Stout has also gained favor recently as a baking ingredient. Its chocolaty flavor has made it a popular way to add depth to chocolate cakes, cupcakes and brownies. The dark brew can also be used in place of beer in the batter for apple fritters, onion rings or even tempura, a quick way to enrich their flavor.

As with other power ingredients, though, it pays to let your culinary imagination run free. If stout works so well as a braising medium for red meat, why wouldn’t it also add resonant flavors to other umami-rich foods? As it turns out, it does; pouring a bit into the sauté pan with mushrooms, for example, deepens and amplifies their earthy flavor.

But at this time of year, it always comes around to grilling. So what about a stout-based glaze? Sure enough, combined with some balsamic vinegar and lemon and reduced, the brew transforms into a gorgeous glaze for brushing on red meats. Lamb chops, for instance, just soak up that bitter edge and convert it to robust flavors.

In fact, this stuff works so well in cooking, the next thing you know I’ll be drinking it right out of the glass.

I do like it. You probably do too. If I have it in the house I will reduce it.