Gravy tends to be both an afterthought in the kitchen and a necessity in the dining room. Many unfortunately dry Thanksgiving turkey breasts have been triaged by boatfuls of our favorite holiday sauce.
Our preferred way to make gravy is a passive endeavor. First, we cook a hearty, beer-filled meat dish over the course of a few hours. Then we collect the pan drippings full of rich meaty flavors and root vegetables near the point of melting. Blend, season to taste, and serve. This is the perfect scenario when nothing in the world can make our loft smell any better with the sole exception of a 60-minute mash.
But when we're left without the luxury of roasted meats fresh from the oven, we came up with a quick standby recipe for evenings when sauce is a must. The combination of store-bought stock and beer pulls its weight when subbed in for drippings, and the addition of butter and flour to make a roux gives your gravy the perfect thickness. If you're wondering which beers to use, go with a porter (Chocolate Maple Porter), stout (Oatmeal Stout), or brown ale (Chestnut Brown Ale) for beef dishes. And for poultry or vegetarian options, use a lighter Belgian-style ale (Bruxelles Blonde). What to drizzle your gravy over is another question entirely.
We make all-grain beer brewing kits that make it easy to make beer at home. Whether it's your first batch or your hundredth.