5 Cocktails That Will Make You Totally Rethink Beer

When you think of drinking a beer in the summer, you probably think of sipping on a Mexican lager on the beach or drinking a lemon-flavored summer ale on a back patio. What you probably don’t think of, however, is a beer-based cocktail. But we’re here to tell you that mixing this alcohol staple with other ingredients is the best way to relax with a drink this season.

To help you rethink how you sip on your brewskis, we reached out to our Culinary Content Network of food bloggers for their favorite beer-based cocktails. What we got were five surprisingly bright and fresh cocktails that highlight summertime ingredients in new and unusual ways. Mixing lagers with tequila, fresh produce, and a few simple bar staples gives beer a new life.

So crack open a six-pack and drink your beer in an all new way with these 5 cocktails.

Corona Sunrise



This fun tequila cocktail was created by Souffle Bombay for Cinco de Mayo, but it’s great for any time of the year. Part margarita, part tequila sunrise, and part beer, this drink is easy and delicious.

For the Corona Sunrise recipe, click here.

Cucumber Chelada



Cucumbers are the ultimate refreshing vegetable, and they make this beer-based cocktail from Giggles, Gobbles, and Gulps is fittingly light and delicious.

For the Cucumber Chelada recipe, click here.

Dandy Shandy



This summery Caribbean-style cocktail from The Hungary Buddha includes a homemade ginger concentrate. It’s spicy and refreshing, making it perfect for beachside sipping.

For the Dandy Shandy recipe, click here.

Green Dragon Beer



Tea and beer aren’t always the most obvious combination, but Mighty Leaf makes it work wonderfully in this slightly Asian-inspired cocktail.

For the Green Dragon Beer recipe, click here.

Pink Lemonade Shandy



Half strawberry lemonade, half beer, there’s no reason to buy a shandy in a bottle when you can make your own. The fun and flirty pink drink from The Redhead Baker uses the best of summertime fruit.

For the Pink Lemonade Shandy recipe, click here.