A New Carl's Jr. And Hardee's Fish Sandwich Is Made With Good Beer. What?

What happens when fast food jumps on the beer bandwagon? We're about to find out.

Carl's Jr. and Hardee's announced a partnership with Seattle's Redhook Brewery for a new menu item featuring its well-known ESB (Extra Special Bitter) ale. Though it's not the first time the fast-food siblings have brought booze into the mix — the Jim Beam Bourbon Burger took a turn on the menu back in 2013 — it's the company's first foray into beer, bringing a gastropub staple to the hungry masses.

The Redhook Beer-Battered Cod Fish Sandwich has beer-battered cod, lettuce, tartar sauce and tomato or American cheese, depending on whether you visit a Carl's Jr. or Hardee's, respectively. The batter will also be used to fry fish for tacos at the companies' Green and Red Burrito outlets.

Redhook Brewery (a brand family within Craft Brew Alliance, Inc., of which AB-Inbev owns 32 percent of the outstanding stock) has brewed the ESB since 1984; it's snappily carbonated and only mildly bitter with nice caramel notes, similar to those one might find in an American amber. Carl's Jr. and Hardee's chief marketing officer Brad Haley says the team tested out several brands during research and development, but stuck on Redhook because it added "a nice beer flavor and a crispy coating."

Subtle ales like ESBs and ambers are most commonly used as rising agents in batters for fish and other fried commodities because the carbonation gives the resulting shell a satisfying volume and fluff (the alcohol burns off during cooking). But while many have also played around with stouts and IPAs to inject a bigger flavor, generally speaking, the style of beer won't make a huge difference because the suds are used primarily for how they react in the recipe; hops and malts only add subtle depth to the final crust instead of a bold beer flavor.

Marketing often speaks louder than flavor does anyway, and putting beer on the menu in any capacity will draw attention. Could this be the move that elevates the fast-food fish sandwich? Or will it bump the elite status of a well-made brew down a notch? Only time will tell.