Any garden use for beer?

I purchased quite a bit of beer for a recent house guest. The visitor left, and several bottles remain in my pantry. I have a vague recollection of it being used for slug control. Are there any other garden uses for beer? I'd really like to get rid of it, and the slugs don't bother me much. :)

Drink it!

;-)

I've heard you can spray it on your grass to green it up a bit. I don't know if have to dilute it or what, but I'm sure you could google beer on grass or something like that. :-)

MzW: "beer on grass" (?) sounds like a dilemma...

I've never been into that kind of thing myself, but I'm sure people who have wouldn't call it a dilemma -- atleast not until they ran out. lol.

estreya, Jerry Baker uses beer in a lot of his concoctions.

I think you can also wash or rinse your hair with it!

And there are some recipes where it's great. Cheese fondue is much improved with beer and there's the beer can chicken recipe. If you don't mind cooking with it, google beer recipes and see what you can find that looks yummy.

Gwen

Yes, I've used beer for slug control. Place the bottle sideways so the slug slithers in and can't get out. It does work quite well. I have a vivid childhood memory of watching my father grabbing a beer that was on the grass and as he put the bottle to his mouth a large banana slug surfed the top like a statue. We yelled "stop"!

I am still trying to figure out how left over beer is a problem...hmmm....;-) Like others have said, it is great for slug control, but if you have a beer-swilling dog as I have, construct your slug traps so they can't get at it.

Another idea - place a pot roast in the bottom of the crock pot, add 1/2 jar of tomato sauce, 1/2 bottle of beer and 1/2 of a chopped Walla Walla Sweet onion. Cook for several hours and serve. We like it shredded on top of hoagy rolls. Bon Appetit!

Most beer drinking men will work for beer. Got a project that needs doin'?

Man, galega that sounds good!

Growin- banana slug in a bottle? Not so good... I hope he didn't get too far in that attempt not to let a good beer go to waste!

I've just recently seen two slugs. TWO! Normally there would be hundreds. Someone, presumably from PNW emailed me to say there was a virus taking slugs out here this year. Can't say I miss them much. I did bait regularly early on, but still, this is very strange.

I've seen three big ones this week, just toodling along. This guy was heading up the porch stairs. He would then have had to climb up the railing to get to the begonias. Strange behavior... maybe he was sick?

There is a way of cooking a chicken vertically propped up with an open can of beer inside the chicken cavity (no I'm not kidding). A redneck cuisine trick from the deep South. If you are a meat eater, you might want to give it a try.
http://bbq.about.com/cs/chicken/a/aa100400a.htm

Fabulous suggestions, all of them!

Thank you!

barksy, I quess if you put the beer outside overnight and then let the slugs climb in and then put it in the chicken you would have Chicken a la escargot. lol Jim

OH Jim that is just gross!!!! blaaaaghie

rofl!

Estreya I know a guy at work that swears his maters benifit from getting a drink of stale beer once a week. Just could be given the contents of a bottle of beer.

On another note I met a guy in Alaska in 1984 from Ridgefield His name is Glen Kemper and he has a son Patrick do you know him? I only ask because I lost touch with him several years ago.

In addition to the beer can technique, it's a great chicken marinade. Just add salt to taste, and marinate a whole chicken overnight. The marinade keeps the chicken moist, and makes the skin crispier.

As an option, after you drain off the marinade you can add rubs if you wish. I then rotissiere the chicken.

Hi Eweed! I'm fairly new to Ridgefield, and i haven't run across anyone with the last name of Kemper.

~~~ raises a single brow ~~~

I have a feeling there's a story here! Perhaps a torrid love affair while on a cruise to Alaska? :)

Johnsonjrbm, while i cook with a lot of wine, this beer just doesn't seem to be doing it for me in the kitchen. I've tried adding a bottle to my chili, but it really didn't enhanced the recipe much. Maybe i'd have better luck with the marinade technique you suggested since i can drain it off. I'll try it!

Ha ha no torid love affair here Glen is male and so is Ernie lol we both worked in the same place one summer. Linda and I have been married 40 years yesterday now thats a love story for a different time lol. Ernie


phooey tried to add a picture but cant.

This message was edited Dec 30, 2006 11:14 AM

Linda ,Gabby and young Andy on the run. Ernie

Run Andy, run! Why is it that pups are so cute - no matter how much trouble they cause?
Is it their innocence, or those big sweet eyes?
Estreya - beer is good for marinating/stewing meat - I don't use it for the flavour, but a hearty tasting brew contributes nicely to Irish stew.

Fresh pinapple juice is good for tenderizing meat but only fresh works canning stops something from reacting.

Mom theres maters in here

Tiffanya...LOL. On a very hot gardening day, it would sound perfect.

Growin...one job my DH would pass on, beer or no beer.

Barksy...two christmas' ago, I gave all of our neighbors the wire beer holder for the "chicken/beer" recipe. One of my neighbors has been doing chicken this way in his kamato pot for years. Very, very tasty.

I use the "spring tonic" recipe by Jerry Baker, which includes a can of beer. Now, I can't say that it truly makes the grass "greener", with spring being so fresh and new. But, I do feel like I've contributed to the health of our lawn. LOL Wait, is the lawn a minor if less than 21 years of growin'? :)




This message was edited Dec 31, 2006 10:29 PM

Happy Anniversary Ernie, and many more to you and the Mrs. And many more of those adorable puppies! I shouldn't even open your photos anymore if there's a smidgeon of a chance that they contain a golden puppy! My new mouse pad Santa left is 4 fluffy Golden Retriever pups with big furry feet and smooshy little faces! I can hardly look at the monitor with that distracting me!

Beer and onions as a marinade for bratwurst can't be beat. I don't know about using it as a chicken marinade or serving it to lawns under age 21, but I suspect if it works for you, do it!

Annie will this do. Taters Taters I want Taters I know there in there

What makes you think I have been digging.

I like marinating meat in a seal a meal bag it enhances the manarate greatly. Ernie

eweed: That IS the very best kind of love story. And what an adorable pup!

ROFLMAO eweed -- that last pic with the dirty face is so cute...and funny!! It looks like you've got your hands full with that little one.


As for beer, I do think it should be drank...unless of course it is past-date and skunky...then it should be used for attracting garden slugs to their demise. ;-)

On a happy new year and semi-related note, our Federal Way specialty beer store is coming along... the 40-foot cooler (pending arrival of all pieces) will be installed this week, as will the flooring. It's looking like the grand opening will be in mid-January.

mmmm Beer.

Oh Ernie, That little polar bear hinder shot is so unfair! I've seen it before and just melt upon re-viewing it! The muddy "I've been digging" face is also familiar, just not so cute if you have light colored carpets! LOL- I gave up on our carpet quality years ago: animals are more important. Did he/she find potatoes or was it just an exercise in hunting? If I use bone meal in the garden: that is exactly what I have going on where it was used; only there are 70-110 lb doggies doing the digging. Might as well rent a rototiller. Such finely tuned sniffers, they have.

Tiffany, kindly let us know when the grand opening happens. What an adventure for you to pull it all together! Remember, what doesn't fall into place upfront, will fall into place eventually. So sayeth Poochella. I would be happy to spread the word for you: lots of beer hounds in our area would be glad to give you a try.

I suggest drinking the beer and then peeing in the garden ...... that way everyone reaps the full benefit of the beer.

ok everyone everyone who agrees head to photographers lettuce patch and take aim lol

In 1987 researchers at Colorado State performed experiments to determine which beer slugs prefer:

http://www.rittenhouse.ca/hortmag/glynis/slimy_slugs.asp

Hey, this old thread of mine has sproinged to life!

Would you believe that beer is still in my cupboard?

:)

Out here in the countryside when you're in the middle of 20 acres it is more of a hassle to run back into the house just for a minor routine. My 5 yr old and I have contests. We never spray on the plants or flowers but the grass gets it all the time. Sometimes we'll run outside just to avoid standing in line. Lettuce would not grow well here without a great deal of every possible fertilizer, mulch and blended top soil. We're lucky to get mint to grow. My wife has had minor success with DAIKON. She is from Japan and the long white spicy hot raddish does okay in our poor soil. Our garden along the outside fence is full of tall Irises (17 color varieties and counting). I try to add a new color at very opportunity. We have a neighbor lady (1 mile to the west) who promised to give me a shovel full of her mother's most favorite Iris in RED color (an absolutley nonexistent color). She apparently was under the mistaken impression that I had just fallen off the turnip wagon. She couldn't quite recall where it bloomed in her garden (convenient excuse). I expressed my insincere gratitude for the friendly but empty promise of a future new Iris color for my garden. Instead she gave me a shovel of a mixed colored Iris (yellow with brown outer leaves) so I was more than delighted. I gave her a pink/peach blended color in exchenge. Next year I'll go bother another neighbor. I'll make sure they're not in a trailer house next time.

Make beer bread! Yummy! Google beer bread recipe to get the recipe.

Gwen

...mmmm beer. We're now open! January 20th we started with 285 different beers; we're now at nearly 600 (plus a few ciders). Even have a few 89-centers (e.g., Lucky Lager); just sold my most expensive bottle ($55) last Friday to a beer collector for his cellar. We've also got "beer for dogs"...but no beer for slugs, sorry!! LOL!!
-Tif :-)

Wow! That's great, Tiffanya!! It looks wonderful! Wish I lived closer. ;o)

tiffanya
I have a friend who has a private bar that looks nearly as impressive as yours .
Us Aussies Love our beer .
and Scotch, Rum, Gin, Bourbon, Vodka, Snaps, OK should I go on ?
I think we like them all . The more the better .