Imperial Porter Brownies

Tonight I plan on taking comfort from the cold in a growler of Southampton Publick House Imperial Porter. This afternoon I used just a little of it to make some brownies. Here's the recipe:

Imperial Porter Brownies
Makes 16 brownies

If you can't find porter, another malty, slightly sweet beer such as stout, brown ale, red ale, or bock are good substitutes.

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1/3 cup malty beer such as stout or porter
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil, making sure that the foil is tucked into all the corners and that there is at least 1 inch overhanging the top of the pan on all sides. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Combine butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high until chocolate is almost melted. Whisk until completely smooth and set aside to cool to lukewarm.
3. Whisk brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and espresso powder into chocolate. Gently stir in porter. Fold in flour mixture until just incorporated.
4. Scrape batter into prepared pan. Bake until just set, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
5. Grasping overhanging foil on either side of pan, lift out brownies and place them on a cutting board. Use a sharp chef's knife to cut into 16 squares.