do. Pour three-quarters of a glass of beer then mix in tomato juice and lime. Treat that as your base, and go to town adding any sort of spices or other ingredient that you crave. Think of it as a cocktail test tube – it’s great for experiments. Drop in pepper, hot sauce, soy sauce, Worcestershire – pretty much anything that you’d use in a typical Bloody Mary. Put a little salt on the rim, take a sip, and any reservation you have about using beer as a mixer will be out the window faster than you can say “Arriba!” The Shandy This one is good for those who want to join the party without getting too tipsy. Think of it as a half and half: a shandy is half a pint of beer mixed with half a pint of soda. Lovers of this drink will debate just what soda works best in the libation – pretty much any light-colored carbonated beverage works. You can use Sprite for a little lemon-lime action, ginger ale to make a more savory concoction or Fresca if you’re looking for a tart twist. You can also measure it to taste – if you’re craving more booze, fill the glass three-quarters of the way with beer and use soda for the rest. If you want to go extra light, fill the glass with soda and then add a hit of brew. The Black Velvet Have half a bottle of champagne left from a party that you want to kill? It may not seem like a good idea to mix it in with that extra Guinness that’s in your fridge, but trust me, you will be impressed. Grab a flute and fill it halfway with the bubbly, then top it off with your stout beer of choice. ]