TGI Friday's Wantonly Douses New Menu Items With 'Craft Beers'

In case you've been craving parmesan-crusted crab flounder "splashed with craft beer," baby back ribs "fire-grilled with craft beer," steak with "craft beer sauce," or Dijon-crusted chicken "marinated in craft beer," TGI Friday's has got you covered. The chain's new "Better With Brew" menu offerings highlight, you guessed it, craft beer.

Though the specific beers used in each dish vary by state, the list of potential brews include:

• Harpoon IPA


• Magic Hat #9


• New Belgium Fat Tire Amber Ale


• Goose Island Honkers Ale


• Abita Amber


• Alaskan IPA (Alaska only)


• Boulevard Wheat


• Uinta Cutthroat Ale (Utah only)

Since not all beers are available in all states, the dishes were created to work with any of the above beers. We can then only assume that since these beers consist of a range of different brewing styles, and thus taste rather different, that the new menu items are not relying too heavily on a uniform beer flavor, or there just isn't too much beer used.

The over 100 comments on BeerAdvocate.com, an online resource for craft beer enthusiasts, are largely encouraging, many in the vein of "the more places that decide to offer craft options the better off we are." However, others aren't in love with the choices. "I respect the move toward craft beer. No question about it, its a good sign. However, that list is NOT impressive." Another commenter is a bit more snarky, "I can't wait to pair the Magic Hat with the chicken fingers."

Friday's added beer-inspired dishes to its menu after a recent survey reported that 40 percent of consumers who like to try beer that pairs well with a seasonal dish. We're not quite sure how seasonal chicken or steak are per se, but sure, pass us the IPA.

Comments

[Pleroma]

01:00 AM on 05/13/2011

is this paid news coverage? AKA advertising...

[fitley]

09:47 PM on 05/12/2011

In the old days if you were a snob at a franchise dump the best you could hope for was spit on your food.

[fitley]

09:44 PM on 05/12/2011

It's just an excuse for bible thumpers to jump on their wives. "Honey it was the beer made me do it". Or their sisters or children depending on what state you live in.

[VerizonCells]

08:44 PM on 05/12/2011

F-In Press Release...

[Sartorius]

05:44 PM on 05/12/2011

What a gimmick. Nice advert by the way.

[MarcEdward]

11:49 AM on 05/12/2011

As if I'd eat at TGI Fridays.

[limanecasimi]

10:51 AM on 05/12/2011

Have you ever had green plantain? Here's a fried plantain recipe.
http://swe­etcoconuts­.blogspot.­com/2011/0­4/what-is-­your-favou­rite-haiti­an-food.ht­ml

[VerizonCells]

08:47 PM on 05/12/2011

Well if your going to spam might as well be fried green plantains.

[hbhawaii]

10:26 PM on 05/12/2011

Mmmm -- spam with fried green plantains. My kinda health food.

[fredhstclr]

10:49 AM on 05/12/2011

SOUNDS LIKE A SALES GIMMICK TO ME..............ANY OLD BEER WILL DO,,,,,,,,,,

[keywest4899]

08:43 AM on 05/12/2011

The key ingredient is grease.

[frank day]

08:39 AM on 05/12/2011

Nice advert

[Eric Graff]

06:14 AM on 05/12/2011

Look @ ME! I'm a beer snob!

[Daniel Colbert]

06:13 AM on 05/12/2011

After reading the headline, I expected TGI Fridays to be using faux-Craft beers. This list isn't bad, though. I love Harpoon IPA, Magic Hat #9, New Belgium Fat Tire Amber Ale and, best of all, Boulevard Wheat. Too bad you can't get Boulevard outside a limited portion of the Midwest.

[Andy Maroney]

02:17 AM on 05/12/2011

I won't be impressed until I see something from Lagunitas or Rogue. Hell, even Fort George's Vortex IPA could kick all of the others to the curb.

[dblueII]

10:31 PM on 05/11/2011

An Old Rasputin Imperial Stout stout with a Mud Slide bake would not suck at all.

[ElenaOfJersey]

06:59 PM on 05/11/2011

FFS.

Tell you what, get some Dogfish Head on there and we'll talk.