With restaurants and bars closed, you may find yourself unable to make your favorite dishes and drinks because of limited ingredients at home. But if you have a beer in the fridge – whether it's an amber lager, stout, wheat, or any sweet or honey beer on hand - you may be closer than you think to having everything you need for a beer cocktail! They require minimal ingredients and are packed with diverse and complex flavor profiles that enhance each brew's unique taste. Plus, they're a great way to introduce beer to your cocktail-loving friends and family.
For inspiration, we connected with Sol Cravello, a beer sommelier, educator and sensory trainer for the largest brewery in South America. Here are her four easy, go-to beer cocktails and a few tips to help you get the most out of the experience.
Sol Cravello has more than seven years of experience in the beer industry and became the first Certified Cicerone in South America. Currently, Sol oversees beer education for AB InBev in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile and Spain. She's trained consumers, brewers and staff at restaurants, bars, pubs, hotels and developed food pairing recommendation for more than 200 restaurants across Argentina.
What's your favorite thing about beer cocktails?
Beer cocktails give people the chance to explore different types of beers and flavor combinations. Now more than ever, it's important that we all have a chance to break the usual routine, and an easy and fun way to do this is to taste and test new styles, brands or pairings.
What's the first thing to know before making beer cocktails?
Don't overlook the natural variety of flavors and aromas a beer offers. Beer has diverse and complex characteristics that can both improve and play with other beverages. For example, you could make a chocolatey, creamy coffee drink with a stout, porter or doppelbock, while a refreshing, citrusy, spicy drink is best made with a Belgian wit.
How do you pick the right beer cocktail for you?
Start with the beer itself and consider your mood. You may want a refreshing, thirst-quenching beer, like a kölsch, Pilsen or an American lager, with their clean, easy-to-drink character. Barrel-aged beers, imperial stouts and lambics are perfect for slowly savoring the flavor, as they offer a deep aroma bouquet and complex profile. Also, consider what ingredients you have on hand – many recipes only need a few ingredients!
As always, we want every experience with beer to be a positive one - and this is no different while you stay at home. If you decide to drink alcohol, do it with moderation. Remember to pace your drinks, hydrate and have food while drinking. For more information, click here.
Enjoy the refreshing combination of a Néctarious, made by combining bitter, fruity Campari and a Leffe Nectar (or any sweet or honey beer)
Néctarious
- Leffe Nectar (or any sweet or honey beer)
- 2 oz / 60 ml Campari
Recommended glassware: Stemmed glass
Fill glass with ice, add Campari, and finish with Leffe Nectar (or any sweet or honey beer).
Wit-citrus
- Hoegaarden (Belgian wheat beer)
- 2 oz / 60 ml bourbon
- 0.6 oz / 20 ml lemon juice
- 0.25 oz / 7.5 ml simple syrup
- 1 tablespoon orange jam
- 2 slices orange peel
Recommended glassware: Pint or Hoegaarden glass (330 ml)
In a shaker, combine bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup and orange jam. Shake well. Pour into glass filled with ice. Top with Hoegaarden and garnish with orange peels.
You need just two ingredients to enjoy a Black Velvet - stout beer and sparkling wine.
Black Velvet
- Stout beer
- Sparkling wine
Recommended glassware: Flute
Fill the glass halfway with beer, then remaining with sparkling wine. Gently mix to incorporate the flavors.
Birroni
- Scottish or amber lager beer
- 1 oz / 30ml vermouth bianco (sweet white)
- 1 oz / 30ml Campari
- 4 drops orange bitters
Recommended glassware: Tulip
Fill a glass with ice cubes. Pour in vermouth, Campari and orange bitters. Top with Scottish or amber lager. Gently mix – never shake!