The first Friday of every August is officially International Beer Day!
What is International Beer Day?
It was founded in 2007 by Jesse Avshalomov in California, USA and since its inception, International Beer Day has had three declared purposes:
- To gather with friends and enjoy the taste of beer.
- To celebrate those responsible for brewing and serving beer.
- To unite the world under the banner of beer, by celebrating the beers of all nations together on a single day.
To celebrate International Beer Day we thought we’d share our favourite ingredients for making the perfect beer battered fish dishes!
What is the best fish to use with beer batter?
When using beer batter, it’s generally best to opt for mild white fish such as haddock, halibut, or cod. This is because the simple yet delicious flavours of the fish complement the light, crispy beer batter perfectly.
Here at Bradley’s, some of our favourite fish to use are hake, with its succulent texture and slightly sweet flavour which balances perfectly with the beer batter, and pollock, a juicy and tender choice which is full of flavour.
How do you make delicious beer batter?
Well of course beer is a key ingredient here but you also want your batter to be rich in flavour so a range of ingredients such as sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, onion and garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper will be needed.
What type of beer is best to use?
If you’re choosing a mild white fish like we previously mentioned, then you’re going to want to choose a light beer that’s not going to overpower the fish.
However, if you’re looking to create a fried fish dish that is a little bit more exotic and creative, there are so many concoctions you can try!
Newcastle Brown Ale
Squid is a popular choice for battering and we have to say, beer-battered squid is simply delicious. You could pair this with a light beer or for something a little adventurous, you could try Newcastle Brown Ale. The warm, caramel notes and sharp, malty aroma add a little more depth to the dish and elevate the squid.
Goose Island IPA
Salmon is one of the stronger tasting fish which makes Goose Island IPA a solid choice for beer batter. It has a body that is fuller than most IPAs and also contains bright citrus notes that complement the salmon well. Goose Island IPA is also exceptionally smooth, which results in a very clean, flaky outer crust.
Guinness
Guinness is a stronger beer with a darker complexion and creates truly mouthwatering batter. That dark, amber colour is unparalleled and pairs well with any white fish of your choosing. Pouring Guinness into your batter adds a slight chocolaty, malty sweetness and you might notice some coffee notes coming through as well!
If you’re celebrating International Beer Day and want to create your own beer battered fish, we have a range of frozen seafood online for you to buy. Browse our extensive selection of high-quality frozen fish online and start shopping today!
To celebrate International Beer Day, we’re offering 25% on all hake on pollock products! Just use code “FridayBeers” at checkout. Hurry offer ends 5th August 2022!
