COOKING WITH BEER TIPS:

1. Always consider the balance of ingredients within a given dish. Since beer is made with hops, you will need to offset the natural bitterness with sweetening agents. Significant amounts of sugar occur naturally in vegetables such as onions, leeks, shallots, carrots, corn and fruit.  If you are not using enough of these sweetening agents in your recipe you may need to add honey, molasses, sugar or malted barley.
2. In considering the balance of beer dishes remember that acid from ingredients such as tomatoes, lemon, lime, wine vinegar and mustard will offset the natural sweeteners and should be taken into account.
3. The palate tends to sense sweetness before bitterness.  It is important to remember this when tasting beer dishes in order to adjust balance.
4. Just using beer as a substitute for some other ingredients is not enough.  Ales, stouts, pilsners and other brews should be used to enhance dishes and lend them a unique character.
5. Beer is great for robust dishes where its assertive flavor is especially welcome, but it can also be successfully used in subtle dishes, as long as it is used in moderation.
6. Beer is extremely useful when cooking game, since it emphasizes the richness of the meat yet at the same time cuts excessive gaminess.
7. Fish, meats and poultry are all improved when marinated in beer.
8. Remember that the flavor of beer is greatly intensified as you reduce the liquid in the pan.
9. When used with cheese or cream, beer serves the very useful purpose of tempering the richness.
10. When mixed with flour, beer gives off one of the most wonderful aromas in the food world.  For this reason, beer bread, beer pancakes, beer fritters and other related items are enjoyable to cook as they are to eat.
11. The following ingredients are among those most often used when cooking with beer:
    
    Lime juice
    Lemon juice
    Wine vinegar
    Cumin
    Cayenne pepper
    Chile peppers
    Maple syrup
    Honey
    Molasses
    Cilantro
    Parsley
    Chicken stock
    Beef stock
    Veal stock
    Tabasco sauce
    Tomatoes
    Onions
    Garlic
    Carrots
    Bell peppers
    Barley malt
    Sugar
    Corn syrup
    Worcestershire sauce