Beer is not just for drinking. The diverse range of beers available means it can also be used as a unique and flavourful ingredient in a whole host of dishes, and it is the star ingredient in this collection of tempting recipes.

In cooking, beers are most commonly used to marinade or braise robust meat dishes, such as in Paul Heathcote's beef in bitter beer recipe, or as an essential component for a proper beer batter for fish and chips. In a similar way, Nathan Outlaw uses lager to add a lightness to his Cornish rarebit recipe, which makes a great snack for any time of day.

For more unusual uses, try Paul Foster's pub-inspired bar snacks of beer pickled onions and fried crispy beer puffs, or try it in a sweet recipe such as Richard Corrigan's sticky honey and stout tart.