I consider beer to be simple compared to other alcoholic drinks. I think that’s one reason it’s so popular. However, it can be much more complicated than we give it credit. There’s hundreds of styles of beer to pick from but it gets even more complicated when you take a look at the concept of a beer cocktail.
It’s a term that I seem to hear more and more often. Recently, I was asked my opinion on them which prompted me to get to know them better and share what I learned as well as my thoughts with you.
What Is A Beer Cocktail?
A beer cocktail is a drink that contains beer and a distilled beverage or another beer. This is different than a shandy which is a beer mixed with a soft drink or other beverage.
Typically, to be considered a beer cocktail, the primary ingredient must be beer.
When making a beer cocktail comprised of two beers or a beer and a cider, it is common to layer one on top of the other. It makes a nice presentation and the beer mixes slowly as you drink it.
Click Here To Buy The Tool To Make A Layered Beer At Home
The concept of a beer cocktail isn’t new; they’ve been around for decades. However, modern mixology and the popularity of craft beer have given this concept new life.
You’ll find that modern beer cocktails often get their inspiration from traditional cocktails. This has been aided by the craft beer boom as there are more flavor options in beer than there were in the past.
So while some consider something as simple as a Black And Tan to be a beer cocktail, many now believe they should be beer interpretations of actual cocktails. For me, it’s a wide open term that includes any and all of these categories.
Beer Cocktail Vs Beer Blending
When considering this topic, one of the things that came to mind is the concept of beer blending.
If you haven’t heard of this, it’s quite simple. It’s the practice of mixing a little bit of this and a little bit of that to see what it tastes like. Typically, it involves two beers but it can be more.
It’s common to try varying amounts of each beer to see how the flavor changes.
While this is similar to a beer cocktail, I consider them different. Primarily because a a beer cocktail is creating something that is already known to be good. While blending is about experimenting with the goal of coming up with new beer brewing ideas.
Beer blending can lead to a beer cocktail but that’s not necessarily the goal.
Beer Cocktail Examples
Here’s a quick list of the more common beer cocktails that I’ve encountered along the way.
-
Seems Like A Good Way To Ruin A Margarita Angry Balls – A shot of Fire Ball whiskey added to a cider (commonly Angry Orchard)
- Black And Tan – A pale ale or bitter with a darker beer (Guinness) layered on top
- Black Velvet – Stout (Guinness) layered on top of sparkling wine/champagne or cider
- Boilermaker – Beer served with a shot of whiskey. Some drop the shot into the beer.
- Coronarita – A bottle of Corona placed upside down in a margarita
- Flaming Doctor Pepper – High proof alcohol (set on fire), amaretto and beer
- Irish Car Bomb – A shot of Irish cream mixed with Irish whiskey then dropped into an Irish stout
- Snakebite – Lager and alcoholic cider – mixed or layered
- U-Boot – Beer with a shot of vodka dropped into it
Want to take it even further?
Check out this article on PunchDrunk.com where they talk about how
modern craft beer is being used in more cocktails than ever before.
Where To Find Beer Cocktails
Finding a beer cocktail can be as easy as going to the closest Applebee’s if you just want a Coronarita.
But if you want to find a really unique one, you’ll have to go somewhere that’s willing to push the envelope. Typically this means a nice cocktail or craft beer bar.
In Cincinnati, Higher Gravity, one of the best craft beers, just announced that they are offering beer cocktails.
Here’s their beer cocktail lineup:
- The Seaquencher – Bombay Gin, Sour Mix, Lime Juice, Dogfish Head Seaquench Ale
- Brewer’s Cosmo – Northside Vodka, Sour Mix, Triple Sec, Founders Rubaeus Raspberry Ale
- Rye’d Or Die Manhattan – Bulleit Rye, Grenadine, Jackie O’s Hop Ryot
- Tough Guy Spritzer – Jack Daniels, Triple Sec, Lime Juice, Sour Mix, Crooked Stave Van Pilsner
- Blue Rock Detox – Tito’s Vodka, Fab Ferments Kombucha, Grenadine, Ciderboys Grand Mimosa
- Sofie-Mosa – OJ, Prosecco, Goose Island Sofie
- Northside Mule – Northside Vodka, Lime Juice, Crabbie’s Ginger Beer
Not in Cincinnati? I recommend checking out Yelp as you’ll find reviews that reference unique menu items there.
If you already know of a few bars that offer beer cocktails, please comment below and let us know where to go.
Check Out More Articles On Craft Beer
Should You Drink Beer Cocktails?
First, I’d like to thank @stinetology for discussing this topic with me and motivating me to write about beer cocktails.
It’s clear that the modern beer cocktail is much more complex than those in the past.
While these will never have the popularity of traditional cocktails, I do believe they have value in the modern craft beer world.
Taprooms should consider offering beer cocktails if their liquor license allows it. For new craft beer fans, this would be a more approachable way to try new styles.
In addition, breweries can develop their own multi-beer beer cocktails. I know that Rivertown has done this with their Death pepper stout. They commonly offer different blends as the beer is often too spicy for most.
If you’re already a craft beer fan, a beer cocktail can be a great way to expand what it means to enjoy beer. Depending on the weather and the situation, there are times that a beer cocktail could be a better choice than beer.
Anything that adds intrigue and interest to craft beer is a good thing; so I support the idea of beer cocktails. And you can make many of these at home with little to no experience.
It’s exciting to see the beer and cocktail worlds crossover. In the past, beer cocktails were simple but the modern spin on it includes ingredients and techniques normally reserved for cocktails.
So yes, you should enjoy a beer cocktail. Give it a shot and see if it’s something you enjoy then come back here and let me know about your experience.