Beer Cocktails – A Tasty Alternative

Mixing beer with other ingredients isn’t a new concept. The Radler, made with light beer and lemonade, was invented over a century ago and is often considered the precursor to today’s beer cocktails. Fast forward to today, and beer-based mixed drinks have evolved, with creative blends ranging from wheat beer and cola to fruity combinations and even energy drinks mixed with beer. 

While these beer cocktails may not always get the spotlight, they offer a unique opportunity to explore beer’s rich and diverse flavors in new ways. Whether you’re a seasoned connoisseur or just looking to try something different, these inventive drinks can add a refreshing twist to your beer experience.

The Origin of Beer Cocktails

The ‘normal’ cocktail was invented as early as 1800. It is – and this is exact – a cocktail that is created from at least three components that are ‘combined’ (meaning, stir). Rather surprisingly, cocktails have been concocted since the second half of the nineteenth century. It was in a book penned by a certain Jerry Thomas in 1862, A Combination of Whiskeys Cordial Gin Portfolio and one pint of Pale Beer with the Ice and, How to Mix Drinks with Jerry Thomas amassing a total of 230 cocktails, eight of which consisted of beer. They knew what was good back then too!

Beer Cocktail Recipes – Give Them a Try

“Beer as a filler, replacing soda water or fruit juices, adds a refreshing quality and surprising flavor to cocktails,” says bartender Kent Steinbach. He explains that beer is added carefully at the end to prevent excessive bubbling. 

To make great beer cocktails, you need to know which beer suits which cocktail. Beers with a citrus note or those with hints of coffee or chocolate can make delicious drinks. It takes time to master, which is why we've worked with sommelier Frank Di Marco to share some tasty beer cocktail recipes for you to enjoy this summer.

Beer cocktails fall into a few categories:

• Pre-dinner cocktails: These are refreshing and fizzy.
• After-dinner cocktails: Slightly sweeter and stronger.
• Edibles: Small, creative beer shots.
• Non-alcoholic beer cocktails: A unique category of their own.

Professional Tips for Mixing Cocktails with Beer

With these tips from the professionals, mixing delicious cocktails is guaranteed to be a success:

• If beer is used as the main component in the cocktail, shaking should be avoided.
• Sweet ingredients such as liqueurs, juices, or syrup should be topped up with bitter beer. It's fine to match colors, so light beer mixed with light spirits and dark beer with dark spirits.
• In a cocktail, beer usually serves as a filler, i.e., the non-alcoholic part. This makes cocktails earthy, strong, and full-bodied.
• Lemons, limes, and hop cones are suitable as decoration.
• To make a cocktail seem more sparkling and refreshing, wheat beer should be used as the beer component. In terms of beer style, it already has a higher proportion of carbon dioxide and thus seems more sparkling than other types. This gives the cocktail a fine sparkly effervescence.
• You can get colorful ice cubes by adding fruity liqueurs or syrups, which give the cocktail an additional kick of flavor. If you use ice cubes made from water, the drink can quickly become watered down.
• The glass makes all the difference: experiment with glasses, as appearance plays a crucial role in new drinks.

Follow these tips and you'll be on your way to a delicious cocktail experience!

Pre-dinner Cocktails – Refreshment Before the Meal

Pre-dinner cocktails – or aperitif cocktails – are tart, bitter, and tangy drinks served before a meal. They are constructed with full potential to not just taste good but also to provoke hunger. These cocktails happen to be typically low on alcohol content and they complement the ‘ pre-dinner white bread’, the most popular with restaurants. 

If you are in the mood for a cool pre-drink before dinner or watching some movies and TV shows online and playing in the Wanted Win Casino no-deposit bonus codes , then you have to try no-deposit bonuses and special codes that can be found on the Internet absolutely for free. It’s either the start of the party or before dinner where you take your cocktail or take a shot at the table then you’re set for the evening.

Tangy Wheat Beer Cocktails

With a wheat beer, you can easily create summery sweet cocktails for barbecues or nice evenings in a small group. The sweet taste of the top-fermented beer harmonizes perfectly with the tart flavors of cranberry or lime.

Berliner Weisse

This wheat beer cocktail is a fruity and refreshing thirst quencher, this time not with syrup but with fruity spirits!

Fill a Berliner Weisse bowl two-thirds full with ice cubes.

• Add 2 cl, Absolut Kurant (cranberry) vodka.
• 1 cl, Giffard cranberry syrup.
• 2 cl Rose's Lime Juice.
• 2 cl, Cointreau.
• Now mix everything well.
• Slowly top up with Berliner Weiße.
• Squeeze 1/4 lime over it.

A Quick Lager? – Today a Clever Lager

Lagers remain one of the most popular drink choices. With a light hop profile and a subtle bitterness, this versatile drink is perfect for mixing and adds great flavor to cocktails.

Aperol Helles

While not a traditional cocktail, this fruity and slightly bitter drink is a refreshing aperitif.

• Fill a cocktail glass with ice cubes.
• Add 1-3 cl of Aperol or Campari.
• Top up carefully with a light lager.
• Garnish with a lime slice.

For a variation, swap the lager for a Pilsner for a different take.

Beer Royal

A simple, delicious mix of sour fruit and refreshing beer.

• Pour 200ml of light lager into a glass.
• Add 4cl of cassis.

Your royal drink is ready to enjoy!

Beer Donkey

The juniper flavor of gin pairs beautifully with the bitterness of a Pilsner in this unique cocktail.

• Add 3 cl of gin and 3cl of lime juice to a glass.
• Top up with Pilsner.

Enjoy the refreshing combination!

After-dinner Cocktails – Better Than Dessert

After-dinner cocktails – also known as digestifs – are sweet, strong cocktails that are served after a meal. You can drink them instead of dessert or just on their own.

The Export Beer Cocktail

These are tangy and spicy-fresh with a fine malty note. Due to their original use as beer for export – which is where they get their name from – they are brewed stronger than a Pils, for example. Therefore, they also have a higher original gravity and a stronger taste.

Export Punch

Just the thing for rum lovers: exotic, strong – a punch with a special flavor that brings out the ambivalence between spicy beer and sweet fruit juice.

• Fill the shaker two-thirds full with crushed ice.
• 3 cl, Lemon Hart Gold Rum (40% ABV).
• 2 cl, Safari Liqueur.
• 1 cl, Giffard Orgeat syrup.
• 1 cl fresh lime juice.
• 4 cl passion fruit nectar.
• Shake all ingredients vigorously and pour into a glass.
• Carefully top up with Export beer.
• Decorate with a cocktail cherry, a pineapple slice, and mint.

Mixing Beer Cocktails with Kölsch: The Piña Colada

Kölsch, a top-fermented beer unique to Cologne, is known for its slightly hopped, sparkling profile. It lacks strong malt notes but offers a light, fruity taste that appeals to both men and women. The Kölsch's crispness and smoothness make it a versatile ingredient in cocktails.

Piña Colada

While the coconut cream in a Piña Colada can make the drink quite sweet, the carbonation from Kölsch adds a refreshing twist. Here's how to make this unexpected yet delightful drink:

• Fill a shaker 3/4 full with crushed ice.
• Add 4 cl coconut cream.
• Add 8 cl pineapple juice.
• Add 4 cl white rum.
• Shake well and pour into a bulbous glass.
• Carefully top up with Kölsch.

Blue Lagoon

The 'Blue Lagoon' drink evokes images of the sea, beach, and sunshine, offering a taste of a tropical getaway. It’s light and refreshing, ideal for a fun, sunny occasion.

• 4 cl Blue Curacao
• 4 cl peach liqueur
• Top up with Kristallweizen wheat beer
• Garnish with a peach wedge on the rim of the glass.

Sparkling Dark Beer Cocktails

Dark beer is a very dark drink, the color of which comes from dark specialty malts. It is full-bodied in flavor with a subtle hint of coffee and chocolate. These flavors are perfectly balanced by a light hint of hops. Due to its sweet taste, it goes very well with the tart flavors of citrus fruits.

Bock Shot

The Bock Shot is an ideal drink for cool evenings with friends. The dark Bock harmonizes perfectly with the flavors of the whisky. It is easy to imagine enjoying it with a cigar.

• Pour 4 cl Scotch whisky and 2 cl whisky liqueur into a tumbler.
• Top up with dark Bock beer.
• Stir briefly and serve over ice.

Black Refresher

A completely different black beer: a light, sparkling cocktail with little alcohol; the perfect refreshment with a slightly malty, roasted aroma.

• Fill a large glass three-quarters full with ice cubes.
• Add 3 cl, apricot brandy.
• 3 cl, Martini d'Oro.
• 4 cl of ginger ale.
• Top up with black beer and stir well.
• Squeeze 1/8 of an orange over the drink.
• Garnish with a mint sprig.

An Extraordinary Beer Cocktail with Pale Ale

In terms of flavor, pale ale is the little brother of IPA, so to speak. Hops and malt are well balanced in pale ale and the taste is not as strong, which makes this drink an excellent filler. The ale flip is also known as ‘The American colonists’ original cocktail’ because it was first drunk by American colonists as early as the 17th century. However, at that time it was warm.

Ale-Flip

• 6 cl pale ale.
• 2 cl sugar water.
• 1 egg.
• 1 pinch grated nutmeg.
• Carefully stir all ingredients in a glass and serve cold.

Alcohol-free Beer Cocktails: The Light Beer Cocktail Refreshment for Hot Days

Alcohol-free beer cocktails are gaining popularity, offering a refreshing alternative for those seeking a light drink without the alcohol content. This trend is not only seen in beers with zero percent alcohol but also in the growing world of zero-proof cocktails. 

Perfect for hot days or those who prefer a non-alcoholic option, these beverages still carry the rich aromas and flavors of traditional beer, thanks to the malt and hops that remain in the brew. And the best part? They’re ideal for anyone who needs to stay sharp, whether you're heading back to work or planning to drive.