RAM Restaurant & Brewery, a 13-unit chain based in Lakewood, Wash., has a signature pizza crust that incorporates beer as an ingredient. The crust is made with the chain’s own Big Horn Hefeweizen, a wheat beer with a lemon-banana flavor, instead of water. The crust also contains spent grain from the chain’s Big Red IPA, a hoppy ale with a malty finish, which is turned into a paste and blended into the dough. The beer and the grain add flavor, texture, and crispiness to the crust, making it unique and difficult to copy.
Beer pizza crusts are not a common menu item, but they are gaining popularity among some restaurant operators and home cooks. Beer can be used to make sauces, cheeses, or toppings for pizza, or to enhance the flavor and texture of the crust. The Signature Beer pizza crust from RAM Restaurant & Brewery capitalizes on this trend and offers a new way to enjoy the classic combination of pizza and beer.
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Why This Trend Is Growing
- Beer-infused Crusts
- Incorporating beer into pizza crusts adds flavor, texture, and crispiness, creating a unique and difficult-to-copy menu item.
- Growth of Beer-enhanced Foods
- The use of beer in sauces, cheeses, and toppings for pizza is gaining popularity, offering a new way to enjoy the classic combination of pizza and beer.
- Rise of Non-traditional Pizza Ingredients
- Pizza crusts made with beer and spent grain from craft breweries offer a creative twist and innovative variation in pizza recipes.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Craft Beer
- The craft beer industry can collaborate with restaurants to develop innovative recipes and products that incorporate beer into various food items.
- Pizza Chains
- Pizza chains can explore beer-infused crusts as a way to differentiate themselves and offer a unique dining experience to their customers.
- Home Cooking
- Beer-enthusiast home cooks can experiment with beer-infused crusts to elevate their homemade pizza game and explore new flavors and textures.
