It’s easy for all of us to think that a “cocktail” is technically liquor combined with some sort of fruit, syrup, or other juice. But, it’s easy to forget all of the cocktails that are made from the traditional refreshment of an ice-cold beer.

If you would have told me in the past that I’d prefer a beer over a cocktail—or both together—I’d have laughed myself onto the floor. But, here we are. So, without being one type of the other: having the “beer person” or a “liquor person” title, some super easy beer cocktails are available.

Beer is great on its own, but it can also make amazing mixed drinks. With so many beers available today, incredible recipes can liven up your beer-drinking routine. Drinks made with beer are technically not cocktails since most don’t include liquor. Instead, we call them beer mixed drinks or beertails. No matter what you call them, these recipes are very easy to make, so have fun exploring the many ways to mix your beer! Some beer cocktail recipes are as simple as combining two different types of beer, layering one on top of the other, to substituting beer for the places liquor is usually used.

10 of the most common beer cocktails that are easily made at your warm-weather events include:
  1. Black and Tan
  2. Shandy
  3. Watermelon Beer
  4. Trojan Horse
  5. Black Velvet
  6. Corrido Prohibidos
  7. Beer, Bourbon, and Barbecue Cocktail
  8. Michelada
  9. Strawberry Cucumber Spritzer
  10. Beergarita

Now, some of these are easy to pick up on what they include. And, some are quite common from your past trips to the bar. But, there is much to gain from including beer as a substitute for the typical spritzer in one of your traditional cocktails. There is so much to enjoy from a lighter version of all of these tasty drinks.