Great Divide Brewing Company - St. Brigid's Porter

Two words. Great Porter. We really liked this porter! The beer itself is named after the Irish saint who is credited with a somewhat unorthodox miracle: In order to help slake the thirst of lepers in her care, she turned her bath water into beer. A neat trick to be sure. Historians did not record the lepers' reaction, but it was probably something like…"Cool!". It took the Gold Medal at the World Beer Cup in 1996 and the Silver Medal at the World Beer Championships in the same year, and was named best porter by Westward Magazine in both 1995 and 1996. Note a definite roasted malt nose with little hops evident in this deep, ruby-colored, full-bodied ale. A "robust porter" by style, St. Brigid's doesn't let you down. You'll find the body full and offering notes of chocolate and a lingering roasted finish.

St. Brigid's Carbonanade Flamande
(That'd be Beef and Onions Braised in Beer for you uncultured heathens!)

4 tablespoons oil
1 beef rump or similar roast (2 to 2 ½ pounds), trimmed and sliced ¼ inch thick
Salt and pepper
2 pounds onions (about 4 medium), thinly sliced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups beef stock or canned beef broth
1 bottle St. Brigid's Porter
1 teaspoon brown sugar, if needed
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
3 sprigs parsley
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the beef slices lightly with salt and pepper and cook as many at a time as will fit in a single layer until all are nicely browned, about 1 minute per side. Transfer the slices to a plate and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the remaining oil to the skillet. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Lift the onions out of the skillet with a slotted spoon, leaving behind as much of the oil as possible.

Return the skillet to medium-high heat, stir in the flour, and cook, stirring, until the resulting roux is a medium brown. Add the stock, beer, and any accumulated juices from the meat plate. Cook, stirring to break up any lumps, until the sauce is lightly thickened. Taste for salt and add more if necessary; add the vinegar and a little brown sugar, if you like, to balance the bitterness of the beer. (Sugar may be unnecessary with some sweeter beers.)

Spread half the onions in the bottom of a shallow covered baking dish. Arrange the beef slices in a layer on top. Tie the herbs into a bundle (bouquet garni) with clean string and place it on top of the meat. (If using dried thyme, just scatter it in the pan.) Spread the rest of the onions on top. Pour the sauce over the meat and onions, cover the baking side, and bake until the meat is quite tender, 2 to 2 ½ hours. Let it stand until the fat rises to the surface, then discard the herb bouquet and skim off the fat. Serve with new potatoes or wide noodles.

Serves: 6