For anyone that likes to prepare Asian inspired dishes at home, the Ginger Pale Ale from Trade Route Brewing should be right next to the soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, and rice wine vinegar. Brewed with ginger, galangal, and orange peel, and very low on the bitterness scale, this ginger pale is ideal for anything from slow braising meat, to delicate dressings.
Before the explosion of the craft beer movement, beer in recipes did not add a whole lot of flavor to the finished product. Now, as brewers become more creative with adjuncts, beer is stepping out of the shadows to play a more prominent role in cooking. The classic four ingredients in beer-water, malt, hops and yeast-are now merely the base canvas for brewer’s artistry. Ingredients like pumpkin, basil, jasmine, cherries, and ginger, are opening a wealth of possibilities for chefs to add more flavors, which is always a good thing, right?
Don’t get me wrong. Trade Route’s Ginger Pale Ale is not the beer equivalent of cooking wine. It is meant to be consumed in a pint glass first and foremost; especially in the summer. It is refreshing, light, and drinkable with nice body and texture. So whatever you end up cooking with it, be it in a marinade, a broth, or sauce, make sure you buy a few extra bottles to drink with your meal!
Trade Route Brewing is located on 1091 Valentine Ave SE, Pacific Washington 98047. Take a little road trip, and visit their taproom.
