For his latest cookbook, beer writer John Holl gathered recipes organized by styles and flavor profiles, along with glimpses of each of the breweries and beers featured in the book.
As Holl writes in the introduction to “The Craft Brewery Cookbook: Recipes To Pair With Your Favorite Beers” (Princeton Architectural Press, $29.95), the pairings also highlight local and regional ingredients, from New England seafood to meat dishes from the Midwest. And several Southern breweries are highlighted in the mix, including metro Atlanta’s Good Word and New Realm, and Sierra Nevada in Mills River, North Carolina.
Holl’s first cookbook, “The American Craft Beer Cookbook: 155 Recipes From Your Favorite Brewpubs & Breweries” (Storey, $19.95), was published 10 years ago. As he notes, beer has changed a lot in that time.
“There are things in that book that I think are still great, and the recipes are still good, but the beer world has changed so much since then,” Holl said. “Things like kettle sours and hazy IPAs. But there’s also the trend toward the ‘better for you’ category, where now breweries are putting the calories on their cans, and nonalcoholic beer is on the rise. So the recipes in the new book reflect where we are with beer right now.”
Credit: Jeff Quinn
Credit: Jeff Quinn
What’s certain is that while beer drinkers have become much more sophisticated, and often more adventurous, they know what they want.
“It’s so interesting these days to walk into a taproom or a bar and hear somebody just say, ‘Do you have an IPA or do you have a Belgian wit?’ They’re not asking for a specific beer, they’re looking for a style,” Holl said. “By grouping the book by style, I think we can show diversity, but also just make it easier for readers to get to what they want faster. If you have an imperial stout in your fridge, you know what chapter to turn to.”
With more than 9,000 breweries in the U.S., the process of choosing what breweries to feature would seem to be a daunting task. But Holl considered it “a fun challenge” to pick a hundred or so.
“When I started thinking about who would be good to represent in the book, I just started reaching out,” he said. “I wanted a mix of breweries that had been around for a while, ones that are still new, ones that are hyper-focused on certain styles, and people who are doing cool things in the beer and food space.
“This could easily be a nine-volume cookbook, and it still wouldn’t have everyone I like. I think all cookbooks are a snapshot in time, because food evolves. But this is the story right now, as far as I can tell from the stories from brewers and chefs.”
Book Signings
“The Craft Brewery Cookbook” with John Holl. 4:30 p.m. July 11 at New Realm Brewing, 550 Somerset Terrace NE, Atlanta. 404-968-2777, newrealmbrewing.com. 5 p.m. July 12 at Good Word Brewing, 3085 Main St., Duluth. 404-973-2077, goodwordbrewing.com. More info: JohnHoll.com.
RECIPES
These recipes from “The Craft Brewery Cookbook” include a decadent bar snack, a hearty warm salad, and a grilled trout entree served with spring greens. Each recipe includes a recommended beer pairing.
Credit: Jon Page
Credit: Jon Page
Dorito-crusted Scotch Eggs with Cumin-Fennel Marmalade and Pickled Fennel Fronds
Scotch eggs are a brewery staple. The beer pairing for this recipe from New Realm Brewing in Atlanta is Gose, a refreshing, low-alcohol beer, with slightly salty notes that work well with the richness of the dish.
Recipes reprinted with permission from “The Craft Brewery Cookbook: Recipes To Pair With Your Favorite Beers” by John Holl. Copyright 2022 by Princeton Architectural Press.
Credit: Jon Page
Credit: Jon Page
Warm Farro, Mushroom and Romanesco Salad with Poblano Sauce
Though it comes together quickly, this warm salad from the kitchen of Good Word Brewing & Public House in Duluth has a depth of flavor that will excite the taste buds. The pairing is an imperial stout, which might seem heavy, but the peppers complement the beer’s roast character.
Credit: Jon Page
Credit: Jon Page
Spring Greens Salad with Lemon IPA Vinaigrette and Grilled Trout
Salads can be dressed up with protein in any number of ways, but adding freshly grilled trout brings delicious nutty flavor to the plate. The pairing for this recipe from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. in Mills River, North Carolina, is a Bavarian-style wheat beer, which just sings with the lemon in the vinaigrette.
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