beer cocktails

For a fun departure from the standard pint of Guinness or whisky-laden coffee, try a buzz-worthy riff on the rock shandy, a fizzy, nonalcoholic citrus drink that, according to legend, hails directly from Dublin.

There's little to the shandy: simply whisk sugar with freshly-squeezed lime juice, then top it all off with a beer. It's traditionally made with pilsners, but over the weekend, I applied the concept to amber ales.

The result is a refreshing tipple that's light enough to be enjoyed all day, any day — particularly on March 17. For the simple combination, be sure to continue reading.

Hosting a Super Bowl bash this weekend? Stock up on your favorite beer. It's the beverage of choice for watching a football game, and you can use it to make this recipe for the ultimate margarita! Yes, you heard me: this pitcher margarita has two secret ingredients, and one of them is beer. The second one is frozen limeade concentrate. Using the concentrate means that you won't have to juice a million limes. It's an easy recipe that serves a crowd and can be enjoyed blended or on the rocks. Check out the technique now.

This year, I've been all about healthy cocktails, but even I can't resist the temptation of a Super Bowl spread. On game day, I'm a huge fan of spicy drinks, and watching Katie make a Michelada made me want one, too.

Thankfully, I found a beer cocktail that's a happy medium: it's not loaded with sodium and calories, yet it has the fizz, spice, and ultimately, satisfaction that a Super Bowl libation should have.

Interested? Then be sure to keep reading for the recipe.

Update: We tried making a black and tan again with much more success this time. Learn how to pour the perfect black and tan.

This was supposed to be a tale about how easy it is to make the glorious drink that is the black and tan. But, instead it is a recount of my struggle and ultimate defeat of the classic beer cocktail. You see, on Wednesday afternoon I had the brilliant idea of making myself a black and tan.

A black and tan is equal parts pale ale and stout. The pale ale is poured into a glass first, and the stout is slowly added over the back of a spoon to create a layer of tan and a layer of black. Although I've never made one before, I assumed it would be simple enough. Instead of purchasing Bass, like the recipe recommended, I bought Harps. I tried over and over again and was, each time, unsuccessful. Thus, I turned to the pros. I called up my friend Aaron, one of the owners of 15 Romolo, and he informed me that I had to use Bass or another ale with a specific gravity higher than Guinness.

A trip to the store later and I was ready to try again. Unfortunately, I couldn't get the Guinness to layer even with the Bass, so after wasting six beers, I gave up. If you wish to make the black and tan, best of luck to you; here's the recipe.

This week I'm helping my friends Ryan and Alex plan a Super Bowl party. While many in attendance will be excessively drinking beer from a keg, I've decided to whip up a beer cocktail for anyone who prefers something a little lighter.

Appropriately called Linebacker Limeade, this simple concoction is a mixture of Corona and limeade concentrate. The resulting drink is tart, frothy, and refreshing. To check out the recipe, read more