It's always nice to come home at the end of a long day, put up your feet, turn on the television and open a cold beer. But what if I told you that drinking a beer isn't the only use for it? You'd probably say I was crazy, right?
Nevertheless, beer is actually an incredibly useful item to keep in your house. Whether you're doing some cooking, working on your lawn, cleaning or just looking for a unique craft, in this particular case, alcohol is the answer.
1. Beer can chickenAre you looking for a new way to grill chicken for your next cookout? Have you ever considered setting a whole chicken on top of a can of beer before putting it on the grill? If not, you should. The beer helps enhances the flavor of the chicken and helps prevent it from drying out.
2. Lawn fertilizerThis one might seem a little silly, but you really can help your grass by pouring beer on your lawn. The microbes in the soil will eat up the beer. I'm not suggesting that you go buy out the beer section of your local liquor store and find a way for your sprinkler system to spray beer instead of water. But I'm also not suggesting that you shouldn't try that.
3. Pumpkin kegWith Halloween just around the corner, you're probably looking for a creative way to serve your guests without deviating from the theme of your costume party. Look no further than a pumpkin keg. That's right, instead of carving a pumpkin into a jack-o-lantern, you can turn it into a beer keg by following the steps in the infographic below. Just make sure no one mixes up the pumpkin keg and the kid-friendly punch bowl. That could cause problems.
4. Beer breadIf you like beer and you like bread (and who doesn't, really), then this simple,
three-ingredient beer bread is the recipe for you. The whole process from mixing to baking to letting it set takes less than an hour and all you need is 3 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar and a 12 ounce beer.
5. Hot dog grillFor those of you who are a bit more mechanically minded and have some time on your hands, you might want to give this hack a try. By following the steps in the video below, you can make your own
hot dog grill out of an empty beer can.
6. Plant revivalAre your house plants starting to droop a little? You can spruce up your plants by pouring some flat beer into the dirt around the base of the plant. So next time you leave an open beer sitting out overnight, feed it to your plant instead of pouring it out.
7. Beer cheese spreadCheese is one of the best foods in the world, right? Definitely in the top ten. So what could improve on an already perfect food if not beer? If you're looking for a great appetizer for your next get-together, check out this recipe for a
beer cheese spread that will pair perfectly with crackers, bread or anything else you want to eat with cheese.
8. Jewelry cleanerIf you're looking for a cheap, quick way to clean your jewelry, try pouring some light beer on a soft cloth and gently rubbing away the dirt that can build up on your jewelry. This works especially well on gold, but can be used for other materials as well.
9. Shampoo substituteWant your hair to really shine? Try pouring some beer over your hair, massaging it into your scalp and then rinsing it out with cold water about five minutes later. It seems like a weird idea, but beer has vitamin B, which stimulates hair growth.
10. Beer-flavored gummy bearsBeer + gummy bears = Best. Party snack. Ever. Just make sure you keep them out of reach of your kids. Check out
the video for the recipe.
With so many ideas to check out, you'll have to start buying extra beer just to try some of them. And don't forget to share this list with your friends on Facebook so they can find some new beer-related ideas, too!
