Have to disagree with you, Steve, on the subject of beer - my beef stew always has half a bottle of beer added. Doesn't seem to matter whether it's lager, bitter or Guinness, it's a vast improvement. The other half bottle disappears before long, but you can always open another to drink with the meal.

Incidentally I always lower the oven temperature once the stew starts to simmer - water boils at 100°C, there isn't much point in trying to get it any hotter.