Bright White

Here is another delicious way to use our beer in the kitchen. This time we are talking about Bright White Forgotten Cookies. Enjoy! Yields about 4 dozen cookies.  Ingredients 3 egg whites, at room temperature 3/4 cup sugar Pinch of salt 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup finely chopped pistachios 1 cup finely candied ginger 1/4 cup Bright White Instructions 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit 2. Cover a sheet tray with parchment paper and spray with a cooking spray. 3. Whip egg whites until they start to foam. Once foamy, slowly add the sugar and continue whipping until whites are at a stiff peak.  4. Whisk in salt and vanilla.  5. Fold in pistachios, ginger and Bright White.  6. Drop spoonfuls of the meringue mixture onto the prepared sheet tray.  7. Put the sheet tray into the oven and turn the oven off.  8. Leave cooking in the oven overnight or for 10 hours. Keep the oven door closed to ensure no heat escapes. This should make the outside of the cookie crisp and leave a chewy texture inside.  Enjoy with a Bright White! Download the recipe. 

Bell’s Winter White Ale is getting a new look and a new name for 2019. When our Belgian-inspired Wheat Ale returns this month, its look will be reminiscent of what fans have seen since 2003. This update speaks to the beer’s appeal beyond cold temperatures and snow. Nothing about the recipe has changed. Bright White Ale is the same bright alternative to stouts, porters and other darker beer styles fans have loved over the years. Stylish and refreshing, it is still fermented with a Belgian yeast strain, yielding a mix of clove and fruity aromas without the use of any spices. Bright White is inspired by the Belgian Wit (White) style of beer that has been brewed as far back as the Middle Ages. Unlike traditional Wit beers, Bright White includes no spices like coriander seed, orange peel, and sometimes grains of paradise. Bright White has several fruity aromas which all comes from the malt and yeast. This seasonal beer is enjoyable whether your view includes a snow man or a palm tree. “It is easy-drinking and lighter than the long list of stouts traditionally released in the winter months,” said Larry Bell, founder and president of Bell’s Brewery. “Stout should be enjoyed year-round but sometimes, you just need a break.” “We wanted to keep the new name simple and connect it back to the original. And since many of our fans use ‘bright’ to refer to this beer, it just made sense to play to those strengths,” said Bell. Availability At 5% ABV, Bright White Ale will be available on draft, in bottles (12 oz. bottles in 6-packs and 12-packs) and in cans (6-packs and 12-packs of 12 oz. cans and 4-packs of 16 oz. cans) beginning this month through the end of March, while supplies last. For help find this beer near you, visit the Bell’s Beer Finder and be sure to check out our Events Calendar. Coming in December Bell’s is teaming up with Untappd to offer a special Bright White badge celebrating its release. Available during the entire month of December, one (1) check-in will unlock it.

Thanksgiving is a day-long marathon of family, beer and food. As you put together your holiday shopping list, keep in mind that your selection can help make that Thanksgiving Day Parade your cousin wants to watch a little less painful, but can also complement your menu and even help take it to another level. Here are some pointers to pair our “family” of American craft beers with your family traditions. Amber Ale will compliment everything on your table. It offers a great balance between sweet caramel malts, moderate alcohol and a touch of hop bitterness. Greet everyone with a glass of Amber to ready their taste buds for the meal to come. You can pair our classic ale with a wide range of appetizers, main plates, side dishes and desserts. Plus, the low ABV will hopefully fend off any sleepiness. Lager of the Lakes: Sage and Onion stuffing will complement the traditional style of our Lager by offering a combination of firm malt and herbal hop bitterness and crisp drinkablity. Have it in your fridge for those that might not be familiar with craft beer. Start them on that journey with Lager or Amber Ale. Great with Brussel sprouts! Official Hazy IPA perfectly pairs with homemade cranberry relish with a zest of orange. Beautiful pungent American hops with stone fruit and tropical notes, Official is a refined beer for both those who love hops or prefer wheat beers. If you're frying a turkey, this is the beer for you! Bright White pairs with your Turkey and cranberry. Our seasonal beer’s fruity aromas, moderate body and alcohol will nicely compliment tart cranberries and turkey, especially for white meat lovers. Bright White also pairs well with lighter dishes like a salad or a shrimp cocktail. This is also a great beer to pair with fruit desserts like apple cobbler or blueberry trifle. Two Hearted Ale — Stuffing or dressing? How about our delicious IPA with a classic oyster dressing? It's the best way to showcase the singular and simple flavor of oysters in a great Thanksgiving pairing. Also great with garlic mashed potatoes and sublime with green bean casserole. Bell’s Porter pairs well with glazed ham. It will also pair well with anything on the chocolatey side of desserts as its slight bitterness, roast and coffee characteristics will complement the sweetness. Kalamazoo Stout — Pecan, sweet potato or pumpkin pie? Let Kalamazoo Stout pair amazingly with these desserts. The roasted malt flavors and bitter hop additions will counter and help balance these sweet treats nicely. Expedition Stout is a great as a compliment to rich, decadent dessert dishes. Its roasted malt character, sturdy hop bitterness, and high alcohol balances nicely and helps cut through the sweetness and heaviness that most desserts tend to have. Or, skip the dessert and indulge in one on its own. Bell’s Christmas Ale — End the meal with a selection of cheeses, especially with some Gruyere, an aged white cheddar or some Asiago. Allow our traditional Scotch Ale with its rich and malty body, notes of caramel and a warm finish settle you in for that after-dinner nap. Check out some of these great food pairing suggestions and recipes for your Thanksgiving. Cheers! Winter White with Turkey Craftbeer.com Two Hearted paired with cranberry sauce Outside Expedition Stout paired with Pumpkin Pie Craftbeer.com Thanksgiving Stuffing pairing suggestions Craftbeer.com Chocolate Stout Truffle recipe from The Beeroness Deep Dish Porter Pecan Pie recipe from The Beeroness

Bright White is a Belgian-inspired Wheat Ale fermented with a Belgian yeast, yielding a mixture of clove and fruity aromas without the use of any spices. These traits make it the perfect beer to pair with food as you cook. Here are some suggestions and inspiration of cooking with Bright White from our own David Munro, one of our resident food and beer pairing experts. Mussels Mussels and Bright White are an excellent combination. Here is a recipe from Munro: Gently sauté a finely diced onion, three or four finely chopped cloves of garlic and two tablespoons of butter. Do this in a large enough pan that can hold two pounds of fresh mussels and has a tight fitting lid. Rinse the mussels with cold water and remove any opened ones. Once the onions and garlic have become translucent, pour a 12 oz. bottle of Bright White into the pan and add the mussels. Bring the liquid to a boil and cover with the pan with a lid. Reduce to medium/low heat and set timer for 5 minutes, or until the Mussels have opened. Turn off the heat, add a handful of roughly chopped cilantro and a four tablespoons of butter. Put the lid back on and shake (be careful not to burn yourself). You can either do family style service or use individual bowls. Be sure to pour all of the delicious broth over the Mussels and serve with a loaf of freshly baked crusty baguette to soak up all of that delicious broth! If you want spicy, use sriracha on the side, not in the cooking. Starters Here are some ideas of how you can use Bright White with appetizers and smaller dishes: Leek and potato soup made with Bright White. Bright White Chicken Chili: You can also have as an entrée, served over a baked potato. Sautéed local mushrooms, with a Bright White cream sauce of onions, garlic and fresh parsley. Use local thick cream for cooking. Bright White Cheese Fondue. Poached Asparagus with a Bright White Hollandaise style sauce. Entrees For an entrée or main course, think lighter. Seafood and chicken are complimentary. Beef, for the most part, is too much. A possible pairing with lamb. Here are other ideas: Scallops lightly poached in Bright White and served with a sauce of herbed chevre on a bed of stringozzi. Whole sole stuffed with leeks and crab, parchment baked with Bright White and served with Duchess potatoes. Seafood stew with Bright White broth. Eggs are also great with Bright White, including the omelet pictured above at the Eccentric Cafe. Dessert For dessert, pair with berries and cheese in combination or alone. Here are some more ideas: A layered mascarpone and berry trifle. Lemon Panna Cotta with Fresh Raspberry Coulis. Crepes with strawberry and cream cheese filling. A bowl full of fresh cherries, lightly poached in Bright White, chilled and topped with mascarpone ice cream. Have you cooked with Bright White or any of our other beers before? Let us know what you made on Facebook or Twitter using the hashtag #bellsbeer.