Cocktails and beer are often seen as two separate worlds—one for the refined, the other for the casual drinker. But what if they could meet somewhere in the middle?

Beer cocktails aren’t just a novelty; they’re a clever way to blend flavours, soften sharp edges, or add depth to drinks we already love.

And listen, I totally get it. Taking a liquid that a brewery worked so hard to perfect and then completely changing it? It’s sacrilege. But this isn’t about altering the brewer’s vision for the beer.

Look, I know beer purists might be shaking their heads right now, but at the end of the day, drinking beer should be about enjoyment, not rules. It’s about breaking down the barriers of craft beer, it’s about keeping things fun, and it’s about creating a gateway for people into the category. So please, just trust me on this one.

I’ve always enjoyed experimenting with simple beer-based cocktails, and after years of playing around, I keep coming back to three riffs on classics that strike the perfect balance between tradition and creativity.

Each of these drinks takes inspiration from a........

© Herald Scotland