If you enjoy a delicious piece of beer can chicken, you know there is nothing like the moist meat & crispy skin it has. I've made it easy for you to make the tastiest beer can chicken by using one of these top-rated beers.
Though you can use just about any kind or brand of beer, some are better than others. We tested all of these by either grilling or smoking a whole chicken to come up with this list.
Below I have outlined the top 10 best types & brands of beer to buy when cooking beer can chicken. There are 5 categories; lagers, light beers, wheat beers, dark beers, & foreign. I am sure you will find a familiar favorite or a new brew to love.
Jump to:
Is Cooking Chicken on a Can of Beer Safe?
The beer itself is tasty and absolutely safe. This is why beer can chicken is so popular. However, the production of canned beer is not meant to be heated, cooked, or touching food directly. The design & logo ink is not a consumable product and can leach into the food - likely unsafe.
With that being said, I don't recommend cooking the chicken directly in the can or bottle. I know it is all over the internet & on cooking shows. It is likely not toxic to do it when camping one or two times. However, if you love beer can chicken and want to eat it often - do it the safe way.
Always cook it using a beer can chicken roasting pan. It not only holds up the chicken without the worry of it toppling over, but the stainless steel stand is also safe. The base collects any drippings which are perfect to drizzle over the cut chicken pieces later - sooo juicy! A stand for cooking beer can chicken is so easy to use & inexpensive.
How to Cook Chicken on a Roasting Stand
This stand has room to add some aromatics like garlic, lemon wedges, & herbs. Next, add a chicken dry rub to the whole bird (don't wash/or rinse it first) before placing it on the stand. Now that you are ready to cook up some delicious beer can chicken, let's get the right beer from the store.
How to Pick the Best Beer
Before you buy cans or bottles of beer, take into account some factors to help you decide which liquid to use. Whether you are grilling, smoking, or baking the chicken with beer, understand these 5 differences to make the best choice.
Ask yourself & think about the following before picking which beer:
- Dark or Light - With a range from light lagers to red ales, to brown stouts, there are many choices of beer to use. If you want the deeper flavor pick a bold beer like a brown ale that is malty but for mild flavor try a Coors Light for example.
- Flavors and Aromas - pick one that you like to drink & don't get too crazy. For example, bitter, floral, or sour beers are not recommended. Think of the hoppy or malty taste of a beer you like & pass those flavors into the chicken meat.
- Type of beer (lager, IPA, stout, wheat, etc) - just about any type will work but lighter beers tend to add flavor that is not overpowering. A light lager is a wonderful choice but a chocolate stout is probably not a good idea.
- Alcohol content - non-alcoholic beer works wonderfully as the lower the alcohol content the better. For a mild flavor that doesn't overpower the flavor of the chicken, choose a brew with a lower alcohol content.
- Other - think about the price, ease of availability, carbonation level, whether you will drink the other cans or bottles in the 6-pack, & other factors that come into play.
All of these items were part of my decision process for coming up with this best-of list. After reviewing all these and taste testing many different beers - I am sharing the top-recommended beers for beer can chicken.
Best Lagers & Pilsners
Lagers and pilsners are the best kind of beers to use when making beer can chicken. If you are not a beer drinker or know very little about beer choices, you cannot go wrong with either of these brands.
Two of the top beers include this lager and pilsner. I recommend Budweiser or Budvar (if you are in the Czech Republic) for a lager. If you want a pilsner, go with Pilsner Urguell - also a Czech beer. Both are light, crisp, & add a touch of hoppiness without being too bitter.
Best Light Beers
If you drink light beers for a low-carb or lower-calorie lifestyle, try one for beer can chicken too. So if you have either of these popular beers already at home use one.
Two of the top light beers to use include Coors Light & Miller Lite. Both are mild with minimal malt & bitter notes. They also have low alcohol content.
Best Wheat Beers
Wheat beer is a popular choice for drinking especially in the summertime. They often have a citrus flavor that is fruity & sometimes floral. That zesty vibe along with a low bitter or malty flavor makes wheat beers ideal for beer can chicken.
Wheat beers are more mainstream these days so finding one at a local store is easy. The two top choices for wheat beer that works best for making beer can chicken are these popular brands. Try either Shock Top or Blue Moon.
Best Dark Beers
Dark beer fans can know that even this rich decadent beer can be used when making beer can chicken. It is personally my favorite to drink but is actually my least favorite for cooking.
I cherish a delicious stout with a lovely foam top & like to save it to drink alongside my grilled meat versus in it. The notes of coffee, oatmeal, or chili in some dark beers work better than a bitter or strong malty beer (like ales), so go for it. I recommend using Guinness or Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout.
Best Foreign Brands
Overall the lighter beers continue to shine. With that being said, mild lagers or light beers from international breweries work great in beer can chicken. My top two foreign beers are Modelo Especial (Light) & TsingTao.
Modelo is a light Mexican beer that can be found in just about any liquor store or mainstream grocery store. It is mildly sweet and not too hoppy. TsingTao is a Chinese pilsner-style beer. With the addition of rice in the brewing process it is smooth and crisp.
Top 10 in Review
In the sections above all these beers are detailed with what characteristics make them great for cooking beer can chicken. In review, here they all are in order. Overall, the best type of beer for beer can chicken is a pilsner. 4 made our top 10 list!
The top 10 best beers for beer can chicken are listed below.
- Shock Top - wheat
- Pilsner Urquell - pilsner
- Coors Light - light lager
- Blue Moon - wheat
- Modelo Especial - Mexican pilsner
- Miller Lite - light pilsner
- Budweiser/Budvar - lager
- Guinness - stout
- Tsingtao - Chinese pilsner
- Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout - stout
If you want a non-alcoholic beer, the bonus choices for this list are two top-selling brands in America. Both are great zero-alcohol/zero-proof choices for beer can chicken. Try either of these: Budweiser Zero or Heineken Non-Alcoholic.
FAQ
When making beer can chicken, the beer never comes to a boil (boiling point is 212°F). But as it heats, steam from the beer will begin once it reaches 100°F. That steam will permeate into the meat & skin for a mild flavor enhancement.
In our recipe testing of beer can chicken with ales, we found it to be our least favorite. This was due to the strong hoppy flavor and bitter notes. IPAs & other ales didn't make our top 10 beers list but some were close. If you love this type of beer, try Sierra Nevada IPA or Lagunitas.
Final Tips on Cooking Beer Can Chicken
The top tip I recommend when making a decision is to pick a beer you love to drink. You cannot go wrong with your favorite brand & type of beer. This will give you the beer can chicken flavor you are sure to love.
And if all else fails, try Perdue's new product - a chicken-flavored beer made specifically for beer can chicken. Perdue's Beer Can Chicken Beer has citrus notes & seasonings like rosemary & thyme.
Don't forget to save the carcass after you enjoyed your meal. Then make the best Instant Pot Chicken Bone Broth.
Leave a Reply