Beer jam, also known as beer jelly, [1] is a jam prepared with beer as a primary ingredient. [2] It may be a sweet or savory jam, and some have a syrupy consistency. It may be used to glaze meats and vegetables or as a condiment. Some companies produce beer jam commercially.
The primary ingredient of beer jam is beer. As a result of evaporation of the alcohol during the cooking process, [1] beer jam may be non-alcoholic. [3] Various types of beer, such as ale, dark beer and stout [2] [4] are used.
Some types are syrupy in consistency, rather than jam- or jelly-like, [4] and syrupy versions are used in mixed drinks and cocktails, such as a beer jam Manhattan. [4]
Simple versions may consist of only beer and pectin, [1] but other types, both sweet and savory, are more complex. Sweet varieties can include sugar, allspice, cloves, orange zest, star anise, lemon and vanilla bean, [4] while savory types may use tomato, shallots, grated Parmesan cheese, olive oil, rosemary, balsamic vinegar and sugar or brown sugar as ingredients. [2]
Beer jam may be used as a filling inside baked goods such as biscuits, [2] as a glaze atop meat and vegetable dishes, [1] and to accompany foods such as cheese, charcuterie and crackers, [1] [3] [4] [5] among others.
Some commercial varieties of beer jam are produced. Al’s Backwoods Berrie Co. in Plymouth, Massachusetts, produces beer jam prepared with Samuel Adams' spicy Cold Snap winter brew. [6] Cleveland Jam of Cleveland, Ohio manufactures and markets beer jams and wine jams. [7] [8] As of July 2015, Cleveland Jam is prepared in James Conti's home, and the company has plans to open a store. [8] The Potlicker Kitchen in Stowe, Vermont, prepares all-beer beer jams using only citrus fruit pectin, which thickens it, and cane sugar to sweeten the product. [1] [9] Potlicker Kitchen beer jams include flavors such as porter, oatmeal stout, IPA and Hefeweizen, [1] [3] and have an alcohol content of 0.5%. [5] Potlicker Kitchen's products are all produced with locally made beer, and most of the alcohol evaporates during the cooking process. [5] Birra Spalmabile is a brand of chocolate beer jam in the United Kingdom that was invented in a collaboration between an Italian brewer and an Italian chocolatier. [3] It has been described as being similar to Nutella, with a beer flavor. [3]