Fantastic recipe!! I browned my diced stew meat first to add that "brown" flavor to the dish, then deglazed the pan w/onions and 2 T minced garlic. Readded the meat and a bottle of Killian's Irish Red. I did not have a problem with too little liquid, perhaps because I kept the dish covered as it simmered. Only other additions were a spoon full of beef base (no additional liquid) and a dash of liquid smoke. Great and flavorful, even my grandson loved it.

The filling turned out fine, however, I should have made my own crust (was too sweet) and not used the thyme. I thought the thyme gave it a weird flavor. If I were to make it again, I'd leave out the thyme and make my own crust. I'd also probably add a few more spices!

I made this with Guinness, and I omitted the parsley. I also didn't bother with the pastry - just served it as a stew. As written it's ok, but kinda bland. I added some garlic powder, a couple of beef buillon cubes and more Worcestershire sauce. Turned out pretty good. Thanks, Mrs L!

My husband and I loved this recipe. I added tomato paste, and some carrots to the stew.

My boyfriend and I LOVED this! We used Guinness and it turned out great. The first time, I followed the recipe but also added a few things such as basil and garlic and herb seasoning and some extra onion, not because it needs it, but because we really like onions. The second time, I took a roast and put it in the crockpot with the onions, Guinness and seasonings and let it cook all day. I used the juices to cook the mushrooms in and then combined everything. I made a package of beef gravy to top it with on our plates.Thanks so much for this great recipe! I think it will be a new staple in my house.

I wanted to try and make this simplier. I put most ingredients (except mushrooms)in the crockpot in the AM. Forgot to get onions, so added dry onion soup mix. Added mushrooms right before going into the oven. Didn't have pie crust, so tried Bisquick topping. Family really liked it. Will make this again, maybe without the dry onion soup try and real onions.

As suggested, doubled the number of beers (used Guiness). Used stewing beef and it came out very nicely. People loved it. Next time, wiil use more veggies, (baby carrots, pearl onions, etc)

Definitely the best beef pie filling I've ever made. I followed the recipe closely, with minor changes: I used fresh thyme, fried the onions and simmered the beef gently for an hour (with lid on). I added 2 small carrots, sliced, with the potatoes. Because we're trying to lose some weight we gained over Christmas, I used a mashed potato topping in stead of the pastry (and reduced the amount of potato in the filling). The whole family gave it 5 stars!

Excellent recipe. Used a bottle of Sam Adams Light I had in the fridge. Will definitely make again.

After reading all the reviews I can safely say that this recipe does need extra liquid. I thought I had simmered it too long, but it would have been great with the addition of some beef broth. I had to simmer the meat about 50 minutes instead of the 30 because after 30 minutes the stew meat was just rubbery - maybe I didn't use good enough meat. Also, unless you really like worcestershire, I'd start with one tablespoon and add more to taste. Other than that it was quite tasty and filling.

My husband and I really liked this recipe, although at the end, I added a package of brown gravy mix and enough water to make it saucy enough. Also used a 10" pie plate and only put a crust on top. Next time, I will use only 1# of beef and more mushrooms and omit the thyme. We thought the flavor was great!

Made this last night, and I also had problems with the amount of liquid left in the pan by the end, when following the cooking times. I added some water, but think another bottle of beer at the beginning, or the addition of beef broth would have done the trick. I also tweeked the spices, adding in ground sage, some carrots. It had a great flavor, but was a tad dry inside the crust. I also sprinkled a little shredded cheddar just before putting the top crust on, gave a nice taste. I would try this again for sure, just with some more 'gravy' inside. Thanks!

My Family just loved it! I added 2 tablespoons of Tomato sauce,a beef bouillon cube and 2 cups of water. Other than those slight changes I followed the recipe exactly! Thanks it will be enjoyed by my family for a long time to come!

3.5 stars.

This was a hearty meal but I did need to adjust a bit as it was a bit bland. I added some carrots, a cup of beef broth (as there was not enough liquid to cook the potatoes and tenderize the stew meat) and lastly I thought to add some tomato flavor. I did not have tomato paste but added 2 Tbsp of ketchup and I immediatly knew it just what the dish needed. I had to cook it longer than 30 minutes to get the meat to a stew type tenderness. I only used a top pie crust to make it easier. It cut down the time in the oven and seemed perfect and not overpowering. I would make this again but with the modifications. My husband being more of a meat and potato guy would want it again for sure.

I've made a pie just like this except using red wine instead of ale, for years! My family and friends love it. Being British, I used to use lamb's kidneys instead of mushrooms, but they have not been available for ages, so I began using the mushrooms and the pie has been a hit with everyone! I also use the rolled prepared pie crusts in a box as they bake to a very light, flakey crust that many people can't achieve from scratch. Other than that, the ingredients in my pie are the same and it's one of the best ever!!