6 European beer stews to try this winter

"There's the Wine Belt in the south and the Beer Belt in the north. This is primarily due to their respective climates, with the Mediterranean climate of southern Europe being ideal for growing grapes and the cooler climate of northern Europe better suited toward producing beer. Ultimately, the beer-brewing nations of Europe developed hearty stews that were perfect complements to their beers and often included beer in the ingredients, drawing on regional specialties like German lagers, Irish stouts and Belgian lambics."

"Ireland When you think of Ireland, you think of Guinness, which essentially invented the style of beer we call the Irish dry stout today. Guinness is the most popular brand by a wide margin, but there are plenty of other Irish dry stouts available, like Murphy's, O'Hara's, Beamish and Porterhouse's Plain Porter. Traditional Irish stew was usually made with lamb or mutton though beef is more common today along with potatoes, onion and vegetables (often carrots and celery)."

Europe exhibits a north–south beer–wine divide: southern Mediterranean climates favor grape cultivation and wine production, while northern cooler climates favor beer brewing. Northern beer-brewing cultures developed hearty stews that often incorporate beer and reflect regional beer styles such as German lagers, Irish stouts, and Belgian lambics. Irish cuisine features dry stouts like Guinness and traditional stews made with lamb or mutton, potatoes, onion, and vegetables; recipes often replace part of the broth with stout or braise meat in beer to deepen flavor. English beef stews share similarities, sometimes using potatoes or dumplings and malt-forward ales.

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