12 Best Beer Cocktails to Try Right Now (Recipes + Tips)

What Are Beer Cocktails?

Beer cocktails are fun drinks. You mix beer with other things. You can add juice, soda, or even other drinks with alcohol. Beer can make many tasty drinks. You do not need to drink it plain. You can make it more fun! People like beer cocktails more now. They are big at bars and at home. We will show you how to make easy beer drinks. You will learn what beer to use. You will see how to make them look pretty too.

Classic Beer Cocktails

Michelada

A Michelada is a Mexican drink. It has beer, tomato juice, lime, and spices.

How to make it:

1. Put salt on the rim of a big cup.
2. Add ice.
3. Pour in 1/2 cup of tomato mix.
4. Add the juice from 1 lime.
5. Add a dash of hot sauce.
6. Fill the cup with cold lager beer.
7. Mix it all up.
8. Add a lime slice on top.

Best beer to use: Modelo Especial or Pacifico Fun fact: Many people like to drink this on hot days. It helps you feel cool.

Shandy

A Shandy is a light and sweet drink. It has beer and lemonade or ginger beer.

How to make it:

1. Fill a glass half way with cold beer.
2. Add lemonade to the top.
3. Put a lemon slice on the rim.

Summer tip: Add some fresh berries or basil leaves to make it more fun! If you want to make your Shandy look nice, try our under your glass! (Note: This sentence still seems incomplete or has a placeholder “try our under your glass!”)

Black Velvet

The Black Velvet looks fancy. It has dark beer and bubbly wine.

How to make it:

1. Fill half a tall glass with champagne.
2. Slowly pour Guinness on top.
3. Do not mix it!
4. The dark beer will float on top of the champagne.

Tip: Use a Custom Ice Bucket to keep your champagne cold while you make this drink.

Modern Twists

IPA Mule

The IPA Mule is a new take on the Moscow Mule. It uses beer not soda.

How to make an IPA Mule:

1. Put ice in a copper mug.
2. Add 1 shot of vodka.
3. Add juice from half a lime.
4. Pour in 1/4 cup of ginger beer.
5. Top with IPA beer.
6. Mix it up.
7. Put a lime wedge on top.

Best beer: Use Sierra Nevada or any citrus IPA.

Beer Margarita

A Beer Margarita is fun and easy. It makes a normal margarita more special.

How to make it:

1. Put salt on the rim of a glass.
2. Add ice.
3. Pour in 1 shot of tequila.
4. Add 1/2 shot of triple sec.
5. Add juice from 1 lime.
6. Top with light beer.
7. Mix it up.
8. Add a lime slice.

Tip: Serve these at your next party with some Silicone Bar Mats to catch any spills!

Tropical Radler

A Tropical Radler is sweet and fruity. It is great on hot days.

How to make it:

1. Fill a tall glass with ice.
2. Pour in wheat beer to fill half the glass.
3. Add pineapple juice or grapefruit juice.
4. Add a fruit slice on top.

Pro Tips for Success

Making beer cocktails is easy. But we have some tips to make them better:

Pick the Right Beer

The beer you pick is big!

Balance Your Drink

Beer adds bubbles to your drink. You do not need to add soda too. That would make it too fizzy! If your drink is too strong, add more beer. If it is too weak, add more of the other stuff.

Make it Look Nice

People eat with their eyes first! Make your drinks look pretty:

• Add salt or sugar rims.
• Use fresh fruit slices.
• Add mint leaves.
• Put in fun straws.

Our Custom Logo Bar Mat can make your home bar look more fancy too!

Trending Beer Cocktails for 2024

Low-ABV Mixes

People want drinks with less alcohol now. They want to have fun but stay clear-headed.

Try this mix:

1. Add ice to a glass.
2. Pour in 1 shot of herb liqueur.
3. Top with a session IPA.
4. Add a lemon twist.

Smoky Blends

Smoky drinks are big now. They have bold taste.

Make this one:

1. Put ice in a rocks glass.
2. Add 1 shot of mezcal.
3. Add a squeeze of lime.
4. Top with porter beer.
5. Add a salt rim.

Zero-Waste Ideas

Don’t throw away flat beer! You can use it:

• Make beer bread.
• Use in meat marinades.
• Make beer syrup for other drinks.
• Use in soup recipes.

What People Say About Beer Cocktails

Look at what we found about beer cocktails:

• Craft beer mixology is growing fast!
• Micheladas are in the top 50 most searched drinks.
• Beer cocktails with citrus are most popular on the coasts.
• Low-alcohol drinks are big at brunch.
• Beer drinks help bars use up old beer and not waste it!

Questions People Ask

Can I use non-alcoholic beer?

Yes! Non-alcoholic beer works great in cocktails. Use hoppy NA IPAs for the best taste.

What glass should I use?

• Mugs for cold drinks
• Tulip glasses for smelly beers (aromatic beers)
• Tall glasses for fruity drinks
• Short glasses for strong drinks

How do I store leftover beer for cocktails?

Put it in a bottle with a tight cap. Keep it in the fridge. Use it in 2 days or less.

Let’s Sum It Up

Beer cocktails are a fun way to drink beer. You can make them sweet, sour, spicy, or rich.

Our top picks are:

1. Michelada – for a spicy kick
2. IPA Mule – for a fresh taste
3. Shandy – for a sweet sip

Try these drinks at your next party! Or make one just for you after a long day. What beer cocktail will you try? Tell us what you think!