The Best Beer Cocktails to Whip up in Your Bar
While there is a craft beer to suit almost ever palate, some of your beer-loving patrons may crave the kick of a cocktail from time to time. With beer cocktails, your guests no longer have to decide between their two favorite beverages. The following are five of the most popular recipes, some old, some new, but all great ways to reimagine craft beer. Even your patrons who aren’t beer drinkers will love these tasty concoctions!
#1 Black Velvet Cocktail
The Black Velvet is a sleek, stylish, and bold beer cocktail. A blend of bubbly and brew, it’s a full-bodied beverage with a slightly sour taste.
Ingredients:
- 4 ounces stout beer, chilled (try Guinness or O’Hara’s Irish Stout)
- 4 ounces Brut sparkling wine, chilled
- 1 teaspoon Crème de Mure or Crème de Cassis
Garnish:
- Brandied or other liqueur soaked cherries
Directions:
Pour the sparkling wine into a chilled champagne flute or coupe. Add the stout and a teaspoon of crème, then garnish with a cherry.
#2 BeerMarita
Although no new kid on the block, this beer cocktail is a great summer go-to, and is super easy to make. Just like it sounds, the BeerMarita is a combination of a margarita and a light flavored Spanish-style beer.
Ingredients:
- 4 (12 ounce) bottles of cold, light flavored beer (try Corona or Pacífico)
- 1 cup (8 ounces) tequila
- 1 (12 ounce) can frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
Garnish:
- Lime wedges
- Kosher salt, for rimming glasses
Directions:
In a large pitcher, combine the beer, tequila, and limeade. Serve over the rocks, in a margarita glass or tumbler. Garnish with a salted rim, and a lime wedge or wheel. (Do not blend).
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#3 Snakebite
The Snakebite has been known to go down so smoothly, some bar owners in the UK refuse to serve it. When made correctly and responsibility, however, it makes for a crisply sweet beer cocktail.
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces hard cider, chilled (try Woodchuck Amber or Crispin)
- 8 ounces lager, chilled
- 1/4 ounce black currant liqueur (a.k.a. Crème de Cassis, optional)
Directions:
Pour the cider first; into a chilled 12 oz glass. Layer the lager on top by gently pouring it over the back of a bar spoon. Top with a floater of Crème de Cassis.
#4 Summer Hoedown
This is the perfect beer cocktail to keep cool, and a great way to utilize watermelon in your bar. Summer Hoedowns are simple to make, and the juice can be kept in the bar fridge for easy access.
Ingredients:
- 4 (12-ounce) bottles white beer, chilled (try Hoegaarden)
- 1 (6-pound) seedless watermelon, cut into squares
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 cup maraschino liqueur (try Luxardo)
Garnish:
- Watermelon wedge
Directions:
Blend and strain the watermelon until you have 6 cups of juice. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved (about 2 minutes). Chill the juice for about 90 minutes.
When ready to serve, transfer the chilled juice into a 3-quart container. Add the maraschino liqueur and beer; stir gently to combine. These cocktails look great served in a mason jar, and garnished with a watermelon wedge.
#5 Gridiron Punch
With only 3 ingredients, the Gridiron Punch originates in San Francisco, and makes for a refreshing tropical cocktail. Half of this recipe can be pre-made, for when your bar gets busy in the warm, summer evenings.
Ingredients:
- 6 (12-ounce) bottles amber ale (try Fat Tire or Tröegs Nugget Nectar)
- 6 ounces Yellow Chartreuse, chilled
- 18 ounces (2 1/4 cups) chilled pineapple juice
Directions:
Combine the pineapple juice and Chartreuse in a 3-quart container or punch bowl. Add the beer and stir gently.
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If you decide to whip up a few craft beer cocktails in your bar, make sure your patrons always know when you’re serving it up fresh! Evergreen is a great marketing tool for bar owners. It can inform your customers when a new cocktail is on the menu via push notifications, and also update all of your social media platforms with the latest information and photos.
These recipes can help change any non-beer drinker’s mind. The variety of craft cocktails is expanding, as it follows the trends of the craft beer industry. The world of beer has never been so exciting, and now there are ways that a good brew can appeal to absolutely everyone!
