Pale Ale Beer Pickles
In the USA it is almost Thanksgiving, and who doesn’t love pickles on the Thanksgiving dinner table? Actually, pickles are good anytime of the year, in my opinion, especially these pale ale beer pickles. Adding beer to the pickle brine gives it a tang and hoppyness, yet allows the salty, garlicky flavours to still shine through.
If you are looking for other Thanksgiving ideas, how about trying a beer brined turkey!? It would be the perfect way to present your bird along with these pale ale beer pickles.
The Brewery
Ribstone Creek Brewery is located in Edgerton, Alberta, a small village of about 400 people! It is located in an old tractor dealership, renovated into a brewery that has been creating award winning beers since the fall of 2012. Keepers Point, the Pale Ale I used for these Pale Ale Beer Pickles, is from their Global Beer Series. Another beer from this series, the Abbey Lane, is a staple beer in our house! Find out more about their story and their beers on their website, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
The Beer
Keeper’s Point is a pale ale. It pours a pale yellow with a slight haze to it, and a light amount of white head. The smell is juicy, citrus, some floral notes and exotic fruit. The taste is of juicy hops, bready pale ale malts, grapefruit rinds, and floral earthiness. It has a medium carbonation, medium weight, slightly dry, and a lingering grapefruit citrus mouthfeel. Overall it is crisp, delicious, and very flavourful.
The Recipe
This is actually my first time making pickles myself (usually my husband makes them), and wow, how easy! I mean, there is a lot of chopping to start, especially if you are doing a HUGE batch, but then it is smooth sailing! Pour yourself a craft beer while making these pale ale beer pickles, and you are set for a fun day of pickling!
Pale Ale Beer Pickles
Ingredients
- 2 pounds baby cucumbers, cut the way you like
- 1 cup random coloured bell peppers, sliced
- 1/2 jalapeno pepper, sliced into 6 segments
- 1/2 banana pepper, sliced into 6 segments
- 12 garlic cloves
- 2 cup white vinegar
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1-1/2 cup Pale Ale beer
- 1-1/2 cup water
- 2/3 cup white sugar
- 1/3 cup pickling spices
- 2 Tbsp pickling salt
- 1/2 tsp peppercorns
- 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
Instructions
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Mix the vinegars, beer, water, sugar, and spices all together in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes.
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Meanwhile, sterilize 6 pint jars (500 mL jars) and lids. Pack each sterilized jar with 2 garlic cloves, one each of the hot pepper slices, and then as many cucumbers and bell peppers you can cram in.
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Pour the hot brine over the cucumbers and vegetables, leaving 1/2 inch room from the top. Remove air in the jars by running a nonmetallic utensil around the inside of the jar.
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Screw on the lids, and process the pale ale beer pickles in the bath for 15 mins. Remove from bath. Ensure lids pop to seal, and store for up to a year.