The new seasonal beer harkens to a time when multiple generations of the Leinenkugel family would gather with friends and enjoy a special brew crafted especially for the holiday season.
While the star of this holiday seasonal is the roasted malt character, the well-balanced flavor and brilliant amber tones give Leinenkugel's Fireside Nut Brown a comforting approachability that you don't experience in traditional English-style nut browns. English two-row malts give this lager a maple aroma and pronounced chocolate, caramel and hazelnut top notes that dance around the palate before finishing gracefully.
Brewed in small, high-quality batches at Leinenkugel's brewery in Chippewa Falls, Wis., Leinenkugel's Fireside Nut Brown Lager is the perfect complement for holiday foods such as glazed hams, roasts, gravies, pies and pastries.
Fireside Nut Brown contains 4.9 percent alcohol by volume (ABV). It will be available during November and December where Leinenkugel's is sold in 6, 12 and 24-pack bottles and on draft.
"Fireside Nut Brown is an adventurous yet classic flavor rounding out our family of year-round and seasonal beer offerings," said Jake Leinenkugel, fifth generation brewer and president of the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company. "We're excited to introduce our version of this English-style beer and hope to draw interest from our loyal fans and beer lovers in search of variety or new seasonals during the holiday season."
Craft beer lovers should also keep an eye out for a new late winter / early spring seasonal - Leinenkugel's 1888 Bock - which will hit shelves and taps in January.
HOLIDAY RECIPES
Leinie's Nut Brown Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients:
* 4 large sweet potatoes
* 1/4 cup Leinenkugel's Fireside Nut Brown
* 1/2 cup heavy cream
* 1 teaspoon olive oil
* 4 tablespoons brown sugar
* 3 tablespoons molasses
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup chopped candied walnuts to top
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. Place the potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for one hour or until tender.
3. Scoop the flesh into a bowl and discard the skins.
4. Add the beer, cream, olive oil, brown sugar, molasses, and salt and beat on high speed with an electric mixer until smooth.
5. Add chopped candied walnuts to top potatoes.
6. Cover to keep warm or reheat before serving.
Leinie's Traditional Fireside Stuffing
Ingredients:
* 1 pound ground Italian sausage
* 1/2 cup minced carrots
* 2 cups chopped celery
* 2 large yellow onions, chopped
* 5 cups crumbled cornbread
* 5 cups seasoned bread crumbs
* 2 cups chicken broth
* 1 bottle of Leinenkugel's Fireside Nut Brown
* 1 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
* 1 teaspoon sage
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325° F.
2. Place Italian sausage, carrots, celery and onions in a large skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain and set aside.
3. In a large bowl combine sausage mixture with cornbread, bread crumbs, chicken broth, Leinenkugel's Fireside Nut Brown, poultry seasoning and sage. Mix well and transfer to a 9x12-inch baking dish.
4. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes or until cooked through. Take off foil and brown another 10 minutes.
Craft a Quick Leinie's Baste
To add a hint of maple, caramel and hazelnut to your turkey, pour one to two bottles of Leinenkugel's Fireside Nut Brown over your turkey and then baste it with butter. The drippings are also ideal for adding a flavor shot to your gravy.
About Leinenkugel's
Leinenkugel's, brewed in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, is the leading craft brewer in the upper Midwest. Year-round offerings include Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat, Honey Weiss, Berry Weiss, Leinie's Red, Creamy Dark, Original and Light. In addition to the new Fireside Nut Brown, Leinenkugel's offers three other limited-release seasonal beers including summer favorite Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy, Leinenkugel's Oktoberfest and 1888 Bock (coming Jan. 2009). For more information on the rich history of Leinenkugel's, visit www.leinie.com.