Bavarian Beer Brownie

Aaron Hulme

At Alpine beer hall Radhaus, beer is more than a beverage. It serves as inspiration across the menu. Nowhere is that philosophy better expressed than in the Starkbier Brownie à la Mode, a dessert that reimagines classic chocolate decadence through a Bavarian lens.

The popular dessert stars a warm, fudgy brownie infused with a rich, dark lager: Andechs Doppelbock Dunkel. Ghirardelli chocolate delivers velvety notes, while walnuts add texture and structure. A scoop of housemade bier ice cream melts slowly over the top, creating an interplay of warm and cold, dense and airy. A drizzle of Märzen bier syrup ties it all together, adding a toasted malt sweetness.

“Most people reach for wine or milk with chocolate. At Radhaus, we reach for beer, and our Starkbier Brownie is the fullest expression of that philosophy,” says owner Aaron Hulme. Beer shows up in every component, from batter to ice cream to syrup, creating a cohesive flavor experience. Like most well-executed menu items, the dessert is grounded in technique as much as creative vision. Incorporating the bier syrup into the brownie batter took weeks of R&D to strike the right balance of flavor, sweetness and structure.

The use of Ghirardelli chocolate is intentional, too. “The dessert is a love letter to our neighborhood—Ghirardelli Square sits just steps from our door, and its chocolate is woven into every bite,” says Hulme. The payoff is a signature dessert that beautifully captures Radhaus’ identity.

Read more Best of Flavor 2026