(Courtesy Founders Brewing)

Festive foods take on new meaning when made with serious beer, like these delicious fried pickle treats, beer-battered in a perfectly crafted IPA.

Beer-battered pickles are best using tangy dill pickles coated in a light, carbonated batter and fried until golden and crispy. The carbonation in the beer acts as a leavening agent, creating tiny air bubbles that result in an airy, thin coating.

This tasty recipe comes our way from Founders Brewing in Grand Rapids, Michigan and it uses the brewery’s bestselling All Day IPA, a 4.7% ABV India Pale Ale with bright citrus, pine, and floral notes supported by a complex grain bill.

Spears or chips? That’s a big debate with fried pickles, and we can’t help you with that one.

So, let’s do this!

All Day IPA Beer Battered Fried Pickles

Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour
• 3/4 cup All Day IPA
• 2 teaspoons old bay seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
• 3/4 cup pickles, juice drained and patted dry
• cooking spray

Cooking methods:

Deep Frying: The traditional method requires heating oil to 350°F–375°F. Pickles are typically fried in batches for 2 to 5 minutes until golden brown.

Air Frying: For a lighter version, pickles can be coated in panko breadcrumbs after the beer batter and air-fried at 360°F or 380°F for roughly 8 minutes.

 Instructions:

• Mix flour and beer with seasoning until smooth
• Batter will be very thick and should stick to whisk or fork
• Dip pickles into beer batter and swish around until fully coated
• Fry

Pro Tips:

• The Batter: A standard batter consists of all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and beer. Some variations add eggs for richness or cornstarch for extra crispness.
• Seasoning: Common additions include garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper for heat, and dried dill to enhance the pickle flavor.
• Essential Step: It is critical to pat the pickles dry with paper towels before battering; excess moisture prevents the batter from adhering and can lead to sogginess

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