This recipe demonstrates one way that contemporary IPA—dripping with citrus and tropical-fruit notes—can add energy to dishes with their own deep character.

Christopher Cina Oct 16, 2022 - 3 min read

Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). (Note that this can also be done on a grill outdoors.)

Cut 2 pieces of aluminum foil 8" (20 cm) square. Brush each piece of aluminum foil with 1 tsp olive oil. Place each piece of salmon in the center of a piece of foil with 3 asparagus spears on each side of the salmon pieces. Place 2 slices of lemon on each piece of salmon. Season with salt and pepper.

Roll up the edges of the foil to form a shallow bowl. Divide the IPA between the salmon packets and fold the foil shut, making a pouch.

Place the pouches in the oven or on the grill and cook until the salmon has reached an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C), about 6–10 minutes, depending on the thickness.

Remove the pouches from the oven, fold open the foil, being careful to avoid the steam, and serve immediately.

Beer Tasting Notes: Here, the play of citrus and tropical fruit adds a beautiful layer with a crisp edge that plays well with the subtlety of the fish. Go hazy, or new-school West Coast—your choice—but keep the IBUs restrained so that you don’t overpower the more delicate notes of salmon.

Beer Suggestions: Reuben’s Crush series (Seattle), Surly Drips & Drops (Minneapolis), or Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing (Chico, California) offer big flavor in concise hazy packages. Breakside Wanderlust (Portland, Oregon), Foothills Jade (Raleigh, North Carolina), or Russian River Blind Pig (Windsor, California) would each add a bit of West Coast zest.

With three cheeses, fresh tomatoes, jalapeños, chorizo, and IPA, this is definitely not your neighbor’s Ro-Tel-and-Velveeta cheese dip.

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