BEER: It's not just for drinking...

ENRICH SOIL...the yeast promotes plant growth. Pour a few tablespoons of flat beer into the garden soil and cultivate, the yeast in the soil will help plants grow healthier and make the garden thrive. The sugars in beer are also enjoyed by your garden vegetables and flowers.

POLISH WOOD FURNITURE...Dampen a microfiber cloth with flat beer and rub gently into your furniture. It will give it a polish and bring back some color. I like to use darker ales for this to match the wood stain, it deepened the patina of the wood, added a shine, and buffed out a few scratches.

CLOTHING STAIN REMOVAL...beer works much like club soda on a clothing stain, rinse with water after will help take out the smell or just throw in the laundry.

HAIR LIGHTENING...while I normally go to the salon for this, it has been proven effective for a more natural glow to hair. Simply soak your hair in beer and then lay in the sun. It will pull out beautiful highlights and save you money at the salon!

SOAK TIRED FEET...soaking feet in beer is said to soothe tired feet and help soften the skin for a wonderful beer pedicure.

POLISH GOLD JEWELRY...both economical and a greener alternative to chemical jewelry cleaners: Place rings and other gold items into a container of beer and soak for a few minutes. Remove and polish to a beautiful sheen using a soft dry cloth.

SLUG AND SNAIL TRAP...at dusk, place dishes or jars of beer around your garden where slugs and snails like to feast. They are drawn to the beer's scent and will crawl in a drown which is a great way to control these pests.

PUT OUT A FIRE...certainly not as effective as a real fire extinguisher, beer can mimic one if an extinguisher is not around. Simply shake and spritz. This works best on small grill flare-ups or bonfires. Not a great use of beer but its better than an out of control fire!

BEER BATH...taking a beer bath may sound crazy but adding some to the bathtub are great soothers and skin softeners because of the yeast. Don't forget to rinse well otherwise you will smell like a brewery!

EASE AN UPSET STOMACH...the carbonation in beer can help ease your stomachache. Of course, this is NOT for children or people with serious stomach illness.

BEER TO HEAL...beer is a diuretic and it can be used to help pass a kidney stone. It cannot, however, be used like other diuretics — to treat liver disease.

DISTRACT BEES AND WASPS... beer placed in cups around the outskirts of your picnic or barbecue area will attract bees and wasps and keep them away from people or your outdoor gathering. It's not a long-term wasp control tactic...but it can help control these pests.

TRAP FRUIT FLIES IN THE HOUSE...if you like to have fruit on the kitchen counter or keep a compost pail inside...you will most likely attract fruit flies. Place a jar or can of beer on the kitchen counter and cover the top with plastic wrap or paper leaving a small opening for the flies to get into. The fruit flies won't be able to get back out.

MICE CONTROL...a small amount of beer placed in a pail will help get rid of a mouse problem. Pouring an inch or so of beer in a bucket and prop a wood ramp to the bucket.The mouse will crawl up the ramp and fall into the bucket.

TRAP COCKROACHES...soak a slice of bread in beer and put it in a jar. Add Vaseline around the rim of the jar to attract the cockroaches in so they can't get back out.

INDOOR PLANT FERTILIZER...use a small amount of flat beer at the plant base. Be careful not to use too much since they are not able to be rinsed with rain water like outside plants.

FEED BROWN SPOTS IN THE LAWN...the acids in beer kill off fungi and pests plus the fermented sugars in beer help feed the grass to reduce brown or damaged spots.

WASH YOUR PILLOWCASES IN BEER...my Grandma told me this to help people who suffer from insomnia. This may be an old wives tale...but supposedly the smell of hops helps you fall asleep. If you have trouble sleeping...try washing your pillowcase in beer.

ADD TO RICE...the next time you cook up some long-grain rice, cook the rice in beer. A dark ale or stout beer will add a lot of flavor. The rice will absorb the beer and have a lovely flavor.

BEER BATTER RECIPE...follow this recipe for a great tasting beer-battered cod dinner!

1 12oz bottle of beer
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons paprika
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 egg beaten

MAKE BEER BREAD...there's nothing like a good loaf of beer bread.

INGREDIENTS

1 12oz can of beer
2 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 cup butter or margarine...melted

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
3. In a bowl...mix the dry ingredients.
4. Add the beer and sugar...mix well...place in pan.
5. Top with melted butter.
6. Bake 45 to 55 minutes...and cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!