Written By Breweries In PA Contributor Shane Fisher (@Sfish521 & @GoofyFootedBrewingCO). See all of Shane’s work here.

Beer: Manifestation #6 – Smoked “Chilli” -Lime Lager (2 Pacos) by Liquid Hero Brewery

Dish: Grilled Chicken Tacos with Pico and Sriracha Ranch

Recipe:

• 2lbs Chicken Breast filleted thin
• ¼ cup Olive Oil
• Juice of one Lime
• 3 tbl Southwest Seasoning or a packet of your favorite taco seasoning

For Southwest Seasoning:

• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

For Serving:

• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• ¼ cup chopped scallions
• 1 cup pico de gallo or your favorite jar salsa
• ¼ head of shredded iceberg lettuce
• ¼ cup Sriracha Ranch
• 2 limes, wedged
• 16 white corn tortillas, grilled

For Sriracha Ranch: (I prefer a 2:1 ratio for more heat)

• 6 tablespoons ranch dressing
• 2 tablespoons Sriracha

Tacos are an excellent summer meal and are an excellent pair when a delicious and crisp lager is added to let those beautiful spices excite your palate and quench your thirst when things get a bit too spicy. While most traditional light lagers will do the trick, Liquid Hero’s Manifestation #6 Smoked “Chilli” Lime Lager adds to the experience. Brewed with smoked chiles and 400 hand squeezed limes, this complex light lager greets you with lime on the front end, followed by a subtle essence of peppers without the heat, and a crisp finish with a touch of smokiness that doesn’t overpower, but enhances your dining experience.

The beer was brewed for their 7th Annual Chili Cook-Off which benefits the Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association, held on Cinco De Mayo of this year. With the event having passed, I found an alternative way to enjoy this complex light lager. One of my favorite summer dishes is not burgers and dogs, but a lighter meal that packs a ton of flavor and can be enjoyed around the table amongst friends and family, eating with their hands. That meal for me is grilled chicken tacos.

I marinate my chicken very simply in olive oil with my favorite southwest seasoning and the juice of a lime to add brightness to cut through the heat and savory herbs and spices. The beauty of this meal is that there is little prep work to be done and you can make up a plate of accoutrements for everyone to make their own tacos, which gives you more time to sit back and enjoy some more of this “Mariachi Rap Cerveza” amongst friends and family. Fire up the grill, dice up the accoutrements and add your favorite salsa or pico de gallo to the platter, then grill the chicken to an internal temp of 165 degrees, allow it to rest for 5 minutes, slice and serve! The chili, lime and subtle smokiness in this beer are perfect for those of us that don’t wish for the flavors of the tacos to fade with each sip, but rather to intensify and round out the experience.