For the Stew:

1. Wash and chop vegetables and garlic, set aside.
2. Cut beef into small bite sized pieces. Toss with flour, salt and pepper.
3. In batches, use one tablespoon olive oil in a large pot and brown the beef without crowding it. Between batches, splash ale into pot to deglaze it, scraping up any brown bits with the meat. Set aside.
4. Using the last tablespoon of olive oil, cook the vegetables and garlic for about 5 minutes in the same pot as the beef.
5. Add the beef back to the pot with vegetables, pour in the beef stock, any remaining ale, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, bay leaf and thyme. Bring to a boil, then simmer for an hour and half to two hours or until the stew has reduced by half.

For the Pie Crust:

1. Meanwhile, start on the pie crust. Begin by whisking the flour and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Place in freezer for 15 minutes to get cold.
2. Cut butter into cubes and place in the fridge to keep cold.
3. Stir butter into flour until well coated.
4. Add ice cold water and work into rough dough. Form into ball and wrap in plastic wrap and place in freezer for 15 more minutes.
5. Roll out dough and work until smooth on a floured surface. Roll out until almost as thin as two quarters. If dough becomes sticky before finished, place in freezer for 10 minutes then continue. Make two equal sized pieces, one for top and bottom of pie.
6. Once finished place dough in the freezer for an hour.
7. Once the stew is finished, let cool for about 30 minutes.

To Make the Pie:

1. Melt the butter and cook mushrooms in a pan for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. Add to the beef stew.
2. Press dough into pan greased with butter. Fill with cooled stew.
3. Cover pie with remaining dough. Make a few slits in the top for the steam to release. Pinch edges together to seal the pie. Brush the top with a beaten egg.
4. Bake for 30 minutes at 400°F or until inside of pie is hot.