Cooking With Beer- A Sin?

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I grew up in a nontraditional LDS home (we converted when I was young).  My dad was a chef in California for years and has a credited background in the knowledge of food. The day we got baptized, my mom and dad threw away their coffee pot and never drank again. That doesn't mean they don't cook with wine or beer. My parents cook incredible food and a recipe I've always loved since I was a little girl is Brown Ale-Braised Chicken. It's delicious. When my molly-Mormon self found out my parents used alcohol to cook the chicken, I nearly died. But then my parents explained how the alcohol cooks out of the food and it is used to enhance the flavor.  I quickly changed my stance on that because this chicken is delicious.

Brown Ale-Braised Chicken

1       TB packaged brown sugar

1/2   ts chili powder

1/2   ts salt

1/4   ts ground black pepper

1/4   ts crushed red pepper

8       skin-on chicken thighs

1       TB vegetable oil

1       medium onion, sliced

2       stalks celery, chopped

8       small whole carrots with tops, peeled and tops trimmed to 1 inch

2       TB all purpose flour

1        12 oz. brown ale

1/2    Cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

4        peeled garlic cloves

* Coarsely chopped celery leaves and fresh thyme

1. Preheat oven to 350. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, chili powder, salt, ground black pepper, and crushed red pepper; rub into chicken thighs. Let stand 10 minutes.

2. In an extra-large ovenproof skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook until well browned on both sides and skin is crispy. Remove chicken from skillet. Drain fat, reserving 1 TB.

3. In the same skillet cook and stir the onion, celery, and carrots in the reserved fat about 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in flour; cook and stir 1 minute. Stir in beer and broth. Bring to a simmer. Return chicken to skillet. Add garlic. Cover and bake 40 minutes. Sprinkle with celery leaves and thyme. 

** Double up on the recipe to feed 6-8 people. 

*** Since I don't drink brown ale and wouldn't know the first thing about which bottle goes with what, I went with a recipe I found at better homes and gardens and they recommended Newcastle Brown Ale, Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale, and Abita Turbodog. I know for a fact that the Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale made the dish delicious.

**** Recipe can be found at www.betterhomesandgardens.com