Make Jelly Out of Guinness Beer

By
Sean Timberlake
Sean Timberlake
Sean Timberlake
A freelance food writer with a focus on food preservation, brewing, canning, and foraging. He also leads culinary tours in San Francisco and Italy.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 07/23/21
Tested by
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Tested by Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Make Jelly Out of Guinness Beer

The Spruce / Kristina Vanni
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 7 mins
Canning Time: 35 mins
Total: 62 mins
Servings: 96 servings
Yield: 6 cups
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
22 Calories
0g Fat
6g Carbs
0g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 96
Amount per serving
Calories 22
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 1mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 6g 2%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 0mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 1mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Wine jelly is pretty common stuff. Grapes are, after all, fruit, and so wine can be made into a pleasantly fruity jelly—with a grown-up edge. Beer can also be made into jelly, unusual though that sounds. Guinness suits itself particularly well to it, as it has rich notes of cocoa and molasses that play nicely with the sweetness of a jelly. 

While beer is slightly acidic, it is not acidic enough for water bath canning on its own. Guinness clocks in at a pH of about 5.5, so the vinegar, in this case, is necessary to bring the acidity up to safe levels, as well as to make the pectin set. It also adds brightness and balance, without interfering with Guinness' flavor. 

The jelly is a complex condiment, with the rich notes of Guinness stout, including a slightly bitter edge that plays against the sweetness. This is probably not a jelly you're going to spread on toast, and certainly not pair with peanut butter. However, it makes an intriguing complement to stronger cheeses, like Parmigiano-Reggiano, or even assertive blue cheeses. It can also be used as a glaze on roasted meats, like ham, or as a component of a barbecue sauce to bring a depth of flavor. 

"This was surprisingly good! The beer/stout flavor was there but in a fruity way. It is sweet, but not overly sweet, and it has a pleasant aftertaste. Overall, very well balanced, and I could see it paired with cheese or ham. Make sure your pot has plenty of room for the foaming." —Diana Rattray

Make Jelly Out of Guinness Beer Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 3 (12-ounce) bottles Guinness

  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

  • 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided

  • 1 (1.75-ounce) package low-sugar pectin (such as Sure-Jell)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Jelly Out of Guinness Beer ingredients

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  2. Prepare your water bath canner, and have 6 clean half-pint jars at the ready. 

    prepared canner

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  3. Pour the beer into a 6-quart or larger stockpot; it will foam considerably.

    beer in a pot

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  4. Add the vinegar. Put on high heat. 

    beer and vinegar in a pot

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  5. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of the sugar with the packet of pectin, and whisk to combine thoroughly.

    combine sugar with a packet of pectin

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  6. Add the sugar-pectin mixture to the beer, and whisk to dissolve. Bring the beer to a boil.

    sugar-pectin mixture added to the beer mixture in the pot

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  7. Add the remaining sugar, and return to the boil.

    sugar-pectin mixture added to the beer mixture in the pot

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  8. When the mixture returns to a full rolling boil, cook for 1 minute, then remove from heat. Skim away any foam or scum from the surface. 

    beer in a pot with foam removed

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  9. Pour the jelly into jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Run a clean spatula or chopstick around the periphery of the insides of the jars to release any trapped air. Wipe the rims clean with a moistened paper towel.

    beer mixture in jars

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  10. Apply lids and rings, and process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes. 

    Jelly Out of Guinness Beer in a canner

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

Should I Sterilize Jars and Lids?

The National Center for Home Food Preservation now recommends cleaning the jars and lids just before filling them if the process time is 10 minutes or longer. The jars and lids should be washed, rinsed, and kept warm. If the process time is under 10 minutes, they should be sterilized. Bringing the pot of canning water to a boil and sterilizing the jars takes about 25 minutes. Keep this in mind when budgeting time for this recipe.