A beer does not always have to be drunk neat. It can also bring body and bubbles to mixed drinks and add a nice frothy top.
The variety of beer cocktails is tremendous. -From simple pairings of beer with an additional ingredient to traditional spirit-based cocktails to complex combinations like a Michelada. There's something for everyone.
Our Easy-to-make Beer Cocktails
These beer cocktails are refreshing and super delicious. And the best thing is that they're also easy to make.
1. Jelly Beer
The term Jelly Beer describes the Thai take on frozen beer. Originally this ice-cold and refreshing drink was invented in Japan.
But the hype quickly spread across Asia. Thailand was one of the countries to love the cold treat the most. So it's not a surprise it had been Thai restaurants that brought Jelly Beer to Western countries.
Accentuated with a splash of lime juice and a tiny bit of simple syrup, you can make this drink even better.
2. Beer Slushy
Beer Slushies are really a refinement of the jelly beer. When Thai restaurants brought this frozen beer to the US, it created a huge hype.
People began blending various types of beer with other ingredients and created slush-like beer drinks.
These perfect summer beer slushies are available in many different styles and tastes. That means this entry is more of a collection.
Check out our post about the best beer slushies for further information.
3. Classic Chelada
A classic Mexican Chelada cocktail is super refreshing and so easy to make. All you need is a chilled Mexican Lager-style beer, freshly squeezed lime juice, and some sea salt.
It's a fantastic cocktail for lunch or brunch, especially in combination with some authentic Mexican Tacos.
4. Boilermaker
The Boilermaker is a classic combination of Whiskey and beer. There's not one Boilermaker but countless variations.
You can find obvious combinations like Guinness Stout and Irish Whiskey and more adventurous pairings like Scotch Whiskey and smokey Porter beer.
If you want to learn more about this, check out our article about the best Boilermaker pairings.
5. Michelada
The Michelada is another Mexican beer cocktail. This time the number of ingredients is longer than for the Chelada.
A well-made Michelada is comparable to a Bloody Mary. However, as the Michelada is beer-based, the ABV is lower. A perfect way to indulge in a drink without getting tipsy instantly.
To make a proper Michelada, you'll need Lager-style beer, Clamato juice, hot sauce, lime juice, TajÃn, salt, and chile slices.
6. Black Velvet
The Black Velvet cocktail is a combination of Guinness beer and Champagne. -A rather unusual mix that works surprisingly well.
The origin of this popular beer cocktail dates back to 1861. When Prince Albert died, a bartender at Brook's Club in London decided to serve drinks that were tasty but fit the occasion.
To provide a mournful appearance, he created a dark drink consisting of Guinness and Champagne.
Today, the Black Velvet is still trending and a common serve in many British and Irish bars; -especially on St. Patrick's day.
7. Radler and Shandy
Generally, a Shandy describes a drink made with beer and another fruity or sweet ingredient.
A Radler is a more specific version of a Shandy, combining a light beer like Pils or Helles with lemonade or lemon-lime soda in a 50:50 ratio.
But because the concept is the same, I decided to mention these two creations together.
The Radler beer drink is most popular in Germany and Austria but recently gets more and more known outside these countries.
The Shandy, on the other hand, can also be made with other ingredients. The best-known creations are mixed with ginger ale or ginger beer and different juices like apple, grapefruit, or orange.
8. Irish Car Bomb
Last but not least is another Irish drink, the Irish car bomb. A combination of the three most popular alcoholic exports from Ireland:
- Guinness Stout
- Irish Whiskey
- Irish Cream
Irish Cream and Whiskey are layered in a shot glass, and then the "bomb" is dropped into a Pint of Guinness.
The taste is quite interesting as the Irish Cream component creates something that more or less tastes like chocolate milk.Â
Which Beer in Beer Cocktails?
This question is not a straightforward one to answer. The choice of beer ultimately depends on the drink you want to make.
Just as with any other cocktail ingredients, it's vital to pick one that matches and complements flavors to create a great mixed drink.
It goes without saying that a cocktail supposed to be made with a Stout like Guinness won't taste the same if you make it with a Lager.
Therefore, for the beer cocktails below, stick to the recommended type of beer. -Unless you know your beer, of course.
Never shake a Beer Cocktail!
Shaking carbonated ingredients will make you lose all the bubbles. You don't want your coke to fall flat, and you certainly don't want this to happen to beer, either.
Therefore, never shake a drink when beer is already in the mix. If you want or need to shake some ingredients, do that before you add chilled beer.