12 Common Beer Cocktails

Why settle for plain beer when you can transform it into a delicious cocktail? These 12 common beer cocktails combine the crispness of beer with bold flavors and creative mixers, making them perfect for any occasion. Explore these easy recipes and add a twist to your next drink!

Michelada

Michelada is a refreshing Mexican beer cocktail. You’ll find it perfect for hot days or as a spicy pick-me-up.

Traditional Ingredients:

• Beer: Pale lager, 12 oz.
• Lime Juice: Freshly squeezed, 1 oz.
• Hot Sauce: 3-5 dashes (e.g., Tabasco)
• Worcestershire Sauce: 2-3 dashes
• Soy Sauce: Optional, 1 dash
• Tomato Juice: 3 oz.
• Salt: Pinch, for rim
• Chili Powder: Pinch, for rim
• Ice: Handful

To make a Michelada:

1. Rim the glass with lime juice and dip it in a mix of salt and chili powder.
2. Fill the glass with ice.
3. Add lime juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and tomato juice.
4. Pour the beer over the mix.
5. Stir gently.

Micheladas are versatile. You can adjust the heat and saltiness. Experiment with different hot sauces and beers.

Variations:

• Bavarian Michelada: Use a Bavarian lager and add Bavarian spices.
• Muerte Michelada: Add jalapeno syrup, chamoy, and tajin for extra spice.

This cocktail dates back to the 1940s or 1950s in Mexico. It’s a simple yet flavorful drink that combines savory and spicy elements. Give it a try and find your perfect balance.

Shandy

A Shandy is a simple, refreshing beer cocktail. It’s perfect for warm weather and easy to make.

Basic Shandy Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of beer
• 1 cup of lemonade

Instructions:

1. Pour the beer into a glass.
2. Add the lemonade.
3. Stir gently to combine.

Variations

The classic Shandy is a 50-50 mix of beer and lemonade. You can also try:

• Ginger Beer Shandy: Replace lemonade with ginger beer.
• Orange Juice Shandy: Use orange juice instead of lemonade.
• Citrus Shandy: Mix different citrus juices like lime and lemon.

Tips

• Choose a light beer: Pale ales or lagers work best.
• Serve over ice: Keeps it extra cold.
• Garnish with a slice of lemon or lime: Adds a decorative touch.

Shandies are low in alcohol, making them great for daytime drinking. Enjoy experimenting with different mixers to find your favorite combination.

Black and Tan

The Black and Tan is a classic beer cocktail. It combines a pale ale with a dark stout, usually Guinness. This layering results in a visually appealing drink.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces pale ale, such as Bass
• 8 ounces stout, usually Guinness

Instructions

1. Pour the pale ale into a pint glass until it is half full.
2. Using a spoon, slowly pour the stout over the pale ale.
3. The stout should float on top, creating distinct layers.
4. Serve and enjoy immediately.

The Black and Tan is also known as the Irish Half and Half. This layered drink is simple to make at home. Impress your guests with its striking appearance and bold flavor.

Tips

• Hold the spoon just above the pale ale before pouring the stout.
• Pour the stout slowly to ensure distinct layers.

Beer Margarita (Also Known As A Beergarita)

A Beer Margarita mixes the bold flavors of a margarita with the refreshing touch of beer.

To make a Beer Margarita, you’ll need:

• 1.5 oz tequila
• 1 oz triple sec or Cointreau
• 1 oz lime juice
• 0.5 oz simple syrup
• 1 bottle of beer (chilled)
• Salt for rimming the glass

Instructions:

1. Rim the glass with salt.
2. Combine tequila, triple sec, lime juice, and simple syrup in a glass.
3. Add ice to the mixture.
4. Pour in the chilled beer and gently stir.

The result is a refreshing, bubbly cocktail. The salt enhances both the sweet and sour flavors, giving it a classic margarita taste. Enjoy it chilled for the best experience.

Snakebite

The Snakebite is a popular beer cocktail. It combines hard cider with beer, typically a lager or stout. This drink offers a balanced taste, alternating between sweet and bitter notes.

Ingredients

• 6-8 ounces dry hard cider
• 6-8 ounces dark beer, lager, or stout
• Optional: ½ ounce blackcurrant cordial or liqueur

Instructions

1. Fill a tall beer glass halfway with hard cider.
2. Use a spoon to help layer the beer. Insert the back side of the spoon into the glass.
3. Slowly pour the beer over the spoon. This lets the beer gently float on top of the cider.
4. If using blackcurrant cordial, mix it in as preferred.

Serving is straightforward. Give the drink a moment to settle before enjoying it!

Radler Beer

Radler beer is a popular summer drink. It combines beer with citrus soda. This mix creates a refreshing, light beverage. Similar to a shandy, radler has a slightly tangy taste.

Classic Radler Ingredients:

• 1 part light beer (lager or pilsner)
• 1 part lemonade or lemon-lime soda

Instructions:

• Pour cold beer into a glass.
• Add an equal part of cold lemonade or lemon-lime soda.
• Stir gently to mix.
• Serve immediately.

Radlers originated in 20th-century Europe. They were popular among cyclists for their refreshing qualities. Stiegl, an Austrian brewery, helped introduce radlers to the U.S. market.

Modern variations of the radler use different flavors. Breweries mix beer with grapefruit, lime, and other citrus juices. This creates unique taste profiles and keeps the drink interesting.

Grapefruit Radler Recipe:

• 1 part light beer
• 1 part grapefruit soda

Instructions:

• Chill both ingredients.
• Pour beer into a glass.
• Add grapefruit soda.
• Stir lightly and enjoy.

Radler Paloma is a twist on a classic cocktail. It combines the flavors of a Paloma with light beer.

Radler Paloma Ingredients:

• 2 oz tequila
• 1 oz lime juice
• 1 oz grapefruit juice
• Light beer to top

Instructions:

• Shake tequila, lime juice, and grapefruit juice with ice.
• Strain into a Collins glass with ice.
• Top with light beer.
• Garnish with a grapefruit twist.

Boilermaker

The Boilermaker is a straightforward beer cocktail. It consists of two main ingredients: beer and whiskey.

Ingredients:

• 1 pint of beer (choose your preference)
• 1 shot of whiskey (your choice)

Instructions:

1. Pour the whiskey into a shot glass.
2. Fill a pint glass halfway with the beer.
3. Drop the shot glass into the pint glass of beer.
4. Drink immediately and enjoy.

Popular Combinations:

• Jameson + Guinness
• Bulleit Rye + Schilling Beer
• Old Grand-Dad Bonded Bourbon + Coors
• FEW Spirits Bourbon + Hefeweizen

In England, a Boilermaker can also refer to a mix of draught mild and brown ale. In Scotland, it’s known as a half and half with whisky and beer.

Chelada

The Chelada is a traditional Mexican beer cocktail. It’s a simple, refreshing drink that combines beer with lime juice and salt. Unlike the Michelada, the Chelada doesn’t typically include tomato juice or other spices.

Ingredients

• Beer: 1 can or bottle of your choice (preferably Mexican lager)
• Fresh Lime Juice: Juice from 1 to 2 limes
• Salt: A pinch, for taste
• Ice: To fill your glass halfway
• Optional Garnish: Lime slice

Instructions

1. Rim the Glass: Rub a lime wedge around the rim of your glass. Dip the rim in salt.
2. Prepare the Drink:
   • Squeeze lime juice directly into the glass.
   • Add a pinch of salt.
   • Stir to combine the lime juice and salt.
3. Add Ice: Fill the glass halfway with ice.
4. Pour Beer: Slowly pour beer into the glass, allowing the foam to settle.
5. Garnish: Add a lime slice on the rim, if desired.

Dark ‘n’ Shandy

The Dark ‘n’ Shandy blends the rich flavor of dark rum with the light refreshment of beer. This cocktail merges two classics: the Dark ‘n’ Stormy and the traditional shandy.

To make a Dark ‘n’ Shandy, you’ll need:

• 4 oz dark beer (stout or porter)
• 2 oz dark rum
• 4 oz ginger beer
• 1/2 oz lime juice
• Ice

Instructions:

1. Fill a glass with ice.
2. Pour in the dark beer.
3. Add the dark rum.
4. Top off with ginger beer.
5. Squeeze in lime juice.
6. Stir gently to mix.

Dark ‘n’ Shandy is versatile. Customize it by experimenting with different dark beers or ginger beers. It offers a balanced taste with a hint of spice from the ginger beer. This drink is perfect for warm weather or a casual gathering.

Enjoy your Dark ‘n’ Shandy responsibly. It’s easy to make and refreshing to drink.

Beer Sangria

Beer Sangria is a refreshing twist on the classic sangria. This cocktail combines beer with mixed fruits and other spirits for a flavorful experience.

Ingredients for Pineapple Beer Sangria

• 25ml of Lemon Juice
• 280g of Fresh Pineapple (cubed)
• 1 Tsp of Brown Sugar
• 25ml of Rye Whiskey
• 25ml of Triple Sec
• 180ml of Belgian Beer
• Peach Slices (optional for garnish)
• Pineapple Slices (for garnish)

Instructions

1. Slice the pineapple into cubes. Reserve one wedge for garnish.
2. Blend the pineapple cubes with lemon juice, brown sugar, and rye whiskey.
3. Combine the blended mixture with the beer and Triple Sec in a pitcher.
4. Stir well and chill.
5. Serve in glasses garnished with peach and pineapple slices if desired.

Ingredients for Citrus Beer Sangria

• 1 Bottle of Beer (preferably pale ale)
• 60ml Vodka
• 1 Orange (sliced)
• 1 Lemon (sliced)
• 1 Lime (sliced)
• 2 Tbsp Sugar
• 500ml Lemon-lime Soda

Instructions

1. Slice the orange, lemon, and lime.
2. In a pitcher, mix beer, vodka, and sugar.
3. Add the sliced fruits and stir.
4. Pour in lemon-lime soda.
5. Chill in the fridge for about an hour.
6. Serve over ice.

Belgian Beer Sangria Ingredients

• 1 Bottle of Belgian Beer
• 1 Peach (sliced)
• 5 Strawberries (halved)
• 15 Fresh Cherries (pitted)
• 1 Lemon (sliced)
• 300ml Sparkling Water
• 30ml Grand Marnier

Instructions

1. Slice the peach and strawberries. Pit the cherries.
2. Mix Belgian beer, Grand Marnier, and fruits in a pitcher.
3. Add sparkling water and lemon slices.
4. Stir and refrigerate for around an hour.
5. Serve chilled.

Beer Bloody Mary

A Beer Bloody Mary combines the spiciness of a Bloody Mary with the lightness of beer. It’s refreshing and flavorful.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (8 oz) Bloody Mary mix
• 1 can (12 oz) light lager beer
• Fresh ground pepper, to taste
• Hot sauce, to taste
• Lime wedge
• Salt (for rimming)
• Ice

Instructions:

1. Rim a pint glass with salt. Use the lime wedge to moisten the rim.
2. Fill the glass with ice.
3. Add 1 cup of Bloody Mary mix to the glass.
4. Slowly pour the 12 oz can of beer into the glass.
5. Stir gently to mix.
6. Garnish with a pinch of fresh ground pepper.
7. Add hot sauce to taste, if desired.

Beermosa

A Beermosa is a delightful take on the classic mimosa. It’s perfect for brunch or a refreshing drink anytime. Here’s how to make one:

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
• 1 bottle (12 oz) of beer (preferably a crisp lager or light ale)
• Optional: Splash of cava or 2 oz orange liqueur
• Garnish: Fresh mint or basil sprigs

Instructions

1. Chill your ingredients: Ensure your beer and orange juice are cold.
2. Combine: Pour the orange juice into a glass.
3. Add beer: Slowly add the beer to the orange juice.
4. Enhance: If desired, add a splash of cava or orange liqueur.
5. Garnish: Top with a sprig of mint or basil.

Tips

• Use fresh-squeezed orange juice for the best flavor.
• Experiment with citrus-flavored beers for a twist.
• Serve immediately to enjoy the full effervescence.