# Can you dissolve a liquid in flavored butter?



## JillBurgh (May 5, 2010)

I would like to make a beer-butter, specifically a sweet Oatmeal-Stout Butter for some delicious pretzel-style dinner rolls. Usually we have Honey-Mustard Butter which easily incorporates, but it's time for a change. 

Does anyone have any advice how I can get the beer into the butter? I thought maybe reduce to a syrup but I have never seen reduced beer before.. Does it reduce like wine?

Thanks!


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## Selkie (May 5, 2010)

A liquid is already "dissolved." It's a liquid.

Now, I do know that there are many recipes for making a "Beer Bread" that you could convert into dinner rolls by simply reshaping them and adjusting the baking time, or substitute beer for any liquid in your pretzel recipe.

As for making beer-butter, you could get powdered malt from a beer supply store and mix that in with softened butter, since malt is one of the primary flavors of beer. Hops would be too bitter.

There are others here who probably do know, but I don't know whether heating beer to reduce it would significantly alter the flavor.


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## JillBurgh (May 5, 2010)

Thanks, Selkie. Despite your brusque opening comment, you had an excellent idea about the powdered malt. I'm not sure if it would have the same effect that I'm looking for with the Stout, though. I have the playful idea of offering a trio of butters that would play off of the pretzel. And what complements pretzels better than beer?!

Any other ideas or suggestions as a workaround to INCORPORATING the beer into the butter would be appreciated.


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## GB (May 5, 2010)

I do not know if this would work, but I would melt the butter then add the beer to the melted butter. After it is mixed I would put it in the fridge to solidify. After that you can roll it into logs so that it will be easy to serve and look good. My concern is that there might be too much water in the beer to have the butter re-solidify after. You could try reducing the beer, which would cook off a lot of the water, but how that would affect the taste I do not know.


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## bigdaddy3k (May 5, 2010)

Well, powdered malt in brewing stores is usually a sugar. (think the middle of malted milk balls but powder)

You may get the effect you are looking for with a bit of stout wart. (the base grain and liquid start of beer that has been boiled down to a VERY thick syrup)

I am still not sure how it will blend with butter though.


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## JillBurgh (May 5, 2010)

Hi GB! Thanks for the ideas. I haven't been in the forums in a long time so it is nice to see a friendly face!

BigDaddy- We have a homebrewer's store here in Pittsburgh so I'll see what they have to say about the Stout Wart. Good idea


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## kadesma (May 5, 2010)

JillBurgh said:


> Thanks, Selkie. Despite your brusque opening comment, you had an excellent idea about the powdered malt. I'm not sure if it would have the same effect that I'm looking for with the Stout, though. I have the playful idea of offering a trio of butters that would play off of the pretzel. And what complements pretzels better than beer?!
> 
> Any other ideas or suggestions as a workaround to INCORPORATING the beer into the butter would be appreciated.


I've no idea about the beer. But love pretzels and mustard. You might try a honey mustard mixed with butter and see if you like it. Gook luck with the beer and butter it sounds wonerful.
kadesma


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## bigdaddy3k (May 5, 2010)

Careful of how much wart (wort?) you use. It is VERY concentrated so I imagine the flavor will be overpowering if used in too large an amount. It usually comes in a large can. I think its about a quart. Its very thick but it dilutes into about 5 gallons of beer so if you put a tablespoon into a stick of butter it would be OVERWHELMINGLY beery.


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## Bigjim68 (May 6, 2010)

Personally, I would just grab a couple of Sam Smith's from the fridge, pour one in a sauce pan and see what happens when you reduce it.  The other is for the cook for comparison purposes.  I don't know about the taste.

I can think of no reason why beer would not absorb into butter.  We do this with other liquids.  Think lemon butter.


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## GB (May 6, 2010)

Bigjim68 said:


> Personally, I would just grab a couple of Sam Smith's from the fridge, pour one in a sauce pan and see what happens when you reduce it.


Sacrilege!!! Don't waste such a fine beer. 





Bigjim68 said:


> The other is for the cook for comparison purposes.


OK you redeemed yourself a little here


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## bigdaddy3k (May 6, 2010)

But lemon juice is acidic and acid has a profound effect on fats. Not poopooing the idea, just working out the science in my head if you know what I mean.


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## JillBurgh (May 6, 2010)

Bigjim68 said:


> Personally, I would just grab a couple of Sam Smith's from the fridge, pour one in a sauce pan and see what happens when you reduce it.  The other is for the cook for comparison purposes.  I don't know about the taste.
> 
> I can think of no reason why beer would not absorb into butter.  We do this with other liquids.  Think lemon butter.



Thanks Jim, This is my plan A, it's quick, easy and cheap. I'll post my findings. You know, it'll be a shame when I finally figure out a way to pull this off and then discover the butter tastes awful! I wonder if anyone gave a thought to how this would taste?! I hope good..


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## danpeikes (May 6, 2010)

fat and water do not mix.  put the beer in the bread,  they are both yeast products.  I try a tyme compound butter with the beer bread.


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