People who enjoy a good drink will tell you that when it comes to cocktails, it is experimentation that leads to the blending of new drinks, which are then served for the people to relish.There are some drinks that are now famous as the classics that every person who enjoys cocktails must try. For the regulars, bartenders try to come up with something extraordinary by mixing different ingredients in varying quantities.
Beer cocktails, prepared by mixing beer with a distilled beverage or other ingredients, take the flavor of the drink beyond the simple taste of beer that is appreciated by millions around the world. Some beer cocktails do not contain any distilled beverage at all. Serve these with appetizers in the evening or with brunch or dinner.
1. Shandy
Mix carbonated lemonade and beer in equal parts. You may also try ginger ale, ginger beer, sprite or alcoholic sodas in place of the carbonated lemonade. This drink, popularly goes by the name Shandygaff in the UK. Use fresh lemonade and mint to avoid bottled products. Serve with spicy Asian food or salads. Savor with noodle salad, sesame noodle, carrot salad or green beans. This light drink with a lemony flavor goes well with barbecue chicken dishes.
2. Happy Mich
It is a variant of Michelada, a Mexican drink. This drink was originally created by the Tippling brothers for the Mercadito restaurants based in New York. To relish the taste of this beer cocktail, mix lime juice with beer. Add some hot sauce. Serve over ice. Bartenders generally serve this drink in salt rimmed glasses. Experiment with different flavors. Try different seasonings, watermelon or hibiscus flavors. Serve with spicy tortilla. For a formal evening, pair with chicken Cheddar quesadillas and corn salsa. This drink complements the spice in the dish. Enjoy the combination of flavors of a beer cocktail with onions, cheese and cumin in the dish you serve.
3. Black Velvet
This is an easy to prepare, liquor free and light beer cocktail with no distilled beverage. Pick two of your favorite beer brands or a type of beer and cider. Mix in equal measures in a pint glass. Black and Tan and Snakebite are also instances of liquor free cocktails. Champagne and stout are known to be the perfect ingredients for this drink. To prepare, pour champagne in a pint glass till the glass is half full. Now, slowly add stout to the drink. Do not pour directly. Pour over a spoon and let it drip into the glass gradually. This gives layers to the drink. Serve this combination of champagne and beer with French fries as appetizers. For brunch, relish the amalgamation of flavors with sausage and potato breakfast casserole. The champagne in the drink complements this dish well.
4. The Stout Diplomat
This beer cocktail is popular as a dessert drink. It is a creation of Nopa restaurant’s Yanni Kehagiaras, based in San Francisco. This drink owes its origins to a beer cocktail competition. It appeals both to people who appreciate beer and the ones who favor cocktails. The rum in the drink gives it a bit of hard flavor. To serve with food, use Diplomatico rum. It lends a subtle caramel flavor to the drink as opposed to the general spicy flavor of the rum. The slight sweetness goes well with the desserts. Serve with chocolate bread pudding and Irish cream sauce. For the evenings, relish the amalgamation of flavors when the stout in the drink works its magic against the spice in fish and chips.
5. The Cure
This economically priced drink was created by bartender Gina Chersevani during the economic recession. PS 7’s in Washington DC serves this drink at $5. This is surely easy on the pocket for people bearing the brunt of recession. Prepare using a low priced beer like Miller High Life. Add a bit of juice and serve with ginger liqueur. Relish with chicken wings or enjoy the drink with spicy meat sandwiches.
