on heated bbq, or run out of gas and go for an amazing option. Heat a dutch oven on the stovetop (high). Place strips on the dutch oven in batches. After removing the meat, deglaze the dutch oven with Full Sail Nut Brown Ale. Add onion and leftover marinade. Cook down until dark and syrupy.
Slice avocado and construct with tortilla, carne asada, the beer onions, avocado, and the chipotle-tomatillo sauce. Completely decadent

This is a super easy and tasty recipe…perfect with an IPA or pale ale.

Ingredients

• 1 Pound of sliced chicken breast
• 12 Tomatillos
• 6 Chipotle chilis with adobo sauce
• 1 Medium yellow onion
• 1 Head of Garlic
• Tortillas
• Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• Chili Powder
• Salt
• Pepper

Preparation

Roast tomatillos in dry frying pan until they are nicely charred in the outside.
		Roast garlic in a 400 degree oven for 30-35 minutes until the garlic is nice and soft. Set aside and allow to cool.
Fry sliced onion until soft with caramelized edges.
		Place chipotles with adobo sauce in food processor. Put chopped tomatillos, roasted garlic, onions, chili powder, salt and pepper in the processor.
Blend until it reaches a texture you like.
		Lightly dredge chicken in seasoned flour. Place batches of chicken strips into oil at medium high heat. After removing the chicken from the pan, put them on a cookie sheet and into a warm oven.
Once all of the chicken has been fried, pour the sauce into a clean frying pan and bring to heat. place the chicken into the pan and allow it to simmer for several minutes.
		Place chicken on on a tortilla with several slices of sharp cheddar cheese. Spoon some of the sauce on top and roll tortilla.
Serve with a refreshing brew (in this case, the Wailua Wheat Ale with passionfruit from Kona Brewing). Now that’s a meal.