Pizza and beer — they are perfect together. While no one would deny the inherently complementary nature of the two fermented wonders, some brewpubs are taking the pairing a step further. They are adding pours of their prized craft beers to the pizza dough they serve in-house.

For Short’s Brewing Company in Bellaire, Michigan, adding pizza to the menu was a must when the pub finally expanded to include a “real kitchen” in 2015, recalls Erin Kuethe, the general manager.

“We finally had the space and capacity to make pizza dough. And this was a top priority with the new space,” Kuethe adds. “We have always been a from-scratch kitchen, but we were never able to make dough in the old layout.”

Meanwhile, at Stormcloud Brewing Company in Frankfort, Michigan, co-owner Rick Schmitt also felt strongly about the beer-pizza connection. “We started using beer with our pizza dough from the first day we opened in 2013,” Schmitt explains. “Our original chef was passionate about the baking process and dough in general.”

Testing, Testing

When adding beer to pizza dough — just as when crafting any menu item, or any beer — extensive testing was the key to nailing the perfect recipe. Both breweries landed on the ideal beer only after a lot of experimenting.

For Short’s, the recipe was carefully developed over more than a year, which included surveying a slew of taste-testers and eventually bringing in a dough expert to complete the recipe.

“Through all of these tests, there was never a question as to whether or not we would incorporate beer — it was a matter of what kind and how much,” Kuethe says. “Our menu is beer-infused. And our dough would be no different.”

Ultimately, not only was beer incorporated into the final dough recipe; ingredients from Short’s malt supplier, Briess, are also included. Additions such as malt flour and malt syrup help “give the dough the ultimate beer infusion,” Kuethe notes.

A Match Made In Kitchens

Years ago, Tom “The Dough Doctor” Lehmann, a pizza industry consultant based in Manhattan, Kansas, had done similar experiments with beer-infused pizza dough in his longtime position as director of bakery assistance at the American Institute of Baking (now AIB International). Even traditional pizzerias were yearning to partner  with breweries to take advantage of their crust-enhancing byproducts.

“Back in the early ’90s, when microbreweries were becoming more popular, pizzerias would take the dregs at the bottom of the brewing barrels for use in their dough,” Lehmann remembers. “It worked really well for making pizza crusts and proved to be pretty successful.”

Lehmann notes that improved flavor is the main benefit of adding beer to pizza dough.

“Some people say it adds a more malty flavor,” he says. “In our experiments with some mainstream light beers, we found they did not add much in terms of taste, even in blind taste tests—robust or full-flavored beers worked better. Now, with so much advancement in craft beer, there are many more flavorful beers on the market.”

How Beer Affects Pizza Dough Flavor

During the extensive tests at Short’s, employees tried plenty of recipes (and ate a lot of pizza in the process). Needless to say, debates raged on.

“Pizza comes in so many shapes, sizes and flavors, and everyone has an opinion on what kind is the best,” Kuethe says.

Short’s makes its dough with Local’s Light, an American lager, because it proved the “most approachable” of its beer range. “We felt it would appeal to the masses,” Kuethe explains. “It has a lighter flavor and gives an understated hint of beer in the pizza dough but does not steal the show like some of the other beers we tried.”

For example, she says, when staff tried using Bellaire Brown, it gave the dough a rich sweetness, with a hint of caramel flavor and a much darker color.

“In testing, many people thought the darker color meant the dough was whole-wheat or overcooked,” Kuethe says. “We also tested with Huma, our flagship IPA, and Pandemonium, a pale ale, both of which added an intense hop flavor. The bitterness was appealing to the avid hop-head, but for our kids’ pizzas and people less interested in hops, it was a bit intense.”

‘Secret Sauce’ In the Pizza Dough

Similarly, the original chef at Stormcloud performed extensive tests in the kitchen, trying out different beer types and finding the right malt balance to create its ultimate recipe. “It does make a flavor and consistency difference, and we find our customers can tell the difference,” Schmitt notes. “I won’t give out the specific beer we use — it’s a ‘secret sauce’ kind of thing — but it’s safe to say that it is a more malt-based beer.”

For those who do want to add a darker beer to dough, Lehmann agrees that, while it adds a very unique flavor, the crust will darken beyond the normal color one expects from a white-flour crust. For this reason, he recommends balancing out the recipe with a bit of wheat flour. As a bonus, many consumers perceive the addition of wheat as a healthier option.

“We took our regular dough formula and simply replaced 25 percent of the white flour with whole-wheat flour and used beer as 100 percent of the liquid added,” Lehmann explains. “The whole-wheat factor adds a darker color already, so the darker color from the beer is right at home and a wonderful accent to the wheat crust.”

Getting the Most Flavor

Lehmann recommends adding beer at a rate of at least 50 percent of the total liquid ingredients (and up to 100 percent) to get the most flavor impact from the beer addition.

“You really want to use no less than 50 percent of the total liquid as beer,” Lehmann recommends. “Using too-light or delicate beers, or at a rate less than 50 percent, you might find that the flavor is not different enough to justify the expense of adding beer at all.”

Short’s adds its beer with the other wet ingredients, as pizza makers mix it in with the dry ingredients. Meanwhile, brewers and chefs have learned to work together at Stormcloud, where Schmitt’s staff has perfected the formula’s timing. “We have a pouring schedule of when to add the beer when mixing the dough batch,” he says. “It’s not rocket science, but it’s very close to that impactful!”

One of the challenges for Schmitt, however, is balancing the production of beer for drinking with the beer needed for pizza dough. “It takes away from the beer availability for the pub, especially during the peak summer season,” he explains. “We have a challenge just keeping up with pouring pints for customers, so saving enough beer for pizza dough is tough for about a month out of the year.”

Another challenge for breweries, Lehmann points out, may be concern from customers surrounding the addition of beer to pizza. In the past, Lehmann has witnessed parents worried about the alcohol factor in their kids’ pizzas, but the concern is unfounded.

“Alcohol is a byproduct of yeast fermentation, so when you ferment a dough for two days, there’s already alcohol in it” Lehmann says. “When adding beer to dough, the alcohol burns off before the water does, just like you’d find with dishes such as beer-battered fish.”

A Perfect Pairing

Challenges aside, craft breweries who have married the quintessential combination of pizza and beer find that their unique products—combining two of America’s favorite indulgences—help them stand out from the crowd and bring in customers who crave an extra flavor boost in their beloved pies.

“Pizza and beer—what’s not to love?” Kuethe concludes. “The experience at the pub as a whole, and the atmosphere, is what really stands out in our guest reviews, and pizza obviously plays a huge role. The feeling people get of being comfortable and at home is reinforced by good homemade food, made by people who care. Our pizza is no different, and infusing the dough with beer and beer ingredients gives it a unique touch.”

The post Beer-infused Pizza Dough is a Perfect Brewpub Pairing appeared first on CraftBeer.com.

One Oregon therapist will wholeheartedly tell you “Yes!” Her latest venture, among the first beer spas in the country, was founded around the health benefits of beer and hops — and it’s attracting men and women alike.

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Hop in the Spa is Born

In late 2015, inspiration struck when Sally Champa, a naturopathic practitioner, herbalist and massage therapist, treated her client (and now business partner) Mike Boyle after a car accident, offering therapeutic massages to hasten the healing process.

She was eager to have him help market some of her homemade products, while he raved about beer spas after a trip to Prague. They both knew Oregon’s strong culture of small and independent breweries made it an ideal spot for their beer-based spa concept.

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“Hops is a fantastic herb, but I don’t think many people have caught on to that,” Champa notes. “We started making these bath brews with beer and hops and barley, plus some of my herbs, in a proprietary blend.”

When Boyle personally tested the soaks, he reported a much faster recovery. The pair had hit on a winning formula. Hop in the Spa was born.

Restorative Power of Beer and Hops

Construction was soon under way for Hop in the Spa, America’s first beer spa. But the concept wasn’t about gimmicks or novelty; Champa envisioned a true wellness center utilizing the restorative properties of beer and hops.

After touring local hop farms, she experimented with blends for soaks made with beer ingredients, then tapped the plant’s power for massage oils, sugar scrubs and facial products. Now, its menu offers a series of craft beer soaks, hop oil massages, hop body masks and herbal hop steam services, among other beer-based treatments.

“Hops is a great moisturizer and ideal for any skin condition, including psoriasis and eczema,” Champa explains. “But hops is also helpful internally, so drinking it offers additional benefits: It helps with the digestive system, calms the nervous system and is great for insomnia. It’s also an anti-inflammatory and analgesic, perfect for body massages on clients with aches, pains, rheumatoid arthritis and skin conditions.”

Nestled in a rustic three-story house, Hop in the Spa brews its soaks in the basement for pumping into the tubs on the main floor, where treatment rooms reside. Out back, the Hop in the Garden beer garden pours brews, while Hop in the Cup serves up hop-infused coffee and tea, German sausages and pretzels.

Deschutes Brewery, one of central Oregon’s largest and best-loved small and independent craft brewers, made the ideal partner, and today its beers grace the spa’s tubs and taps.

(MORE: 9 Breweries You’ll Want to Follow on Instagram)

The Growing Market for Beer and Health

Hop in the Spa may have been first to capture the niche market of the beer spa concept, but it certainly isn’t alone in touting the mantra that beer is good for you. Beer spas and skincare products are surging in popularity around the world. Another beer-focused spa is being planned for Columbus, Ohio—think hop-infused face masks and malted barley massages.

A Longmont, Colorado-based skincare company, Colorado Aromatics, incorporates hops into its products and hosts spa nights at a local brewpub, where therapists incorporate beer into facials.

“Hops can decrease dermatitis, increase water content of skin and decrease inflammation,” explains Cindy Jones, Ph.D., a biochemist and owner of Colorado Aromatics. “Xanthohumol, one of the bitter acids in hops, helps to stimulate matrix proteins of the skin, including collagen, elastin and fibrillins. Various hop-containing preparations can reduce hot flashes, making them particularly good for women.”

Other components of beer, she adds, are also beneficial: Malted barley is rich in minerals and B vitamins, while brewers yeast also boasts plentiful B vitamins and can help moisturize the skin.

Jones notes that beer and its ingredients are versatile, making them ideal for a range of applications: in a face mask, steam bath, foot or hand soak, hair rinse or salt scrub.

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“In our Beer Spa program, we use beer in a clay mask that attendees apply to their face; then they can sit back and enjoy a beer,” she says. “We also use hops extract in products, including an aftershave lotion and a beard oil.”

Lauren Eckert Ploch, M.D., M.Ed., FAAD, a dermatologist at the Georgia Dermatology and Skin Cancer Center in Augusta, Georgia, adds that hops have been used in herbal medicine in the past, since they contain essential oils and a pleasing fragrance.

“Some people find the fragrance to be relaxing, so hops are touted to have benefits for anxiety,” Ploch explains. “Hops also have antimicrobial properties.”

No surprise, then, that skincare companies are hopping on the bandwagon: BioClarity, a health-science startup in San Diego, uses oat kernel (used for brewing oatmeal stouts) in its acne treatment gel; the ingredient calms inflammation, moisturizes and soothes irritation, while treating skin conditions like acne, eczema, psoriasis and dandruff. And SMD Cosmetics, a Korean skincare brand, incorporates beer yeast extract in its Saromae Radiance line; a solid source of selenium, chromium, protein and B vitamins, the extract contains essential amino acids, smooths skin, improves moisture, and revives tone and texture.

(MORE: Everything You Want to Know About the American IPA)

Beer for Soaking and Sipping

Clearly, beer and its components are establishing themselves as proven superstars when it comes to soaking, sipping and slathering on skin.

Hop in the Spa started as a labor of love and fittingly celebrated its one-year anniversary on Valentine’s Day. The concept now attracts hordes of loyal locals, traveling beer buffs and spa lovers alike.

Champa already has plans to offer beer lovers even more when they visit. This summer, the spa will be adding beer tours of central Oregon as well as beer classes hosted by a certified Cicerone. New beer-infused treatments and products are perennially in the pipeline, too (beer shampoo, anyone?).

“We’re the ‘un-spa’—you can come in, have a beer, relax, soak and get massaged,” Champa says. “People say it’s the best massage they’ve ever received, or that they feel so amazing after a soak. We get rave reviews.”

The post This Oregon Beer Spa Will Change How You Feel About Spas appeared first on CraftBeer.com.