Cocktail 101: 5 Unique and Tasty Beer Cocktails for Game Day

Beer cocktails are sweeping the nation's bar menus, but you can also mix them up at home. [Photograph: Paul Gibson]

With the Super Bowl approaching, we at Serious Eats thought it was time to talk beer cocktails. Sure, you can crack open a cold one and sip straight from the bottle or can; that's always easy and it's always delicious. But this is a cocktail column, and sipping 'Gansett from a can may be fun...but it ain't a cocktail. These mixed drinks offer a little more than straight beer can give you. Beer cocktails have gained quite a bit of popularity over the past year or two; beer provides more complex flavor and body than your average mixer without adding a ton of alcohol. Looking for recipes? We've got them right here.

Michelada

[Flickr: ultramega]

We open with a classic, the Michelada—Mexican beer, fresh lime juice, hot sauce, salt, Worcestershire sauce, and the magic, magic Maggi seasoning. Mmm, I want one right now. Don't go too upscale with the beer, but try Bohemia, Pacifico, or Negra Modelo, not Corona.

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Green Devil

[Photograph: Robyn Lee]

Looking for something a little different? The Green Devil combines gin and Duvel Belgian ale with an absinthe rinse to create an aromatic and refreshingly herbal cocktail.

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The Queequeg

[Photograph: Alice Gao]

Expecting a crowd? Why not serve a beer-spiked rum punch! You can prep everything in advance and simply add the beer when your guests arrive. This punch recipe comes courtesy of The Drink, a punch-focused bar in New York City.

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Chocolate Velvet

[Photograph: Robyn Lee]

A variation on another classic, the Black Velvet. This creation of Drinks editor Maggie Hoffman calls for a chocolate stout in place of the traditional Guinness, and a dash of orange bitters. Feel free to serve by the pint, no need to get precious. You don't need to use Champagne in this cocktail, but do choose a dry sparkler instead of something sweet.

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Seelbock

[Photograph: Jennifer Hess]

A creation of my own, the Seelbock is a variant of the classic Seelbach cocktail, from the Seelbach Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky. The original cocktail calls for bourbon, Cointreau, and generous amounts of both Peychaud's and Angostura bitters, topped off with a big pour of champagne. Mine uses rye whiskey, lemon bitters, and a nice wheaty doppelbock beer in place of the bubbly.

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Looking for more Super Bowl drink options? Check out our Game Day Drinks page for beer recommendations, big batch margaritas, and more.

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