Citrus Beer Lemonade

Name: Citrus Beer Lemonade
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 6 Lemon; 2 C Sugar; 2 C Water; 1 C chilled grapefruit juice; 2 can 12 oz. Chilled Light Beer

Citrus Beer Lemonade is a refreshing summer cocktail that blends fresh-squeezed lemon juice, grapefruit juice, and chilled light beer into a crisp, citrusy drink. The combination of tart and bitter flavors makes it ideal for warm-weather entertaining.

🏷️Equipment: beer mug

Total

5 min

Servings

4

Difficulty

Medium

Est. Cost

$13–$21

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From Mr. Boston Drinks · by Mr. Boston Official Bartender's and Party Guide

Ingredients

6 Lemon
2 C Sugar

2 C Water

1 C chilled grapefruit juice

2 can 12 oz. Chilled Light Beer

5 Ingredients

Delivery in as fast as one hour.^*

Powered by Instacart

Prices vary by store

^*Service fees apply. Instacart^® and the Instacart logo are registered trademarks of Maplebear Inc. d/b/a Instacart.

Instructions

1
Remove peel from lemons and set aside.
2
Juice lemons (about 2 cups juice).
3
In large saucepan, stir together sugar and water.
4
Bring to boiling and add reserved lemon peel.
5
Remove from heat.
6
Cover and let stand 5 minutes.
7
remove and discard peel.
8
Add lemon juice and grapefruit juice and grapefruit juice to sugar mixture.
9
Transfer mixture to a 3-quart pitcher; cover and chill.
10
Just before serving, add beer.
11
Pour into glass mugs over cracked ice and garnish with lemon slices.
12
Makes 8 servings.

Was this recipe helpful?

Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Chill all ingredients, including beer and glasses, before mixing to avoid dilution from melting ice.
Juice lemons fresh rather than using bottled juice for brighter flavor and better balance with the beer.
Add beer last and gently to preserve carbonation and prevent excessive foam.
Taste the base mixture (lemon-sugar-grapefruit) before adding beer so you can adjust sweetness if needed.

Substitutions

Light Beer → Pilsner or wheat beer (lighter grain flavors work best)
Grapefruit juice → Orange juice or white cranberry juice (adjusts tartness slightly)
Fresh lemons → Bottled lemon juice at 1:1 ratio (less ideal but acceptable in a pinch)

Storage & make-ahead

Store in a pitcher covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; add fresh ice and beer just before serving.

Common Questions

Can I make this ahead of time?

Prepare the lemon-sugar base up to 24 hours ahead, then add grapefruit juice and beer just before serving to keep it chilled and carbonated.

What type of light beer works best?

Any light pilsner, lager, or pale ale works well; choose one with mild flavor so citrus notes remain dominant.

Can I scale this recipe for a crowd?

Yes—multiply all ingredients proportionally. For 10 servings, use 30 lemons, 10 cups sugar, 10 cups water, 5 cups grapefruit juice, and 10 cans of beer.