13 Additions That Will Make Low-Quality Beer Taste 10x Better

For a long time, beer has been the no frills drink for those who are not into cocktails, wine, or champagne. It's been considered simple and does not require any specific instructions when talking to a bartender. For each person who goes on and on about how dirty you want your martini or if you want your margarita rim salted or sugared, there are others who hop onto a barstool and order a beer. The only decision they are usually faced with is if they want something on draft or from the bottle or can. It feels like the types of beer available today are growing by the day.

Adding elements to beer is becoming more common, however. I'm not just referring to the orange slice you ask for in your Blue Moon or Stella Artois either. There's a whole movement going on behind the beer scenes where people are figuring out how to dress up a low-quality beer to make it not just palatable but enjoyable. So buckle up, beer lovers, there are some unique and interesting additions that can level up your next cold beer. For those of you who don't enjoy beer, some of these mashups might just change your mind. Before you throw out the bargain beer in your refrigerator, try one of these beer cocktails instead.

Soda is not just for vodka and tequila anymore. While it might sound like a weird combination, just a splash of soda can totally transform a run-of-the-mill beer into something completely different. It's like soda sorcery. Apparently, some people are now using their own free will to add soda to an icy beer to capitalize on this dynamic duo. The combo has made such an impression on pop culture, that a cola and beer collaboration made a cameo in the popular movie, "Materialists." If Dakota Johnson's character considers this her go-to drink, we want to know what's so special about it.

In Germany, this is actually not an outlandish beer order and is commonly called a diesel. The most popular way to make one is to use a pilsner with cola, which makes it richer yet still refreshing. If you are not a cola person, lemon-lime soda works too! This variation is popular across the pond and is called a shandy or a radler, and there's more than one way to make one. In France, they use a blonde lager and call it a panache. The bottom line is that if people are pouring cola into a glass of red wine, we can surely do it with a beer.

If you're looking to capitalize on the citrusy lemon notes without adding additional carbonation to your beer, swap it for lemonade instead. This is also referred to as a radler or a summer shandy and has the reputation for being a satisfying beer order on a hot day. If you question how much of a norm it is to order a beer with lemonade, you are not alone. The combo is typically made using 50% beer and 50% lemonade but you can adjust the ratio if you want to make one part more dominant.

Lemonade is a true supporting character for many recipes. If you don't like lemon flavored things, don't fret because plenty of people create versions of a shandy or radler by adding other varieties of fruit juice to their beer. You can use grapefruit juice, orange juice, tangerine juice, and even yuzu. Basically any fruity flavored juice will work depending on the kind of vibe you are looking for.

Ginger beer, which is not beer at all, is another flavor you can add to elevate a lower quality beer. Move over Moscow Mules, you're not the only cocktail in town that uses the fizzy, nonalcoholic beverage to switch things up. What does a splash of ginger beer do to a standard beer? It ups the crispiness of the already carbonated beer and also infuses it with a gingery sweetness.

There are love letters from self-professed fans of a good ginger shandy. Some share their own recipes for this refreshing beverage with an extra dose of zing. You can also use ginger ale in place of ginger beer for the same type of drink. Regardless of which ginger element you choose, the suggestion from beer enthusiasts is to use a pale, wheat, or golden ale for the ginger shandy. Everything about it sounds like a bright little sip that is worth venturing into beer cocktail territory for.

While we are on the topic of refreshing beer cocktails, let's discuss hard cider, or as I like to call it, beer's more fun cousin. Hard cider delivers the snap of a carbonated beverage but with sweet notes. Why choose between beer and hard cider when you can have the best of both worlds. That brings us to the concoction known as a snakebite, which is a mixture of a stout and hard cider. It's an intimidating name but a fantastic way to enjoy beers with a lower price. 

That's not the only way to make a snakebite, because similar to a shandy, radler, or other beer cocktails, there are always variations or people taking some creative license to make it their own. The flavors are balanced and not complicated at all. It's essentially an apple flavored beer. Sounds like the perfect fall and winter libation. However, here's no reason you can't enjoy a cider beer mashup in every other season too.

You may not think to add margarita mix to a beer, but it's happening out there. It's affectionately called a beer-rita and it's exactly what it sounds like. The mixture of a margarita and beer creates a fizzy and citrusy drink. This beer cocktail also has tequila and lime, to make the margarita mix an actual margarita. All of the flavors work together to create a balanced cocktail. Who knew the maltiness of beer and the sweetness of a margarita could work so well together?

Apparently many people are in the know and some even like to serve them with pizazz. In Austin, it's not uncommon to see a bartender push one across the bar with an entire beer bottle upside down sticking out of the glass. It's also super popular with Corona, known as a Coronarita or Margarona. Some establishments even take it up a notch and use a frozen margarita to make it even cooler, literally. If you are into this type of energy, there are also bars that top a Pabst Blue Ribbon with a margarita slushie floater.

It's about to get a little weird as we shift over to some of the more savory beer cocktails. If you are not into sweet or fruity drinks but want to spruce up a subpar beer, grab the bloody mary mix. This is no joke. There are beer drinkers who love to add bloody mary mix, or even just tomato juice, to their hoppy beverage and create a whole new category of beer cocktails. The beloved MVP of brunches everywhere is more versatile than it gets credit for.

You know it's more than just a fleeting trend when one of the more popular bloody mary mixes highlights this blend and even provides the recipe to make one yourself. It goes by several names including, michelada, Mexican bloody mary and red beer. No matter what you call it, if you love a bloody mary, it's right up your alley. If you feel like being extra adventurous, consider Clamato juice instead of bloody mary mix. Some even swear by the bloody mary, beer combo as a cure for hangovers.

It seems like Tajin has been popping up everywhere. People sprinkle it onto fresh fruits like watermelon and pineapple to give it a kick. It pairs well with corn and makes for an excellent rim on some cocktails. Tajin has a very distinct flavor profile and it's not a quiet one. Even with its bold taste, it's diverse enough to amplify many foods and beverages. Be warned that adding too much directly to a cold beer might not be the best idea and can cause it to foam right out of the glass.

Don't worry though because there are still ways to make it part of a tangy beer cocktail. Tajin makes an excellent rim for a michelada. If you really want to impress some guests, there's a very cool tajin hack that will do the trick. Remember when coffee ice cubes were all the rage because once they melted into iced coffee they enhanced the flavor instead of watering it down? Well, Tajin ice cubes are a thing and they are brilliant. Add them to a beer cocktail and just wait for the oohs and aahs.

If you like the signature tang and brightness of a pepperoncini, you're going to want to pay attention to this section. The mild green colored pepper is not just a staple in greek salads or the corner of a Papa John's pizza box. It's also become a suggested addition to a frosty beer. Not the whole pepper itself, but the brine it soaks in. Pepperoncini has made many appearances in a dirty martini instead of olive brine, so why shouldn't beer lovers get their chance?

Grab a low cost lager or pilsner and take the pepperoncini addition for a test run. If you love it, try tossing those two ingredients into your slow cooker Mississippi pot roast, including the whole pepperoncini and prepare for a major flavor explosion. It's a great way to not waste bargain beer. Pickle brine works too and offers the same savory notes with a strong vinegar presence as pepperoncini brine. Either are great ways to put a new spin on beer cocktails.

The Aperol Spritz has been in the spotlight for a while and for good reason. It's easily one of the fizzy, sweet, and slightly bitter popular drinks in bars across the country and graces many brunch tables. What you may not know about Aperol is that it's entered beer cocktail territory and people are into it. Just like many of our featured beer cocktails mentioned above, it also has a name. The Aperol laced beer, plus lemon juice is called a spaghett. No, that's not a typo, it is spaghetti minus the i.

The spaghett became a viral sensation, hailed as a perfect summer drink but people are still talking about it well into fall. Don't underestimate the flavor potential of a spaghett just because it only requires three ingredients. Miller High Life seems to be the most popular beer chosen to become a spaghett, but the best thing about beer cocktails is that you can use a number of lower priced varieties and still pull off a fantastic drink.

Miller High Life has also been dubbed a great beer for bitters. The addition of the bar staple boosts the taste of the beer in a number of ways depending on which bitters you add. You can find pairing guides for which bitters play well with which beers and there are a wealth of possibilities. Beer, especially the less expensive ones, can be very simple. Sometimes you want more without emptying your wallet to snag pricier ones. Incorporating bitters is a fantastic way to make it happen.

Bitters in beer is a popular practice in France. There's a particular bitter called Amer Picon that dates back to the 1800s and was actually created specifically for use in beer. The addition of bitters is enough to zhuzh up the most basic, low cost beer taking it from bland to delicious. Remember the beer shandy we talked about earlier? You can add orange bitters to it for another layer of flavor.

You've heard of salted caramel coffee, dark chocolate with sea salt, and perhaps even a salted rim on a freshly made margarita. Did you know that some people like to add a few dashes of salt to a frosty beer? Salt is the OG flavor enhancer. It's been known to bring other flavors out of the shadows and really make them shine. Salt is also responsible for making a budget beer taste like it's much higher quality. The Texas tradition of beer salt has extended well past the longhorn state as a cost-effective way to actually enjoy a lower priced beer.

Salt is an ideal addition for beer drinkers who want to cut through bitterness. One of the most common beer cocktails that incorporate salt is the michelada and there are a number of beer salt flavors to add a little oomph to your glass or around it. Popular types include pickle salt, lemon-lime salt, and chile lime. If you are looking for another way to get more electrolytes, just know that beer salt adds some to your brew.

Do you know what else is a real flavor booster for your blah beer? Additional alcohol. Aperol and Hard Cider are not the only boozy plus ones for a nice cold one. Pour some bourbon into your stout to make a boilermaker and get that a warm and cozy effect. Or, swap the bourbon for your favorite tequila and now you've got the tequila boilermaker. If you toss a shot of spiced rum into a Pilsner, along with lime, Tabasco, and ginger beer, and you've got yourself a hellfire. The point is that many spirits offer new ways to enjoy an easy-on-the-wallet beer.

For an adult version of an old classic, add a shot of root beer schnapps and voila, you have a spiked root beer float, the ice cream is optional. Beer floats in general are pretty great with the right brewski. Perhaps a twist on a flaming Dr. Pepper by adding amaretto liquor plus a floater full of 151. You can even skip dessert and instead combine a lambic, which has a strong raspberry flavor, to a chocolate stout.

Espresso martinis have taken over everything from bar menus to pajama prints. It's truly like an organized cocktail movement fueled by caffeine and you'd be hard pressed to go out for drinks without someone ordering one. You don't have to limit yourself to a vodka or tequila martini though. Let's take a moment for the turbo Guinness. Next time you sit down to pour (or order) a rich and dark Guinness, or a less expensive heavy stout, ask for a shot of espresso in it. It's one of the latest espresso leaning cocktails and honestly, it makes perfect sense. Why not take two bold flavors and join them into one stunning beverage. Stouts are so beloved they have even been known to make an appearance during breakfast.

Do you prefer your cocktails with a side of dramatic effect? Do yourself a favor and drop the entire espresso shot, including the tiny glass, into the beer. It's not only a great use of inexpensive beer, but also makes for a quintessential Instagram moment. You can even add a shot of whiskey to the espresso beer bevy for another spin on the coffee cocktail trend. The point is, don't be afraid to experiment here because you might just unveil your new favorite beer cocktail. Don't give up on budget beers just yet.