What We’re Cooking | Smoked Over-the-Top Chili

Of all the hobbies we’ve collected as humans over the pandemic, learning how to cook with a smoker might be one of the best. It’s practical, can be used for the rest of your life, makes delicious food and walks that perfect line between obsession and enthusiasm without completely depleting your bank account.

If you are in the food-smoking world, you likely have already seen a few (or a ton of) social media posts for over-the-top chili. And even if you haven’t made it yourself (yet), it’s probably high on your list. For National Chili Day, we thought it would be a perfect time to highlight this versatile cold-weather dish. Most chili recipes call for water OR beer, so you can swap out the water in your chili base for any of your favorite beers (probably wouldn’t use a Sour obviously). For this recipe, the beer of choice was 95 Nightmares Before Christmas, a Dry-Hopped Munich Lager from Fiction Beer Co.

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Chicago Quick Sips | October 30

Quick Sips is our way of highlighting beer events, tap takeovers and other notable beer news around the city of Chicago. If you’d like to submit something to be included in the next Quick Sips, please email us at [email protected].
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Prairie Artisan Ales | BOMB! Imperial Stout

There comes a point in every hobby where you have to take things to the next level. This usually involves investing more time, energy and, most of all, money. I’m someone whose always resisted that for any hobby. With craft beer, it’s been a specific price point. When I started drinking I set a price I was willing to pay for a single bottle of beer from a store. Surely, I thought, I’ll never actually cross that line. Nothing can be that good. Well Porchdrinkers, Prairie Artisan Ales finally blew me to the next level of craft-dom with BOMB!, its imperial stout.

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Cooking with Beer | Dragon’s Chili

It’s the NFL Super Bowl – aka time to get your chili game strong. Check out this recipe for New Holland Brewery’s Dragon’s Milk infused pork green chili. You won’t be disappointed, even if your team loses.

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Stone Brewing Punishment

ABV: 12%

IBU: 82

Stone Brewing Punishment is the 2013 Double Bastard Ale brewed with freshly harvested peppers and aged in bourbon barrels. So, when you add those spicy chilies to a big beer what do you get? The result is a chili beer with a tremendous depth of flavor, as well as a legitimate heat.

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Avery Brewing Co. – Snapping Turtles

ABV 9.5%

This taproom only treat was one warming experience. Avery blends the rich dark maltiness of a wee heavy with peated malt and to top it off, adds smoked … Read More