Amazon.com Review
Featured Recipe: Stone Pale Ale and Garlic Stir-Fried Brussels Sprouts
Serves 2 as a main course or 4 as a side dish
Ingredients 1 pound brussels sprouts (about 4 cups)
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
1/4 pound pancetta, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups (12 fluid ounces) Stone Pale Ale
1/4 cup vegetable stock
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Finely diced tomato, for garnish
Shaved or grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for garnish
Instructions Set up a steamer with 1 to 2 inches of salted water and bring the water to a rolling boil. Put the brussels sprouts in the steamer, cover, and cook until slightly tender, about 4 minutes. Drain and immediately transfer the Brussels sprouts to a large bowl of ice water to halt the cooking and preserve their bright green color. Let them cool in the ice water for about 1 minute, then drain. Lay them on a clean dish towel and pat dry. Cut them in half vertically, right through the core.
In a large wok or cast-iron skillet, heat the oil over high heat until it begins to shimmer. Turn the heat down to medium. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Turn the heat up to high, add the brussels sprouts, and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the beer and continue to cook over high heat until the liquid is mostly evaporated. Deglaze the pan by adding the vegetable stock, stirring and scraping up any browned bits that may be affixed to the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with the tomato and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Serve immediately.
Review
“Owners and co-founders Steve Wagner and Greg Koch share their story of how they got into beer making and ultimately founded Stone Brewing. The story is fascinating and written like they are just sitting on the bar stool next to you.”
—Seattle Weekly, Cooking the Books, 1/30/12
“The advice sections of the book are exceptionally strong. The beer-food pairing section is insightful, giving examples of what and what not to do. The cellaring tips explain how to properly age your beer without turning your bottles into a skunky mess. This would make a great gift for a home brewer or beer snob in your life. The writing is easy to read, and it’s like a knowledgeable friend is guiding you through the world of beer.”
—City Book Review, 1/13/12
“One of this fall’s most interesting beer books,
The Craft of Stone Brewing Co., tells the story of how Stone’s founders, Steve Wagner and Greg Koch, created the aggressively hopped, intensely flavored beers that turned their San Diego company into one of America’s iconic craft breweries.”
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Food & Wine, 10/13/11
“Greg and Steve do more than just brew the best beer in the world: they are an inspiration to ignore conventional wisdom, take creative risks, and make awesome things. This book is more than an inside look at how they used that philosophy to found Stone Brewing; it's filled with food recipes from their Bistro and beer recipes from their brewery. Whether you're a novice homebrewer, or routinely make 10 gallon batches with hops you grew in your back yard, this book will inspire you to make epic beer, epic food, and unleash your inner arrogant bastard.”
—Wil Wheaton Actor, Author, Homebrewer
“It’s a fantastic cookbook, and if you’re crazy for the flavors of that certain chili sauce then you really need the book. Really. It’s wonderful. Get it and make the Piquant Pulled Pork right away. You won't regret it.”
—Matt Armendariz, One for the Table, Must Buy Cookbooks of 2011
“All-Time Top Brewery on Planet Earth. The most popular and highest-rated brewery . . . ever.”
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BeerAdvocate “Not for the faint of heart, [Stone’s] bold brews have a strong and fast-growing fan base.”
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Bon Appétit “Stone Brewing makes aggressive beer--good news for those tired of the fizzy yellow stuff.”
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Los Angeles Times “San Diego [is] the new beer capital of the United States. Stone exemplifies the local approach, with aggressively hopped but completely drinkable brews.”
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Men’s Journal “Stone Brewing’s ‘extreme’ beers are like standard ales in overdrive.”
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Food & Wine “[Stone] has no interest in going mainstream if that means watering down the product.”
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Inc. “[Stone] is one of the best-known West Coast brewers with one of the most devoted cult followings this side of The Grateful Dead.”
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Beverage World “Stone Brewing Company from San Diego is arguably the most notorious player on America’s exhilarating craft brewing scene . . . .”
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The Publican See all Editorial Reviews