Action Bronson Is Elysian Brewing’s New ‘Director of Dank’

The food-and-drink-obsessed rapper and TV star spoke with Maxim about beer and food pairings, his new album and all things IPA.

There’s nothing like a cold one at the end of a long day — and that’s all the better if the beer in question is especially “dank,” with a hop-packed punch that sticks with you. Dank IPAs are prized among beer aficionados — the more hops, the better — and who else knows more about all things dank than rapper Action Bronson?

The multi-talented hip-hop star, gourmand, food TV show host and chef is taking on his most dank role yet as Seattle-based Elysian Brewing‘s first-ever Director of Dank.

He steps up to the plate, and into the kitchen, in time for the launch of Elysian Brewing’s hopped up Dank Dust IPA, which packs a wallop at 8.2 percent ABV and plenty of those dank tones in aroma and flavor.

Bronson spoke with Maxim about the crossover between food, beer and music as he prepped for a recent show in Seattle supporting his new album, Cocodrillo Turbo. The partnership with Elysian Brewing also includes two insanely tasty recipes able to be made at home using Elysian’s Dank Dust: Sticky Short Ribs and Funkified Funnel Cake.

Bronson, as it turns out, tends to lean towards sour beers, but found the perfect match with Elysian’s newest IPA.

“This Dank Dust has really changed my mind,” he said over the phone. “This is kind of one of the first IPAs I’ve really been able to enjoy.”

And with a beer like Dank Dust, it’s actually easier than ever to pair up food and a cold brew.

“I think that the Dank Dust goes really well with charred meats,” he said, calling out the short ribs recipe specifically. “I just feel like that brings everything together. It cuts through the fat, it cuts through the char, and it just brings this explosion of love.”

Even for those who aren’t used to getting down and dirty in the kitchen, Bronson says it’s all about confidence when cooking, short ribs and other meats (and beer) included.

“You have to be able to cook for yourself, you have to be able to make things to survive in life,” he said. “It’s like a science project. Once in a while, you just have to say, “I’m going to take this and do this now,” … it’s just about being comfortable.”

Bronson looks at crafting recipes in the kitchen in much the same way he looks at honing his craft in the studio.

“These things that are stimulating to the mind and the brain, they all work kind of similarly,” he said. “They’re all hitting these senses, I feel like they all dance in a similar way. It’s simplicity — just keeping it simple and to its base, but also with the most psychedelia that you can.”

When in doubt, or when you need to step up to the plate and cook a meal at home for, say, a new date you’ve invited over, Bronson recommends keeping it simple: Ultra-fresh olive oil, pasta and the right ambience.

It’s all about making the right statement, he says — not unlike his newest LP, Cocodrillo Turbo.

“It’s my own motion picture. It’s a thriller, slasher, attacker, nature documentary that’s scored by me,” he said. For a man with as many plates in the air as Action Bronson, it seems like he’s got the perfect recipe down pat — that’s worth raising a cold can of Elysian Brewing’s newest, most dank IPA yet.