Looking to up your beer game and try some new flavour combinations? Look no further! In this blog, we're exploring the exciting world of beer mixing and discovering what beers mix well. From classic combinations to creative concoctions, we've got you covered.
Whether you're a seasoned beer connoisseur or a casual sipper, there's something for everyone. So grab a cold one, kick back, and let's dive into the delicious world of beer mixing.
Whether you're a beer lover or a spirit enthusiast, we've got something special waiting for you at Tar Barrel – guaranteed to tantalize your taste buds.
Juice (or Soda)
If you want to give your homebrew a sour kick, try adding some lemonade, limeade, and lime soda. These drinks are called radlers–the citrusy, tart flavours of the cocktails pair well with wheat beers and saisons.
Beer and juice pairing preferences vary, so experiment with a few combinations. For example, certain IPAs and pale ales use citrusy hops that complement grapefruit juice, while others may feature more tropical hops that complement pineapple juice.
Champagne
Putting some fizz in your beer can amp up the refreshment factor. If you have any extra heavy beers in the fridge that must be loosened up for the warm weather, add a little luxury to your beer to make it more enjoyable.
One mix, called The Black Velvet, was traditionally created with Champagne and a stout. Then, a splash of dry sparkling wine may brighten up and enliven any beer style. The Black Velvet is an over 160-year-old cocktail made by mixing stout with Champagne.
It may have had a morbid origin, but the Black Velvet is now considered the ideal beverage worldwide. The sparkling wine and Irish stout provide a creamy mouthfeel and light effervescence, while the dry, crisp notes of the stout complement the wine nicely.
This is the concept: Combine equal parts stout and sparkling wine in a Champagne flute, and you have a Black-Velvet.
Remember to chill the stout and Champagne before mixing them so they can be served without ice. You can also avoid the hassle of mixing by not doing so.
A precise pour reveals layers of stout on top of the Champagne because of the two beverages' disparate densities. It's delicious, whatever way you look at it.
Coca-Cola
Some beer aficionados might frown at the thought of mixing any beverage with their favourite beverage, but the pairing of beer and Coca-Cola might take the cake.
Like with any beer cocktail, the outcome will vary depending on the amount used. If you want to blend beer with Coke but don't want to overdo the sweetness, try a ratio of less than 50/50. To drink, We recommend light lagers or dark brown or amber beers with a caramel flavour.
Tequila
Combining beer with tequila in one glass may sound like something out of a fraternity's worst nightmare. Feeling the effects of a hangover already? But the combination works wonderfully in a margarita riff.
Of course, you can use whatever tequila you like, but we guarantee that a good blanco will do the magic.
You want a regular cold margarita, don't you? In any case, beer can be added. Serve the margarita in a tall glass and top it off with the lager from the bottle. Be sure there's enough room in the glass for the beer to settle when it's poured into the iced margarita.
This kind of lager-margarita mix is so delicious that your guests may be tempted to lick the glass, so be sure to have enough napkins in case of overflow.
Grenadine
Are you old enough to remember grenadine? A Shirley Temple without the booze was where many of us first experienced pomegranate syrup.
Tequila sunrises and hurricanes can't be made without grenadine. Beer and the sweet crimson syrup make for a cocktail known as “Queen Mary”.
It's simple to make, has a delightfully sweet taste, and looks pretty in pink. First, add some grenadine to a glass for one pint. The cocktail's signature pink foamy head is achieved by slowly pouring a lager pint. To finish it off, drop in some maraschino cherries.
Each component of a Queen Mary should be practically frozen if you want it to be as refreshing as possible. Of course, on a warm summer day, the somewhat slushy consistency is just what you need.
Aperitif
Do you remember when spritzer drinks made with white wine were popular? The ingredients were basic: white wine, club soda, and an aperitif including Campari or Aperol.
The mild, refreshing taste makes it a seasonal must-have. It is also frequently used as an appetiser or palette opener. Popular aperitifs include Campari and Aperol, and they work wonders as pre-dinner cocktails by stimulating the taste buds in preparation for the main course.
Yet, they aren't the only beverages appropriate for the supper hour. Similar effects can be achieved with light wheat beers and pale ales as with light white wines.
If you want something sweeter, like Aperol, that's OK too. Add more orange and lemon juice to your Aperol or Campari cocktail for a tasty pre-dinner snack.
Other Must-Try Beer Combos
Bloody Mary Mix, Michelada
Bloody Mary fanatic? You can make a Bloody Mary by combining tomato juice or a Bloody Mary mix with any beer you like, then season it like you would any cocktail with hot sauce, a pickle, extra lime juice, or whatever else you like. Just sprinkle a little salt on the edge if you like.
It has yet to be determined when or where the Michelada first appeared in Mexico. Mixing the hot sauce with beer may have begun in the 1940s.
There's also the possibility that the phrase was mistranslated; it's a combination of three Spanish words: "my" (meaning "mine"), "chelada" (meaning "beer"), and "helada" (meaning "cold" or "frost"). That can be roughly translated as "my cold beer."
Despite its origins, the michelada has become a popular Mexican drink. It's easy to figure out the fundamentals of the recipe:
Combine your favourite light beer with tomato juice, spicy sauce, and lemon lime, then pour into a mixing glass filled with ice and stir. You can then advance beyond the fundamentals. Try dipping the rim of your glass with chilli salt or Tajin, adding a tamarind straw for a hint of sweetness, or even mixing in some pureed salsa for more heft.
A slice of lime, some celery sticks, or anything else can be used as a garnish. Moreover, experiment with different fruits and flavours, such as peach and tomatillo michelada.
Margarita Mix, Beergarita
Combining beer with a Margarita will make the beverage and the party much more exciting.
Margaritas are best enjoyed with the addition of a bottle, ideally a Mexican lager. Beer, tequila, and margarita mixed with limeade can be mixed in a pitcher for sharing. You don't like tequila, or you don't need that much of a punch. Take out the beer and wine.
Wild Beers, Lambics
Lambics are a type of beer that get their funk, tartness, and sourness from spontaneous fermentation; they're like the sourdough of brew. Lambics are best enjoyed alongside a beer that is easy to drink because they can be intense on their own.
Other Beers, Black and Tan
Indeed, it would help if you drank your beer mixed with different beverages. That's the thinking behind the Black and Tan, a popular British drink made by mixing equal parts pale ale and stout or porter. In Ireland, they call it a half-and-half, and it's a popular drink that's not only delicious but also looks great in the glass, especially if the darker beer is poured on top.
Don't stop there, though. A good combination is sour and hoppy beers. Consider how well-matched flavours like chocolate & berries would go together. Splitting a good stout down the middle with a fruit-infused wheat brew like huckleberry or raspberry is an excellent option.
Conclusion
This blog delves into the fascinating realm of beer mixing in search of the optimal beer combinations. There is a wide range of options, from traditional mixtures to novel brews. Add some juice (or soda) for a sour bite in your homebrew, or even Champagne for extra zing.
The Black Velvet is a cocktail that has been around for over 160 years and is produced by combining stout and Champagne.
A careful pour shows layers of stout on top of the Champagne, and it's best served straight up, without ice. Some people have different tastes when it comes to what they like to drink with their beer or juice.
Margarita essentials like beer, tequila, grenadine, and maraschino cherries are highlighted throughout the text.
Margaritas should be created with a lower alcohol-to-mix ratio, such as 30:1, using light lagers or dark brown or amber beers with a caramel flavour.
A decent blanco tequila and a splash of grenadine in a tall glass will give the beer room to settle after being poured over the ice in the margarita. Finally, a light aperitif such as Campari or Aperol is recommended.
Tomato juice, hot sauce, and lemon or lime are the main components of the Michelada, a traditional Mexican cocktail.
No one knows for sure when or where it started, but the 1940s seem like a likely candidate. The recipe is simple to figure out and may be taken to an intermediate level by dipping the rim of the glass in chilli salt or Tajin, including a tamarind straw for a hint of sweetness, or blending in some pureed salsa for more body.
The material focuses primarily on the many cocktails that can be made by combining beer with other ingredients, such as Margaritas, Beergaritas, Wild Beers, Lambics, Black and Tans, and Other Beers.
Beergaritas are best mixed in a pitcher for sharing, while margaritas are best consumed with a bottle, preferably a Mexican lager. Spontaneous fermentation is responsible for giving Wild Beers their characteristic funk, acidity, and sourness. Easy-to-drink beers pair well with lambics.
The traditional Black and Tan is a mixture of pale ale and stout or porter. There are also fruit-infused wheat beers like huckleberry and raspberry, as well as sour and hoppy beers, chocolate and berries, and more.
Content Summary
- Here on the blog, we'll be delving into the fascinating realm of beer mixing and learning which beers go well together.
- We have you covered for both traditional drinks and original recipes.
- No matter how much or how little you know about beer, you'll find something to your liking.
- Have yourself a cool one and settle in as we explore the savoury world of beer blending.
- Add some lemonade, limeade, or lime soda to your homebrew for a sour kick.
- These cocktails are known as radlers, and their zesty, tart flavours are a perfect complement to wheat beers and saisons.
- Some people have different tastes when it comes to what they like to drink with their beer or juice.
- Beer is already refreshing, but adding some fizz can make it much more so.
- To make the most of the warmer weather, lighten up any thick beers in the fridge by adding a luxurious touch.
- Champagne and stout are the classic ingredients of The Black Velvet cocktail.
- Then, any type of beer could benefit from a splash of dry sparkling wine.
- The Black Velvet cocktail, which combines stout and Champagne, has been around for more than 160 years.
- The basic idea behind the Black-Velvet is to mix equal portions of stout and sparkling wine in a Champagne flute.
- Don't forget to serve your stout and Champagne without ice by chilling them separately first.
- Use a ratio of less than 50/50 if you want to mix beer and Coke but don't want to overdo the sweetness.
- That may sound like something out of a frat boy's worst nightmare to mix beer and tequila in the same glass.
- The margarita should be served in a big glass and topped with lager straight from the bottle.
- When adding beer to an iced margarita, leave some room at the bottom of the glass for the beer to settle.
- Many of us had our first taste of pomegranate syrup in a non-alcoholic version of the Shirley Temple.
- Neither a tequila sunrise nor a hurricane would be complete without grenadine.
- A "Queen Mary" is a beverage made with beer and the sugary red syrup.
- To begin, fill a pint glass with grenadine.
- It is the leisurely pouring of a lager pint that gives this cocktail its distinctive pink frothy head.
- To complete the drink, add a few maraschino cherries.
- If you want your Queen Mary to be as refreshing as possible, you should serve each ingredient very cold.
- Naturally, the slightly slushy consistency is ideal on a hot summer day.
- A sweeter drink, such as Aperol, is acceptable as well.
- A refreshing cocktail before supper can include extra orange and lemon juice, like an Aperol or Campari.
- You may prepare a Bloody Mary with whatever beer you prefer and some tomato juice or a Bloody Mary mix, then season it to taste with hot sauce, a pickle, more lime juice, or anything else you like.
- Simply season with salt to taste.
- Neither the time nor location of the Michelada's debut in Mexico are known with certainty.
- Hot sauce and beer may have been combined for the first time in the 1940s.
- The phrase may have been mistranslated as well, as it is a portmanteau of three Spanish words: "my," "chelada," and "helada" (meaning "cold" or "frost").
- It means something like "my ice cold beer" in several languages.
- The michelada, which had humble beginnings, has become a staple of Mexican culture.
- The recipe's foundational elements are straightforward to deduce:
- In a mixing glass with ice, combine your prefered light beer with tomato juice, spicy sauce, and lemon lime.
- You'll be able to move past the initial stages of learning.
- The rim of your glass can be dipped in chilli salt or Tajin, a tamarind straw can be added for a sweet touch, and pureed salsa can be mixed in for extra weight.
- A garnish can be anything, from a lime wedge to a few celery sticks.
- In addition, try out new combinations, such as peach and tomatillo michelada.
- Beer added to a Margarita is a great way to amp up both the drink and the party.
- An extra bottle, preferably a Mexican lager, enhances the flavour of a good margarita.
- You can make a pitcher of beer, tequila, and margarita with limeade for everyone to share.
- Neither the tequila nor the punch are to your liking, or you don't require it.
- The beer and wine should be removed.
- Lambics are a sort of beer whose characteristic funk, acidity, and sourness comes from spontaneous fermentation, making them similar to sourdough in the realm of beer.
- Lambics can be powerful on their own, so it's better to pair them with a sessionable lager.
- To be sure, combining your beer with other drinks could help.
- The Black and Tan, a classic British beverage consisting of half pale ale and half stout or porter, is based on this principle.
- Yet, you shouldn't stop there.
- Sour and hoppy beers pair well together.
- Think about the enticing combination of chocolate and berries as a flavour combination.
Frequently Asked Questions
Beer mixers are combinations of two or more beers that create a unique flavor and drinking experience. Some mixers are classic combinations that have been enjoyed for generations, while others are more creative and experimental.
Some classic beer mixers include the Black and Tan (a blend of pale ale and stout), the Shandy (beer mixed with lemonade), and the Snakebite (beer mixed with cider).
Technically, you can mix any beers together, but not all combinations will be enjoyable. It's best to start with beers that have complementary flavors and experiment from there.
There are no hard and fast rules for beer mixing, but there are some general guidelines to follow. For example, it's best to mix beers with similar alcohol content and to avoid mixing beers that are too hoppy or too sweet.
Some creative beer mixers to try include the Michelada (beer mixed with lime juice, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce), the Beergarita (beer mixed with tequila and lime juice), and the Radler (beer mixed with fruit juice). Let your imagination run wild and see what delicious combinations you can come up with!
