10 BRILLIANT USES FOR STALE BEER

Clever ways the beverage can save the day

-  SHAY TROTTER

1 MAKE MEAT EXTRA TENDER

Flank and skirt steaks are full of flavor, but they can be a little chewy. The save: Marinate the meat in beer for a few hours before grilling. Beer's natural acids will soften the muscle fibers that make meat tough. Note: Longer cooking methods will burn off any residual alcohol, which can still be present even in stale beer.

2 Polish gold jewelry

No need to buy jewelry cleaner when your favorite gold bracelet or pair of earrings start looking dull. Instead, try this: Pour a splash of pale, stale beer into a shallow bowl and add the jewelry. The beer will break down jewelry-dulling oils and dirt, while its carbonation will lift grime. After soaking for 10 minutes and buffing with a clean cloth, your jewelry will be sparkling like new again.

3 Lift rust from hardware

While cleaning out your garage, you notice you have some old hardware stored away that has rusty spots. Don't toss it out! Just soak the hardware in beer for 24 hours, then rinse with plenty of water and dry with a microfiber cloth afterward. The brew's carbonic acid will dissolve the rust so the pieces look and work like new.