When you hear the words “beer cocktail,” what’s the first thing that you think of? Is it “gross” or “that sounds interesting” or is it something else? Well when I hear it, I think, “this could be the future.”

Let’s take a look at what the word means and break it down. First we have “beer.” According to  Webster’s Dictionary it means an alcoholic beverage usually made from malted cereal grain (as barley), flavored with hops, and brewed by slow fermentation. Second we have “cocktail,” an iced drink of wine or distilled liquor mixed with flavoring ingredients. So we take beer mix it with other ingredients and flavors, and there you go. But it’s not quite that simple—you have to get the mixtures just right or have the right balance of different flavors or else it will be a disaster.

The first beer cocktails were the Black Velvet and Black and Tan. A Black Velvet is a beer cocktail made from stout beer and sparkling white wine, traditionally Champagne. The drink was first created by the bartender of the Brook’s Club of London in 1861, to mourn the death of Prince Albert, Queen VIctoria’s Prince Consort. It is supposed to symbolize the cloth armbands worn by mourners. A Black and Tan is a drink made from a blend of pale ale and a dark beer, such as a stout or porter. Sometimes a pale lager is used instead of ale; this is usually called a Half and Half.

Another beer cocktail you might have heard of is a Shandy. A Shandy, or Shandygaff, is beer mixed with citrus-flavored soda, carbonated lemonade, ginger beer, ginger ale or cider. The proportions of the two ingredients are adjusted to taste, usually 50/50. Nonalcoholic Shandies are known as Rock  Shandies. A perfect example is the Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy.

Now step out of the 1800s and step into the future. Here’s where things get really interesting. I’m going to take you on an adventure and have you step into my mind for a second: I like to make my own beer cocktails. The first cocktail is a mix of Samuel Smith’s Organic Chocolate Stout and Lindeman's
Framboise Lambic. Take a pint glass and fill it with stout about ¾ or ⅔ of the way, then add ¼ or ⅓ of the Lambic depending how sweet and fruity you want it to be. You now have chocolate covered raspberries—a great dessert beer.

The second cocktail is actually a Beer Mimosa: Shock Top and orange juice. Take a Champagne flute and fill it halfway with Shock Top and top it off with orange juice. It’s a nice change for spring and summer brunches!

The third cocktail I am going to introduce is another one that I like to call a game changer: the Wild Dog Smash. It’s 12 ounces of Wild Blue Blueberry Lager, a shot of Smirnoff Watermelon, and a splash of Dekuyper Watermelon Pucker. Line your glass with crushed watermelon pop rocks and garnish with a speared watermelon cube with a blueberries on each side. This is one of my favorite cocktails. The Pucker sweetens it up to cut through the vodka harshness.

I challenge you to not only try these recipes, but to play with your alcohol, beer, food and drinks. Step out of normality, step into a little crazy and step into the future. Comment below and let me know what you think of these recipes!

John Wood, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits Beer Consultant – 4^th Street, St. Petersburg

Follow him on Twitter @abcbeerjohnw