2009 March | KegWorks (4)

Archive for March, 2009

Guinness Stout Cupcakes

Tuesday, March 17th, 2009

Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone!

Yesterday, after I had begun to settle in at work, a tweet came through the Twitter lines from KegWorks itself; "Can anyone think of a more appropriate way to celebrate St. Patty’s at work than with Guinness cupcakes? (hint hint…you know who you are)"

Indeed, I do know who that was directed at, and it was a hint I couldn’t help but take. And so, I whipped up a batch last night and upon entering work this morning, Tom (and I have a sneaking suspicion he might have had something to do with the hint) says to me, "Nearly half of the company called in today, and all I could think was, ‘More cupcakes for me!’"

That made my day :)

Guinness Stout Cupcakes

Adding Guinness to the cupcakes does not make them bitter. Instead, I find these cupcakes to be ultra-moist and balanced – not too sweet. Without further adieu, I bring you my homemade Guinness Cupcakes recipe:

Guinness Cupcakes
1 cup Guinness Draught or Guinness Extra Stout
1 stick, plus 2 tbsp unsalted butter
¾ unsweetened cocoa
2 cups brown sugar
¾ cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2½ tsp baking soda

Glaze Frosting
8 z cream cheese
1¼ cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a muffin tin or line with muffin paper.

Combine Guinness (I prefer the Extra Stout for more Guinness love in every bite) and butter, chopped into chunks, in a large saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until butter is melted. Remove from heat. Whisk in cocoa and brown sugar.

In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream, eggs and vanilla. Add this to the beer mixture and mix well.

In another dry bowl, sift together flour and baking soda. Fold the flour mixture into the batter.

Pour into muffin molds and bake 20-25 minutes (until an inserted toothpick comes out clean). Let stand 10 minutes and then remove cupcakes from tin and cool on a rack.

Once you’re ready to frost these mini Guinness creations, whip the cream cheese until smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar and beat. Add milk and beat until smooth. Spread over cooled cupcakes.

If you’re looking for more Guinness in each bite, substitute Guinness for milk in the glaze frosting. Delicious!

TAGS [ GUINNESS | GUINNESS CUPCAKES | ST. PATRICK'S DAY | GUINNESS RECIPES | GUINNESS CUPCAKE RECIPE ]

Posted in Drink Recipes | No Comments »

Your Guide to Building a Home Bar: A Multi-Post Series

Monday, March 16th, 2009

Weather is breaking and it seems spring has nearly sprung. This might just be the perfect time to finally build that home bar you’ve been wanting. Not sure where to start? Let us help.

Over the coming days, we’ll delve into all of the different aspects of what goes into building a bar at home, from planning, to refrigeration, to look and feel and more.

The best way to start is to figure out what you want out of a home bar, which brings us to our first section:

Planning Your Home Bar: Exploring Your Options

Ask yourself the following questions to figure out exactly what you want out of your home bar:

Do you want…

This?	Or This?	Points to Consider
Moveable Bar	Permanent Bar	Do you want your space to be flexible? Will this room be used for things other than entertaining?
DIY Project	Professional Contractor’s Job	How handy are you? How handy are your friends? Are they willing to work for beer? In a post to come, check out Building Yourself vs Hiring Out for the nitty gritty on both options.
Wet Bar (Sink)	Dry Bar (No Sink)	Will you be washing your glassware in your home bar area? If you want a wet bar you’ll obviously need to run water lines and a drain system.
Full Back Bar	Wall Shelving	What type of look do you want? Casual or professional? How much room will you need for "bartending" and storage?
Draft System / Beer on Tap	Refrigeration Units for Bottled/Canned Beer	How much beer do you drink? What about your friends and family? Having draft beer at home can save you valuable time and money so it’s a wise option for any beer drinker to consider.
One "All-Purpose" Refrigeration Unit	Different Fridges for Different Drinks	If you’re installing a draft system, you’ll certainly need a kegerator for your beer but you may also want a refrigerator for soda, mixers and bottled beverages. If you’re into the vino, a separate wine refrigerator could be a nice option for you as well.
Built-In Ice Machine	Temporary Ice Accommodations	How much entertaining will you be doing? How far is the closest ice source? How much money will you spend on bagged ice when you throw parties? If you’re using a fair amount of ice for your bar, a built-in ice machine can save you lots of time and hassle and over time, it’ll save you lots of money too!
Bathroom in the Bar Area	Existing Restroom Usage	If you’ve got the space and the resources, you might want to consider adding a half bath nearby. A restroom in the vicinity seriously cuts down on extra house traffic when entertaining.
Set Theme	"Evolving" Décor	Do you have a particular interest or theme that you want the bar to reflect?

Once you’ve figured out your basic bar desires, you’ll be ready for the next part in our series, Planning Your Home Bar: Layout and Design. Post coming soon!

TAGS [ HOME BAR | HOME BARS | BUILDING A HOME BAR | HOME BAR TIPS | BUILD A HOME BAR ]

Posted in Home Bar Tips | 4 Comments »

A St. Patrick’s Sunday

Monday, March 16th, 2009

We could not have asked for a more beautiful, perfect St. Patrick’s Parade Day here in Buffalo. Not a single cloud could be spotted. The sun beat down on the Queen City from dawn til dusk, treating all of us to temperatures worthy of t-shirts. I happily spent the day outside of my favorite local bar, Staples of Allentown, tended by my boyfriend, Fritz, who was dressed so fittingly he put Leprechauns to shame.

This was truly my favorite St. Patrick’s Sunday I’ve ever had the pleasure of enjoying. The smiles, laughter, conversations and near-rivers of Jameson and Guinness flowing from the bar were enough to make me wish that every weekend would be the same.

I started my St. Patrick’s Sunday at Staples with a shot of Jameson, my favorite Irish whiskey, followed by two cups of Irish coffee (black coffee with a heavy serving of both Jameson and Bailey’s, for me). Next were two double Bloody Mary’s – Fritz makes the BEST I’ve ever had (recipe in a post to come). From there, the day was filled with Irish Car Bombs and shots of Jameson, coupled with corned beef and loads of water to wash everything down. It couldn’t have been a better day.

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Posted in Polls, Random Cool Stuff, Rants and Raves | No Comments »

iShots – St. Patrick’s Day iPhone Recipe App

Friday, March 13th, 2009

Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day: "iShots – St. Patrick’s Day" is a graphically pleasing, fun, playful app that retails for just under a buck.

It contains about 20 shot recipes geared toward thirsty iPhone and iPod Touch party animals who are looking for something other than green beer on the 17th of this month.

Some may wonder whether it’s worth it to purchase an app just to get 20 recipes, but one might argue that the unique, beautifully-rendered coasters that accompany each recipe might make it so.

Looking for St. Patrick’s Day recipes that don’t require an iPhone? Get some here or check out the latest St. Pat’s recipes added to our blog.

Cheers!

Posted in Announcements, Random Cool Stuff | No Comments »

Please Don’t Order a Black and Tan in Ireland

Friday, March 13th, 2009

As St. Patrick’s Day approaches, we are inundated with all things Irish, and because Guinness Stout is the quintessential Irish beer, we are also bombarded with all things Guinness.

One thing made with Guinness that is not Irish is the Black and Tan. Unless you have been living under a rock, a Black and Tan is beer cocktail made with half Guinness and half Bass Ale, where the Guinness floats on top of the Bass. This simple drink can be seen as a metaphor for many things Irish and English; they don’t mix. An Irish folksong as case in point:

Come Out Ye Black and Tans

I was born on a Dublin street where the royal drums did beat
And the loving English feet walked all over us,
And every single night when me father’d come home tight
He’d invite the neighbors outside with this chorus:

(chorus) Oh, come out you black and tans,
Come out and fight me like a man
Show your wife how you won medals down in Flanders
Tell her how the IRA made you run like hell away,
From the green and lovely lanes in Killeshandra.

Although associated with St. Patrick’s Day in the US as one of its two ingredients is Guinness, do not order a Black and Tan in Ireland.

Black and Tans is the nickname given to the British paramilitary force, largely made up of English WWI veterans, formed to suppress the Irish Independence movement in 1920 and 1921. The Black and Tans employed brutal tactics in an attempt suppress the Irish Republican Army’s guerilla war, massacring civilians and burning Irish towns. They were called the "Black and Tans" due their khaki military trousers and darker police uniform shirts.

As a result of their mistreatment of the Irish people, Black and Tan is pejorative term in Ireland and calling someone a Black and Tan is an insult. Ordering a Black and Tan in a pub in Ireland with an American accent might not be taken as insult, but would certainly be considered quite culturally ignorant. To bring it back home, ordering a Black and Tan in today’s Ireland would be like ordering a Red Coat in early 19th century America.

So this St. Patrick’s Day, order a Half and Half instead. Similar to a Black and Tan, it is half Guinness Stout and half Harp Lager, making it all Irish.

Posted in Draft Beer Tips, Drink Recipes, Random Cool Stuff | 6 Comments »

Beer Funnel Dominoes

Friday, March 13th, 2009

This takes beer funneling to a whole new level. Thanks for the link, Dave!

What’s your favorite beer funnel maneuver? Tell us!

TAGS [ BEER BOTTLE DOMINOES | BEER DOMINOES VIDEO | BEER FUNNEL | BEER FUNNELING | BEER FUNNEL DOMINOES ]

Posted in Random Cool Stuff | No Comments »

New Tap Handles In – Stock Up Quick!

Thursday, March 12th, 2009

We just got a pile of rad new branded tap handles in – they’re sure to go quickly though, so check ‘em out and scoop ‘em up fast. Some of them are rare – ones I’ve never even dreamed of coming across.

Here are a few of my new favorites:

Whether you’ve got beer on tap or you just like to collect them, grab these tap handles quick!

Posted in Product of the Week | No Comments »

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Archive for March, 2009

Guinness Stout Cupcakes

Your Guide to Building a Home Bar: A Multi-Post Series

A St. Patrick’s Sunday

iShots – St. Patrick’s Day iPhone Recipe App

Please Don’t Order a Black and Tan in Ireland

Beer Funnel Dominoes

New Tap Handles In – Stock Up Quick!

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