Double Chocolate Stout, which is brewed with REAL chocolate, is now on Tesco shelves up and down the country. 

And if you do get your hands on one or two of this great beer, why not have a go at baking these mouthwatering Double Chocolate Stout brownies?

Can you believe it? The 1 July already – the year is whizzing by, but it does mean that the BBQ season is well and truly upon us!

Why not invite some friends round this weekend and try this fantastic beer and ginger marinade using Young’s Bitter.

Serves  4

•  4 poussin (buy ready spatcocked if prefered)

Marinade:

• Young’s Bitter (bottle or cask)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 3 tbsp clear honey
• 1 tsp paprika
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
• 2 star anise, crushed
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Sauce:

• 3 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 1 tsp soft brown sugar
• 1 tsp cornflour

To prepare the poussin, place a poussin breast side down, on a board for raw meat use. Using poultry shears or strong kitchen scissors, cut along each side of the backbone and remove it. Either snip the wishbone with the shears, or push down on the wishbone to snap it.  Snip of any excess bits of skin, the wing tips and any other ragged bits.

To keep them in shape insert wooden or short metal skewers through the bird, diagonally in a criss-cross  shape. Place in a large glass or china dish.

 For the marinade, pour the Young’s beer into a large jug, once it has settled, add the rest of the ingredients and whisk together. Pour half of the marinade over the poussin reserving the rest for the sauce.  Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.

 Bring the poussin out of the fridge 1 hour before cooking.   Pour the marinade into a pan, boil rapidly until reduced to about 100ml, this will be used to baste the poussin while cooking.

To finish the sauce, strain the reserved marinade into a clean pan, add the tomato ketchup and sugar, bring to the boil.  Blend the cornflour with a little water, stir into the sauce and simmer to thicken.

 Prepare the barbecue, lightly oil the rack and place the poussin bone side down first.  Grill for 5 minutes, turning every 3-4 minutes and brushing with the baste.  Time to cook through will depend on size of the birds and intensity of the heat from the barbecue, should be approximately 15-20 minutes. Test by inserting the point of a small knife.   Transfer to a serving platter.

 Reheat the sauce before serving.

Lamb shanks need slow and long cooking to tenderise the meat. The flavour of the Young’s London Gold beer and its natural ingredients combined with gentle and warming spices makes this an exceptionally tasty dish with a tang.

Serves 4

• 4 lamb shanks
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
• 3 cm piece ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp garam masala
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 bottle Young’s London Gold
• 400 g can chopped tomatoes
• 400g can chickpeas, drained

Heat the oven to 170C/150Cfan/gas 3 Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan, add the lamb shanks to the pan and turn and cook them over a medium heat for 10 minutes until browned.  Transfer them to a large casserole.

Put the onion into the frying pan and cook gently for 5 minutes to soften.  Add the garlic and carrots and cook 2 minutes, then add the ginger and spices, stir together for 1 minute.  Stir in the tomato puree, the London Gold beer and the canned tomatoes.  Bring to simmer and season with salt and pepper.

Pour over the lamb shanks and adjust so the meat part is mainly covered with the sauce. Cover and place in the oven, cook for 2 hours. Turn the lamb shanks over and add and add the chickpeas.  Cover and return to the oven for a further 45 minutes- 1 hour, or until the lamb is very tender. 

 Lift each lamb portion onto a plate, skim off any fat from the surface of the sauce, then season if needed, and stir before spooning over the lamb.

Serve with rice or boiled or mashed potatoes.

The Young's range of bottle conditioned beers will have a neck collar which includes recipes, information about bottle conditioned beers and information about the ingredients.

The Young’s bottle conditioned range, which includes Young’s Bitter, Special London Ale and London Gold, will have increased visibility this March with the addition of a prominent neck collar containing an information booklet.

With the ‘Camra Says This is Real Ale’ stamp of approval logo, the tagline on the front proudly states: “Real Beer, Fresher Taste” and features educational information about bottle conditioned beers and what makes them so special.

The booklets also contain recipes which use Young’s beers such as a Beer Fondue and Mussels in Beer, plus details about the ingredients which include 100% British Farm Assured Barley and accredited natural mineral water.

Chris Lewis, marketing director for Wells and Young’s says: “We have a saying: ‘all beers are not created equal’ and we are on a mission to shout about this Young’s point of difference to all premium bottled ale drinkers! Young’s beers are literally alive with flavour as they contain yeast which makes them the closest drink to cask conditioned beer which can be bought in the Off-Trade. The yeast creates a natural carbonation which means a fresher tasting beer for consumers.”

All Young’s beers have been awarded the ‘Red Tractor’ mark which guarantees the barley used is grown on assured farms in the UK.

Lewis adds: “Not only will consumers be able to learn what makes Young’s beers so exceptional, but they will be safe in the knowledge they are supporting British farming.”

You will need:

225g strong wholemeal flour
225g strong white flour
1 tsp salt
Sachet quick action dried yeast
2 tsp sugar
150g mature cheddar cheese grated
250ml Young’s Bitter
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp wholegrain mustard

Put all the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Measure the beer into a jug and heat for 1 minute in the microwave. Whisk in the oil and mustard. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients then add the beer mixture and mix until a dough is formed and comes away from the sides of the bowl. Turn onto a floured work surface and knead a good 5 minutes. You can use a food mixer with a dough hook, to make this easier, kneading in the machine for 3-4 minutes.

Lightly oil the mixing bowl, put the dough back into the bowl, cover with a clean damp cloth and leave to rest in a warm place for 1 hour or until almost doubled in size. The time it takes will depend on the warmth of the place the dough is placed.

Tip the dough back onto the floured work surface and shape into a ball, flatten slightly. Cut several slashes across the top of the bread. Leave to rise for about 30-45 minutes.

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Bake the bread for 25-30 minutes until deep golden brown and the bread sounds hallow when tapped. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Tip: you can use different cheeses as long as they are well flavoured such a Lancashire, Red Leicester or a firm Goat’s cheese.
To vary the flavour, try adding some herbs such as 2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary spikes. Finely chopped spring onions also work well.

You can submit your questions now on this blog, or tweet them to @YoungsBeers or post them on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/youngsbeers

Pot roasting a whole chicken creates the most succulent tasting chicken possible and flavoured with Young’s Special London Ale, rosemary, bacon and garlic, we can guarantee people will be queuing up for seconds!

Serves 4

• 1 tbsp olive oil
  

  A twist on the traditional Sunday Roast

• 125g diced pancetta or bacon lardons
• 1 x 1.5kg chicken, free range if possible
• 150g shallots, peeled and chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• Bottle Young’s Special London Ale
• 300ml chicken stock
• springs rosemary
• 12-16 baby carrots, scrubbed
• 2 tsp plain flour
• 2 tsp unsalted butter

Using a deep casserole or cast iron pot with lid, heat the olive oil. Add the pancetta or bacon lardons, the shallots and three of the garlic cloves, cook over a medium heat until golden, lift onto a plate. Season the chicken and place the remaining garlic inside, then place in the pot and gently brown all over in the fat, carefully turning the bird over. This will take about 15 minutes.

Heat the oven to 170C/150Cfan/gas 3.

Carefully pour in the Special London Ale and bring to simmer, stir in the chicken stock then return the pancetta, shallots and garlic to the pot. Bring to simmering, add the rosemary then cover and place in the oven. Cook for 1 hour. Add the carrots and return to the oven and cook, uncovered for another 30 minutes

Lift the chicken onto a warm serving dish with the shallots and carrots,

Serve with seasonal vegetables, boiled or mashed pototaoes and the beer gravy.

cover to keep warm. Strain the cooking liquid into a jug then pour back into the pan. Boil until reduced by about one-third. Mash the flour and butter with a fork to make a paste, then add, a little at a time whisking so the sauce thickens slightly. Season if needed.
Carve the chicken and serve with the beer sauce and accompany with seasonal vegetables, and new potatoes boiled or mashed potatoes.

Tip : To make it easier to peel the shallots, cover with boiling water, leave to stand for 5 minutes then drain.

Jasmine asked: “How do you go about inventing a new beer?” Jim said:

There’s still time to ask your questions for the next edition – so get thinking!

A pint of Young's beer in the pub.

now there is.

This week marks Great British Pub Week - so what better excuse to get down your local and celebrate all that is great about the pub. From its historical, cultural and social importance, through to the simple pleasures they bring. There is no better place to meet with friends or simply sup a well crafted cask beer whilst reading the Sunday papers.

British Pub Week’s sole aim it to protect Britain’s pubs, celebrate them and ensure they can continue to thrive.