Recipes for Bringing Home the Beer

Inside the Ingredients

By Nora Rae Pearl | March 7, 2026

In northern Michigan, beer is often listed among the likes of cherry trees, ski runs, and beaches. It’s everywhere—in nearly every Up North town, we can discover a new brewery. The best part is that we’re able to take these brews home with us from the taphouse into the kitchen. With so many varieties to explore, we can bring a whole new level of flavor into our cooking adventures. For these recipes, we used pale ale and porter, with our favorite options coming from Short’s Brewery, Five Shores, and Lake Ann Brewing Co.

Beer Brownies

A delicious, cakey, chocolate brownie with sophisticated flair.

Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup Porter or Stout
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 oz. white chocolate

To make the brownies: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper. Melt the butter and beer in a medium stock pot and whisk to combine. Once melted, turn off the heat and let sit for five minutes. After five minutes, whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. Add the vanilla, whisk until smooth. Add the sugar, whisk until smooth. Add the beaten eggs, whisk until smooth. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt; fold into chocolate mixture until evenly combined. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake until the brownies are set in the center and are pulling away from the sides, 30 to 45 minutes. Cool completely. Melt white chocolate and drizzle over brownies.

Broccoli Cheddar Ale Soup

Creamy, cheesy broccoli soup with an extra layer of brewed flavor.

Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small sweet onion, finely diced
1 medium carrot, peeled, and finely diced
1/4 cup flour
2 cups whole milk
2 cups vegetable stock
12 oz. can of Pale Ale
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 generous cups of broccoli florets, chopped into very small pieces
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese, plus more to garnish
1 generous tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)

To make the soup: In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the onion and carrot. Cook until softened and lightly browned. Add the flour and cook, stirring frequently, for two minutes. Slowly whisk in all the milk until smooth. Stir in the broth, beer, bay leaves, nutmeg, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Add the broccoli. Once it begins to bubble, turn down the heat and allow to simmer until the broccoli is tender, about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat, and let the soup sit for two minutes. Add the cheese and fresh thyme, give a brief stir, then allow to sit for a few minutes. Then, stir the soup until the cheese is melted. Taste and season to your liking. Serve with pretzel bites.