Best Irish Beer for Corned Beef

08 Mar 17 Beers + 3 Savory Recipes = the Luck of the Irish

Posted at 07:45h on 08 Mar in Beer, Meat, Produce, Recipes, What's New

Recipes included: Corned Beef and Cabbage, Corned Beef Hash and Beer Cheese Soup

Here in Bend, we love our beer pretty much every day of the year. St. Patrick's Day, though, is a sort of Super Bowl/NCAA Championship/Pole, Pedal, Paddle of beer drinking, corned-beef-and-cabbage savoring, and fun with bagpipers. Whether you're a beer aficionado who knows her International Bitterness Units (IBUs), an old-schooler who simply loves good brews, or a kombucha mama who's branching out, come March 17, beer is on your mind.

To satisfy these longings, our employee-owner experts on beer, meats and cheeses have 17 top beer pairings, tips for the best corned beef and cabbage, and recipes for a satisfying, fortifying, day-after-St. Patrick's Day corned beef and cabbage hash (using up your leftovers), plus a fun, easy beer and cheese soup that ushers the pub spirit into your home any day.

Don't go into the holiday arseways (Irish for a**-backwards). We'll help you have some good craic (Irish for a rippin' great time). After all, there are only two kinds of people in the world—the Irish, and those who wish they were.

First, why our handcrafted corned beef is the best there is.

Before we list the perfect beer pairings, here's why our house-made corned beef is the best, and that's no blarney. For more than two decades, we've specialized in brining our corned beef rounds from the leg instead of the brisket, which means it's 30 percent leaner, and it's from Oregon Country Beef, a trusted cooperative of family ranches in and around Oregon. This beef meets the high standards of environmental sustainability and is humanely raised on non-GMO feed.

newport-ave-market-corned-beef

For corned beef, we brine it with cloves, mustard seeds, peppercorns, bay leaf and other spices for more than a week. The leprechauns bless it with magical flavor before we vacuum seal it and have it ready for you alongside cabbage, carrots, onions, potatoes and Brussels sprouts, fully prepped and stove ready.

Remember: this is a slow-cooking dish, so it's best to shop before St. Patrick's Day and get started early in the day to have it ready for dinner. A crock pot is a great way to go. Turn it on in the morning, leave it, and it will be ready that evening. (See our recipe below.)

If you need it in a flash, though, never fear. Our 23 deli experts will have it hot and ready for you to swing by and pick up on March 17 (while supplies last of course).

While you're in the store, be sure to pick up a great mustard to go with it. We suggest Boar's Head's deli-style mustard, made from an old recipe that combines white wine and horseradish and pairs perfectly with corned beef. It has been our favorite for at least a dozen St. Patrick's Days.

Sip Me, I'm Irish

Our beer expert, Robert McCarthy, brings his culinary school training, plus a decade in the kitchen at the Multnomah Athletic Club in Portland, to our Wall of Beer. He's ready to help you navigate our premier selection of 500+ kinds of brews in 35 categories, from stouts, porters and red ales to IPAs, lagers and barrel-aged beers. He teamed up with Randy Yochum, our Director of Fresh, to bring you 17 fabulous beer pairings for St. Patrick's Day and beyond. Aren't we lucky!

Pair These Picks, Numbers 1 through 11, with corned beef, lamb stew (or our lamb skewers), shepherd's pie and other rich, savory dishes.

1. Guinness Stout

With its perfect, rounded flavor of bitter and sweet, this Irish classic is a distinctive, black, full-bodied liquid with a rich creamy head that drinks as if it's right out of a tap.

2. Obsidian Stout

Deschutes Brewery's robust and rewarding creation is as dark as the glassy, volcanic rock for which it is named, delivering notes of espresso and dark chocolate with a roasty finish.

Note: Join us on March 17, St. Patrick's Day, which happens to fall on Friday, for our weekly beer tasting from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Deschutes Brewery will be with us, demonstrating how to use Obsidian Stout to make Black and Tans, the classic Irish layering of a stout atop a lager. (The dark brew rests atop the light brew when it is gently poured over the back of a spoon.)

3. Harp Lager

This European-style pale lager, brewed by Guinness, is malty and herbal with notes of grain, which makes it a perfect mate to Guinness or Obsidian Stout for a Black and Tan.

4. Bass Ale

Deep gold in color, this English-style ale has earthy floral notes and a malt body with toffee, caramel and toasty highlights. It is well-balanced, making it another great companion to the stout in a Black and Tan.

5. The Abyss

Deschutes Brewery's deep, dark imperial stout is barrel-aged for twelve months in bourbon, Oregon oak or pinot noir barrels for nearly unfathomable depth and complexity, with hints of molasses and licorice.

6. Barrel Aged Dark Muse Imperial Stout

The dark, rich, chocolate notes of Worthy Brewing Co.'s barrel-aged Dark Muse are deepened with a bourbon, malty smokiness.

7. Tsunami Stout

Pelican Pub & Brewery creates this smooth, easy-drinking stout, which is also great to use for cooking roasts or short ribs in, or marinating brisket.

8. Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout

Anderson Valley Brewing's ebony stout, with a voluptuous mahogany head and bold, roasted flavors, is still fresh, not overpowering, and low in alcohol and IBUs. It's easy-drinking and goes with barbecue and all types of food.

9. Dark Star Imperial Oatmeal Stout

Fremont Brewing's Dark Star is a silky oatmeal stout made with Willamette hops for a balanced and smooth brew.

10. Rebellion Red Ale

Klamath Basin Brewing's amber ale is a traditional red ale. It does not have an intense red color, but it has the true malty flavor of a red ale, with tart citrus hop notes.

11. O'Hara's Irish Red

Carlow Brewing Company's red stands out with an impressively smooth malt body.

Pair Number 12 through 17, with Cheeses, Freshly Baked Soda Bread and More

The Irish playwright Oscar Wilde once said, "I can resist everything except temptation." That may be just one reason we carry Oscar Wilde Aged 2 Years Cheddar in our case. It is one of several delicious cheeses from Ireland, made from the milk of cows grazing emerald green pastures.

You'll also find luck with Kerrygold's Dubliner Aged Cheddar and Aged Cheddar with Irish Whiskey, a rich and creamy aged cheddar with undertones of the smooth, woody, nutty taste of pure Irish whiskey.

newport-ave-market-irish-cheddar

Be sure to serve it with freshly baked Irish soda bread, arriving straight from The Sparrow Bakery's ovens on March 16 and 17. Spread some of Newport Avenue Market's own brand of fresh, locally-made butter on the warm soda bread. Our butter is also great on vegetables served with corned beef. And for you Beer Cheese Soup lovers out there, see our recipe below.

12. India Red Ale

This American IPA-style beer from Double Mountain Brewery & Taproom in Hood River has a unique ale yeast which adds a delicious layer of complexity. Its hoppy qualities pair well with cheeses.

13. Double Red IPA

Bellevue Brewing Company's imperial-style brewed red ale has balanced hop complexity, with tropical notes to complement sharp cheeses.

14. Wexford Irish Cream Ale

Brewed by Greene King / Morland Brewery in Suffolk, England, this cream ale has buttery malt flavors and a fruity yeast which goes with cheese. It also makes for a perfect Black and Tan.

15. pFriem IPA

pFriem Family Brewers of Hood River offers this go-to IPA. With a piney aroma, a huge hoppy, citrus taste and a candy-like malt, it pairs well with anything, from spicy foods to gorgonzola and milder blue cheeses.

16. Saison Style Ales

We carry a range of these complex ales, with fruitiness, earthy yeast tones and some tartness, spice and medium bitterness. These semi-dry, slightly sweet ales pair well with many types of food.

17. Universale Pale Ale

Fremont Brewing delivers a Northwest twist on the classic pale ale, blending Old World malts, Northwest pale, roasted malts and classic Northwest hops. The balanced, rich malt flavor and subtle hop spice makes it a perfect pairing with cheese.

Don't Forget Our Beer of the Week Rewards, too.
For every $50 spent on our selected Beer of the Week, you'll receive $10 in "Moolah" (our store cash). Are you dancing a jig yet?

Newport Recommended Recipes

Newport Avenue Market's Handcrafted Corned Beef Round

4 to 6 lbs. Newport Avenue Market's Corned Beef Round (1 lb. per person highly recommended; corned beef reduces dramatically while cooking.)
4 to 6 carrots, peeled and cut into thirds
1 large head of cabbage, cut into 12 equal wedges (or substitute 4 lbs. Brussels sprouts, cut in half)
2 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes
4 small white onions, cut in a large dice
4 to 6 tbsp. Newport Avenue Market's own salted butter
4 tsp. white vinegar (optional)
1 loaf hearty crusty bread (or The Sparrow Bakery's Irish soda bread in-store for St. Patrick's Day)
6 12-ounce bottles of stout or other dark beer (optional)

Place corned beef in large (11-quart) crock pot, including all liquid and spices packaged with it. Cover with water and place cover on pot. (A stout or other dark beer may substitute for a really rich flavor. If using beer, roast Brussels sprouts in the oven instead.*)

Turn crock pot on high and cook for 5 hours.

After 5 hours, place prepped vegetables (minus Brussels sprouts*) in crock pot with the corned beef, and cook for an additional hour.

*If using Brussels sprouts, place on a sheet pan, add olive oil, sea salt and black pepper. Roast at 425 °F until browned and tender, approximately 30 to 45 minutes.

Serve with white vinegar, which may be drizzled on the vegetables along with Newport Avenue Market's salted butter.

Serves 4 to 6.

Randy's Corned Beef Hash

Cooked corned beef, diced or shredded (use St. Patrick's Day leftovers!)
Yukon gold potatoes (cooked or raw, and diced into 1/4-inch pieces, equal to the amount of the leftover corned beef)* Italian parsley, chopped
Zest of one lemon
1 tbsp. olive oil (per pound of corned beef)

Heat olive oil in a large skillet, add ingredients and sauté until potatoes brown (about 5 to 8 minutes).

*If using leftover potatoes, reduce cooking time to avoid overcooking them; they should remain slightly firm. Add lemon zest, stir, and cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes.

Robert's Go-to Beer Cheese Soup

1/2 cup butter
1 medium sized yellow onion, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped (red and green peppers may substitute for carrots and celery)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
12 ounces any of Irish ale, IPA (or experiment with Robert's beer picks from above)
7 ounces extra-sharp cheddar, shredded (we love Flagship)
7 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded (we love a Swiss Gruyère)
2 cups half-and-half
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 lb. smoked sausage, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (optional)
1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce, to taste (optional)

Melt butter in a stockpot over medium heat. Add chopped onion, carrot and celery. Sauté until softened. Add flour. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add chicken broth and beer. Heat until it comes to a boil.

Slowly add cheese while stirring, until just boiling and smooth. Add half-and-half, salt, dry mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Reduce heat to low and cook until soup has thickened.

Puree soup and veggies with an immersion blender until smooth. Place smoked sausage in a saucepan and sauté over medium heat until heated through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add sausage to the soup, transfer to a large serving bowl and serve hot. If you wish, garnish with chives and pinch of shredded cheese.