Beer cocktails worth making at home, from shandy to michelada

Why mix beer at all

Purists frown, but beer has been mixed for centuries. Mixing can make a beer more refreshing, bring in flavours from food and lower the strength of the glass. A half-and-half shandy is roughly half the alcohol of the beer it started with, which makes it a sensible choice on a long hot day. Our guide to low alcohol craft beer covers other light options.

Use simple, fresh beers. Expensive, complex craft beers are better on their own. A clean lager, a wheat beer or a light stout does most of the work here.

Shandy and radler

A shandy is beer mixed with lemonade or a lemon-lime soda. In Germany the same idea is called a radler, traditionally lager mixed with lemon soda.

How to make it: fill a chilled glass half with cold lager and top up with cold lemonade or lemon soda. Pour slowly to keep the bubbles. Adjust the ratio to taste.

Indian twist: use nimbu soda with a pinch of black salt and roasted cumin, like a nimbu pani. Or swap in chilled aam panna for a tart, smoky mango shandy in summer. For a spicier glass, mix lager with ginger beer, an old British drink called a shandygaff.

Michelada

The michelada comes from Mexico. It is beer with lime, salt and spice, closer to a savoury drink than a sweet one.

How to make it: rub a lime wedge around the rim of a glass and dip it in salt mixed with chilli powder. Add the juice of one lime, a few dashes of hot sauce and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. Fill with ice and a cold, light lager. Stir gently.

Indian twist: rim the glass with chaat masala, use green chilli sauce and add a splash of tomato juice. It is close to a liquid chaat and pairs well with fried snacks.

Black velvet and other dark mixes

A black velvet layers stout with sparkling wine. It is traditionally made with dry stout and Champagne, but any dry sparkling wine works.

How to make it: half fill a tall glass with sparkling wine, then pour the stout gently over the back of a spoon so it sits on top. The roast and the acidity of the wine balance each other.

For a non-wine version, try stout with a splash of cold coffee and a little sugar syrup. It tastes like an iced mocha. Our dry stout guide explains which stouts are light enough for this.

Fruit and wheat beer mixes

Wheat beers carry fruit beautifully.

• Wheat beer with orange juice. A splash of fresh orange juice in a witbier or hefeweizen, served in a tall glass with an orange slice. A brunch favourite.
• Wheat beer with jamun or kokum syrup. A spoonful of fruit syrup in the bottom of the glass, topped with cold wheat beer. Kokum adds a sour, salty edge that works well in coastal heat.
• Snakebite. Lager mixed with dry cider, half and half. Simple and crisp, though stronger than a shandy because cider carries its own alcohol.

Getting the build right

A few habits make the difference between a good beer cocktail and a flat one:

• Chill everything. Beer, mixers and glass. Warm mixers kill carbonation.
• Add beer last and pour gently. Pour down the side of a tilted glass. Our guide on how to pour beer shows the technique.
• Go easy on ice. It dilutes and flattens. Use it only where the recipe asks, like the michelada.
• Taste and adjust. Limes, sodas and hot sauces vary. Start with less and add more.

Mixing responsibly

Beer cocktails are easy to drink, which is the point and also the risk. Mixes with spirits added, such as beer with a shot of whisky or tequila, raise the alcohol fast. We have left them out here on purpose.

Keep servings small, alternate with water and offer plenty of alcohol-free drinks if you are hosting. A shandy made with non-alcoholic beer tastes almost the same and is a good option for guests who are driving. Never drive after drinking. Never serve anyone underage.

Common questions

Is a shandy lower in alcohol than beer?

Yes. A half beer, half lemonade shandy has roughly half the alcohol of the beer used, which makes it a lighter option.

What beer is best for a michelada?

A cold, light lager. The lime, salt and spice carry the flavour, so a simple, crisp beer works best.

Can I make beer cocktails with non-alcoholic beer?

Yes. Shandies, micheladas and wheat beer fruit mixes all work well with non-alcoholic beer.

What is a black velvet?

A layered drink of stout poured over sparkling wine. It is traditionally made with dry stout and Champagne.