Beer cocktails

Beer cocktails mix lager, wheat beer, stout or ale with spirits, juice, spice or soda. The Michelada, the Shandy, the Black Velvet, the Boilermaker and the Radler are the best known, but there is much more to explore. This page collects recipes that respect the beer's own flavour, with notes on which beer styles work best and how to keep the carbonation lively in the glass.

14 cocktails

What makes a beer cocktail

In a beer cocktail the beer is a main ingredient, not just a mixer poured on top. It brings bitterness from hops, malty sweetness, carbonation and sometimes roasted or fruity notes. Recipes range from very light (lager with lemonade) to rich and strong (stout with sparkling wine or with a spirit on the side).

Choosing the beer

Typical ratios

A Shandy or Radler is usually half beer and half lemonade or lemon soda. The Black Velvet uses roughly equal parts stout and sparkling wine. Drinks such as the Michelada add lime juice, salt, spicy sauce and seasoning to a light lager, often in a salt-rimmed glass.

Serving tips

Keep both beer and any mixer well chilled and pour slowly into a tilted glass to control the foam. Add the beer last so it keeps as much fizz as possible. Avoid shaking beer. If a recipe needs spirits or juice to be chilled, shake or stir those separately first, then top with beer. Serve in a pint glass, a beer mug or a tall highball glass depending on the drink.