No clue about the beer, but their reputation is that they cause fermentation in the colon something fierce, so that doesn't surprise me. If you can tolerate them, supposedly they're pretty nice with a bit of a sunflower seed flavor. I've never had a chance to try them myself.
Any time I'm trying a new starchy vegetable for the first time I just go for a simple pan roast to get a feel for how they work. Olive oil, salt, pepper, rosemary & thyme. 350F until they're golden brown & tender.