Kathy Flanigan - Beer Lover’s Wisconsin: Best Breweries, Brewpubs and Beer Bars

From Lakefront Brewerys Kristin Hueneke, Executive Chef

Makes 6 to 8 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup minced yellow onion

2 (14-ounce) cans chopped artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 pounds fresh spinach, washed and chopped

2 (8-ounce) packages of cream cheese, cut into cubes

11/2 cups sour cream

11/2 cups mayonnaise

2 tablespoons corn starch

2 teaspoons hot sauce

1/2 cup Lakefront Brewery IPA

11/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

11/2 cups mozzarella

1 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus 1 tablespoon, divided

3 tablespoons melted butter

1 loaf French bread

2 tablespoons minced parsley

Heat olive oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add onion and saut until translucent. Keep onions in the pan and add artichokes and garlic. Add spinach one handful at a time until wilted and you can fit it all in the pot. Once all of the spinach has wilted, remove from heat and set aside.

In a large sauce pan combine and heat cubed cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, corn starch, hot sauce, beer, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes over medium to high heat. Stir occasionally until cream cheese is melted and there are no more chunks.

Slowly add in mozzarella and 1 cup parmesan, stirring continuously. After all the cheese is melted and fully incorporated, add the spinach and artichoke mixture and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400F.

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter for 30 seconds.

Slice French bread into -inch slices. Brush both sides with melted butter and place in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake for 4 minutes then flip and bake an additional 4 minutes. Remove to serving tray and sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon parmesan and minced parsley.

Serve dip warm surrounded by bread slices.

From New Glarus Brewing

Makes 6 servings

1/2 cup 60 percent cacao dark chocolate chips

3 tablespoons heavy cream

2 tablespoons cherry all-fruit spread

1 tablespoon sugar, optional

1/4 cup New Glarus Wisconsin Belgian Red

In a 2-cup microwave-safe container combine chocolate chips, heavy cream, fruit spread, and sugar (if desired). Microwave on high for 40 seconds or until heated through and fruit spread is melted. Stir until well mixed. Add chocolate chips and stir until melted.

Pour in Belgian Red and stir until well blended. Chill for several hours until thickened.

Serve over a piece of your favorite cake or as a dip for fresh strawberries, bananas, or marshmallows.

From Ale Asylum

Makes 6 servings

This is a traditional Wisconsin soup for beer lovers. You can substitute turkey kielbasa to create a healthier version if you choose, with permission from Ale Asylum.

1 pound Wisconsin kielbasa, cut into coins

1/2 stick butter

1 cup diced onion

1 cup diced carrot

1 cup diced celery

2 tablespoon minced garlic

2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoon ancho chili powder

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 bottles Hopalicious

2 cups low-salt chicken broth

2 cups cream, divided

1 cup whole milk

24 ounces shredded Wisconsin cheese (medium cheddar and Monterey Jack work best)

1 tablespoon whole fennel, freshly ground

1/4 cup minced chives or parsley

Saute kielbasa in saucepan until cooked through, stirring occasionally. Remove, drain, and set aside.

Add butter, onions, carrots, and celery to saucepan over medium heat until they begin to sweat. Add garlic, salt, chili powder, and pepper. Mix well. Whisk in the flour until incorporated with the butter.

Whisk in Hopalicious, followed by the broth and 1 cup of the cream. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.

In a separate medium pot, heat remaining 1 cup of cream and whole milk on medium-low until warm. Whisking constantly, add shredded cheese in three batches to the cream until the mixture is completely smooth with no clumps. Add fennel and whisk well.

Add cheese sauce to soup stock and blend until smooth and creamy, (an immersion hand blender works best versus a standard blender). Once blended, simmer soup uncovered for 30 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste and add the reserved kielbasa. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with minced chives or parsley.

All the information in this guidebook is subject to change. We recommend readers call ahead to obtain current information before traveling.

An imprint of Rowman & Littlefield

Distributed by NATIONAL BOOK NETWORK

Copyright 2017 by Kathy Flanigan

All photography by Kathy Flanigan unless otherwise noted.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote passages in a review.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Available

ISBN 978-1-4930-2793-4 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-4930-2794-1 (e-book)

The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information SciencesPermanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.

All the information in this guidebook is subject to change. We recommend that you call ahead to obtain current information before traveling.

K athy Flanigan is a reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and for TapMilwaukee.com for which she covers the regions craft-beer community. She lives in Milwaukee.

I have so many people to thank.

Thank you, Duane Dudek, for being my biggest supporter and my designated driver.

Thank you, Caitlin Cave, for being my cheerleader and my favorite copy editor.

Thank you, Thomas Ciula, for being my beer mentor and having more confidence in my tasting abilities than I do.

Thank you, Lucy Saunders, for recommending me as the potential author of this book.

Thank you, beer community, for being gracious.

Thank you, friends and colleagues for listening to me talk about nothing but this book for months.

Thank you, sisters Peggy, Deb, and Molly, for joining me on a couple of the road trips, and for listening to me talk about nothing but this book for months.

Thank you, Jack, for your constant company.