Magic Hat #9 Almost Pale Ale

From the Brewer – “Beer cloaked in secrecy. An ale whose mysterious and unusual palate will swirl across your tongue and ask more questions than it answers. A sort of dry, crisp, refreshing, not-quite pale ale. #9 is really impossible to describe because there’s never been anything else quite like it.”

Recipe: BBQ Ribs

FOR THE RUB:
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon light or dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons coarsely ground
Black pepper
2 tablespoons chili powder
4 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

FOR THE MARINADE:
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup Magic Hat #9
1 tablespoon BBQ rub

FOR THE SAUCE:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, peeled and minced
6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2½ cups ketchup
½ cup Magic Hat #9
½ cup strong, brewed coffee (don’t use a flavored roast)
1⁄3 cup Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup cider vinegar
¼ cup dark molasses
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon Louisiana-style hot sauce
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Make the rub:

Combine all the spices in a bowl and stir to mix. Store in a tightly covered jar for up to 1 year.

Make the marinade:

Stir together the vinegar, Magic Hat #9, and the rub. Set aside.

Make the sauce:

Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan set over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes, until softened but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more.
Add the remaining ingredients and cook over low heat, with the saucepan partially covered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the sauce to cool to room temperature. Taste and add more hot sauce, salt and pepper, if needed. Use immediately or store, covered, in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days.

Make the ribs:

Your ribs may already be trimmed, or you can ask the butcher to trim them. To do it yourself, place the ribs, rib-side up, on a cutting board. Wiggle sharp knife under the tough membrane that covers the bones. Working from one rib to the next, pull the membrane off the rib. (For a better grip, grab the membrane with a dish towel.) Removing the membrane allows the spices and sauce to penetrate the ribs.
Place ribs in a shallow, non-aluminum pan, and pour the marinade over. Turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, and up to 16 hours, turning at least once during this time.
Preheat the oven to 200˚F. Remove ribs from the marinade. Discard marinade. Pat ribs dry. Rub the ribs all over with 1 to 2 tablespoons BBQ rub. Line a shallow baking pan or pans with foil, and place the ribs in a single layer. Cover with foil and bake for three hours.
Finish the ribs on a gas or charcoal grill over medium, indirect heat, or place under a broiler and broil until done to your liking. Timing will vary with the heat of the flame or broiler, and the distance of the meat from the heat source; it can take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes. When the ribs are almost done, slather one side with BBQ sauce and cook for 5 minutes, then turn and do the same with the second side. Serve with plenty of heated sauce on the side.Yeast: English Ale
Hops: Cascade, Apollo
Malts: Pale, Crystal
Hop Bitterness (IBU’s): 20
Original Gravity: 11.8 Plato
Alcohol by volume: 5.1%
Format: 12 oz. bottles
Seasonality: Year Round