Beer in your cocktails? Yep, these easy recipes will take your favourite brew to the next level.

It’s hard to imagine beer getting any better than it already is, right? There’s nothing like reaching into the fridge or esky and cracking open a cold one. Delicious, thirst-quenching and versatile – beer is great on its own but it also makes a great ingredient. When you think of cocktails, you probably don’t immediately think of beer, but that’s about to change. Below, we’ve rounded up four of our favourite beer cocktails that’ll take your favourite brew to the next level.

1. The Classic Shandy

The term Shandy comes from the old British name “shandy gaff”, which was an 1850s drink that mixed beer and ginger ale. From there, it evolved into many different forms, but the most widely known these days is the Classic Shandy, which features a 50/50 mix of beer and lemonade. To get the best results, you’ll want to select a wheat beer or a light lager, but really the choice is yours. The best thing about Shandies is how versatile they are. You can play with the ratio, try a more citrus-flavoured lemonade, or even a different mixer altogether. It’s your shandy and you can do as you like!

2. The Michelada

The Michelada is one of the most popular drinks in Mexico. It’s a bright and flavourful beer-based cocktail with plenty of lime and spice that adds a real punch. You start with your favourite Mexican beer and throw in a dash of hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, lime juice, and tomato juice – kind of like you’re making the Bloody Mary’s long-lost brother. There are thousands of different versions of Micheladas, but one thing they all have in common is that they’re best served in a glass full of ice with a spiced salt rim. You’ll be refreshed and your tastebuds will be zinging – what’s not to love?

3. The Stout Fellow

Rich, smooth and velvety, when you think about it stout beers have a lot in common with Espresso Martinis. And those common traits are exactly what inspired the Stout Fellow, a beer-based twist that rivals the ever-popular espresso cocktail. While they might look similar, the Stout Fellow is in a league of its own when it comes to taste. The mix of stout, dark rum, coffee liqueur and creme de cacao creates a strong, warm and hearty cocktail with a surprisingly dark sweetness. Even if you’ve never been a stout fan before, this is the cocktail that will change your mind.

4. The Stout Float

Yep, ice cream and beer. It sounds kind of crazy, but trust us – it works. To be fair, the only reason it does work comes down to picking the right beer. Stout is the only type of beer that we’d recommend, and even then you want to be particular about which stout you choose. Stick with chocolate or oatmeal stouts, or anything that has a toasty, matly sweetness to it. For ice cream, you want a scoop of really creamy vanilla to help highlight the flavours of the stout. Or if you’re feeling adventurous, you could also try a coffee ice cream to complement the flavours in a different way. One last tip – let the ice cream soften a little before you add it in to get the perfect gooey mix.