Chili Beer Burritos

I made beer burritos with chili beer last night.

Ew.

I knew they were going to taste different when I used frozen corn and fresh tomatoes instead of canned, to cut back on the sodium.

What I didn't expect was no flavor at all from the beer.

I usually make beer burritos with Corona, and it comes out just fine. The chili beer didn't leave behind any beer flavor or extra spice. I was expecting at least some heat, considering how burny the beer is when I drink it from the bottle.

Nope. Nothing. Disappointing, because when I make it with Corona, I get comments on how nice the beer flavor is. Oh well.

The next order of business? Satisfy my curiosity about what the chili itself--a regular ol' serrano pepper--tastes like. I shook it out of the bottle and lopped off a piece to taste. I immediately wished I hadn't. Maybe all of the spice had leached out into the beer? I don't know how those things work.

The short attention span version: Chili beer doesn't give food flavor. Eating chilis that have been soaked in beer is a bad idea. Do Not Try This At Home Or At All.

Beer is good! ...and stuff. Let's go drink some BEER!

They say beer will make me dumb. It are go good with pizza.

So, I've discovered that beer really IS good (and stuff). I'm very lucky to live less than five minutes' walk to the Total Wine, where they have a nice selection of single bottles. Making mix-packs is more fun than it probably should be (oh! I found a Monty Python Holy Grail Ale! I don't know if I'll like it, but I don't care because it's Monty Python beer).

I also like spicy things, so when I found a chili beer, I snatched it right up!

....It's like drinking liquid hot pepper.

Which is great, if that's what you're in the mood for, but since I generally like to eat spicy foods with my beer... meh.

It's also great for when you're not in the mood to taste beer, because this doesn't taste like beer at all.

But, somehow, I still find it somewhat enjoyable. I also have this urge to get the peppers out of the bottle and cook with them. Or, you know, maybe I'll just cook with the beer itself--I do have a burrito recipe that uses half a bottle of Corona.

...Hmm. I have burritos on the dinner plan for this Wednesday night!

(And more soon about that hot pepper garlic pasta sauce! It was wonderful with gnocchi and I'm sure it will also be wonderful with the lemon chive fettucine that I just found in the kitchen!)