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The Badger Herald

Independent Student Newspaper Since 1969

The Badger Herald

Independent Student Newspaper Since 1969

The Badger Herald

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You jelly bro: local chef makes beer flavored jelly

Kimberly Clark Anderson on her jelly-making process: “I have to taste a lot of beers”
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Photo by Jon Jallings Photography

Local chef Kimberly Clark Anderson is crafting a way to have your beer and eat it too.

Making beer and breakfast a socially acceptable combination, Anderson makes beer jellies at her Fitchburg based business Chef K. Clark Pickles.

Like normal jelly, beer jelly involves mixing a flavoring ingredient, in this case beer, with pectin, a gelling agent. The difficulty in making it, according to Anderson, lies primarily in choosing the beer.

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“The flavor profile of the beer has to be really distinct and complex so that it doesn’t just taste like beer with sugar added,” Anderson said. “I have to taste a lot of beers.”

The most common pairing of the jelly is with toast, and Anderson said it also goes well with any kind of cheese or sausage as well as hot sandwiches and even some desserts.

Anderson said she only uses craft beers brewed in Wisconsin, such as those by Sprecher Brewing and other local breweries. This combined with Wisconsinites’ love of craft beer has made her product very popular.

“Everyone who tries our beer jelly comes back and wants more,” Anderson said.

The jelly is also popular with the breweries themselves, as many choose to sell the gelatinous renditions of their beers in their gift shops, Anderson said.

Anderson founded Chef K. Clark Pickles four years ago after a 30-year-long career as a chef. She said she has been interested in food preservation for a long time; she started making jam when she was seven.

Anderson has a cherry flavor coming out this spring, but is looking to do a run of Bourbon Scotch Ale from the Corner Pub in Reedsburg. She will continue to hunt for a summer release flavor.

While beer jelly is fairly novel, Anderson said this is not the first time alcohol has been used in a jelly. In fact, she said almost any drink with sufficient flavor can be adapted.

“In the 80s wine jelly was very popular, I’ve also made that in the past,” Anderson said.

Her jelly can be found at farmers’ markets like the Hilldale Market, specialty liquor stores such as Trixies and soon Regent Street Liquor and grocery stores among other retail venues. The jelly itself does not contain any alcohol.

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