would a beer/fennel cheeseburger have a balanced taste?

Do you mean Fennel Seed or Fennel Bulb?

Fennel Seed is used in Italian Sausage and I've made "Italian Sausage Burgers" with ground pork and various Italian Seasonings and they have been spectacular.

When I think "Porter & Fennel Bulb" and "Cheeseburger", I don't think about adding the beer and bulb to the meat but rather caramelize the fennel bulb with a small amount of onion and then adding the beer to the caramelized bulbs, reducing it, and making it in to a thick, syrupy topping to the Sausage Patty or Hamburger Patty.

Hum... Now you have me thinking about this...

If I were to take all of the above, I think I would do half ground pork, half ground beef, and the Good Eats Recipe for Italian Sausage, then caramelize thinly sliced fennel and onion, then reduce the beer in with the already caramelized onion/fennel then grill the patty, toast the bun, and spoon the jammy fennel over the bun and patty.

✖ Good Eats - Sausage: A Beautiful Grind - Episode EA1G09

http://www.foodnetwork.com/good-eats/sausage-a-bea...

Host Alton Brown thinks that sausage should be our national dish. Never made your own? Once you know how easy it is, you will. Take a look at grinders, the perfect hunk of pork and the longest piece of protein in the world.

✖ Watch Episode:

Part 1 of 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GD5OXtndNn0

Part 2 of 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGTfr_C1MuQ

Recipes in This Episode:

Breakfast Sausage

and

✖ Italian Sausage:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/ita...

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

Ingredients

1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seed

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves

2 pounds pork butt (2 1/2 pounds with bone), diced into 1/4-inch pieces

5 feet of 36 millimeter collagen casings (do not allow to get wet at any time)

Shortening, to lubricate nozzle of stuffer

Special equipment: meat grinder with stuffing attachment or manual stuffer

Directions

Toast fennel seed in medium sized, heavy saute pan over medium heat, constantly moving seeds around in pan until they start to turn light brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool. Once cool, grind seeds and combine with salt, pepper, and chopped parsley in medium mixing bowl. Add pork and blend thoroughly. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Using the fine blade of a grinder, grind the pork. After lubricating stuffer or stuffing attachment with shortening, load casing onto attachment, clipping end with a clothespin. Stuff meat into casings, trying to avoid air pockets. After stuffing is finished lay out on counter and tie off end. Pinch and twist to form 4-inch sausages. Wrap in parchment paper and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours. Store in refrigerator for use within 2 to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. If freezing, wrap in aluminum foil. If using immediately, saute over medium heat in a heavy saute pan with 1/4-inch of water. Bring water to boil, put on lid and cook for 10 minutes. Remove lid and continue cooking over medium heat, turning every 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown. Sausage should reach an internal temperature of 150 to 156 degrees F.

I don't know about fennel, but I do add porter to my hamburger to season it, you could just add fennel to a small burger to taste test it. I think it's worth a try!

its hard to tell about the fennel in my opinion fennel has sort of a licorice taste so not sure if it would be good in hamburger..try a little bit in cooked hamburger and see what happens

They certainly do taste wonderful. THOUGH, I will only go to a fast-food establishment 2-3 times a year. I make mine at home: buy 4 pounds of ground-beef, make eight 1/2 pound patties and freeze them. My Burgers go on a toasted roll with a slice of onion, tomato, lettuce, swiss and cheddar cheese, mustard and mayo. My pickle goes on the side. Ketchup is NOT to be NEAR my burger