# Does it matter what beer I use in beer butt chicken? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** beer\ **Created:** [March 22, 2007, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-matter-what-beer-i-use-in-beer-butt-chicken/396968 "2007-03-22T02:28:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![luvtinayothers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@luvtinayothers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/luvtinayothers)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2007, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-matter-what-beer-i-use-in-beer-butt-chicken/396968/1 "2007-03-22T02:28:10Z")
Will an ale taste different than a lager? Will a Guinness taste better than Pabst Blue Ribbon? Or does it all come out the same? ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2007, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-matter-what-beer-i-use-in-beer-butt-chicken/396968/2 "2007-03-22T02:33:11Z")
The one recipe I’ve actually used specifically suggested your American macrobrew like Budweiser or Miller. Guiness was specifically mentioned as a bad idea–I think due to the cartridge, though I’m not sure what effect it’d really have after the can was open. The take-home message was to go as cheap as possible without worrying about the type, but if you try it a couple different times and get a different result, I’d be fascinated. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2007, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-matter-what-beer-i-use-in-beer-butt-chicken/396968/3 "2007-03-22T02:41:14Z")
Lessee… Pabst, Schmidt, MGD, Old Milwaukee, Budweiser, some cheap Light Ice crap, Hamm’s…I think I’ve used all of these at one time or another. Hasn’t made a discernible difference to me so far. The Cajun seasoning still comes through. ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2007, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-matter-what-beer-i-use-in-beer-butt-chicken/396968/4 "2007-03-22T03:02:45Z")
A little off the OP but I’ve used a mix of apple juice and orange juice in mine to rave reviews! ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2007, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-matter-what-beer-i-use-in-beer-butt-chicken/396968/5 "2007-03-22T03:12:55Z")
There is a plastic ball in the can of Guinness that will probably melt in the oven, best not to use that. Also, stouts and porters tend to get bitter as you cook them, so even if one transferred the beer to a different vessel and crammed that up the chicken’s arse, it might not turn out so good. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2007, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-matter-what-beer-i-use-in-beer-butt-chicken/396968/6 "2007-03-22T03:30:48Z")
I love the citrus notes that a [_witbier_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbidden_Fruit_(beer)) provides to the chicken. Domestically, look for [Celis](http://www.michiganbrewing.com/celis.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2007, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-matter-what-beer-i-use-in-beer-butt-chicken/396968/7 "2007-03-22T04:25:02Z")
I usually just use PBR (since I like to chug the first third of the can before cramming it into the chicken), but I’ve also used a can of Coke that added a sweeter taste to a chicken rubbed with barbecue sauce and seasonings. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2007, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-matter-what-beer-i-use-in-beer-butt-chicken/396968/8 "2007-03-22T09:41:04Z")
I hesitate to ask, but what in the heck is beer butt chicken? ---
**Author:** ![El\_Perro\_Fumando](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e9c0ed/32.png) [@El\_Perro\_Fumando](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Perro_Fumando)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2007, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-matter-what-beer-i-use-in-beer-butt-chicken/396968/9 "2007-03-22T10:04:38Z")
[QUOTE=Baker] I hesitate to ask, but what in the heck is beer butt chicken? [/QUOTE] It’s a tasty way to grill a whole chicken. Very redneck, but also very tasty. You shove a mostly full can of beer up the chicken’s rear and use that with the legs to balance the chicken like a tripod on the grill. The beer bubbles up inside and makes the chicken nice and moist. [link](http://www.barbecuebible.com/featured/recipe/basic_beercan_c.php) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2007, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-matter-what-beer-i-use-in-beer-butt-chicken/396968/10 "2007-03-22T12:38:56Z")
A little rule about cooking with alcohol. If the quality is so low that you wouldn’t drink it, then don’t cook with it. My mom, who for my entire childhood cooked her ham with _Miller Lite,_ noticed how amazing the ham tasted after I chucked her Miller and tossed a combination of Guiness and Newcastle on it instead. **Huge** difference. I mean _huge_. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2007, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-matter-what-beer-i-use-in-beer-butt-chicken/396968/11 "2007-03-22T12:52:05Z")
[QUOTE=bouv] There is a plastic ball in the can of Guinness that will probably melt in the oven, best not to use that. Also, stouts and porters tend to get bitter as you cook them, so even if one transferred the beer to a different vessel and crammed that up the chicken’s arse, it might not turn out so good. [/QUOTE] Gee the most famous beer recipe (apart from beer batter for fish and chips) is probably Beef and Guiness Pie/Stew. I recently did Lamb Shanks in _Boags Honey Porter_ to rave reviews. Although it uses distinctive Leatherwood Honey I am sure the _Adam’s Honey Porter_ would be just as interesting. Mind you the Aussie one comes in a stubbie. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2007, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-matter-what-beer-i-use-in-beer-butt-chicken/396968/12 "2007-03-22T13:14:48Z")
I used to do a beer pot roast and I found that a heavier beer makes for a richer gravy. Don’t know how that translates up a chicken’s butt, but that’s all I got. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2007, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-matter-what-beer-i-use-in-beer-butt-chicken/396968/13 "2007-03-22T13:35:04Z")
I’ve made beer butt chicken with Zima before - quite different than regular ol’ Bud… Thanks for the reminder! I haven’t made one in a while. (Try putting a sprig of fresh rosemary into the can, it adds a lot of flavor.) ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2007, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-matter-what-beer-i-use-in-beer-butt-chicken/396968/14 "2007-03-22T18:14:25Z")
[QUOTE=El Perro Fumando] It’s a tasty way to grill a whole chicken. Very redneck, but also very tasty. You shove a mostly full can of beer up the chicken’s rear and use that with the legs to balance the chicken like a tripod on the grill. The beer bubbles up inside and makes the chicken nice and moist. [/QUOTE] IME, trying to balance the chicken on the beer can and its legs often = chicken toppling over. I have a [beercan chicken holder](http://www.nextag.com/Bayou-Classic-ChickCAN-Beercan-69511380/prices-html), well worth the 10 bucks from Wal-mart. And, yeah, cheap-ass American beer is all you need or want. ---
**Author:** ![mrklutz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@mrklutz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrklutz)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2007, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-matter-what-beer-i-use-in-beer-butt-chicken/396968/15 "2007-03-22T18:24:55Z")
[QUOTE=The Chao Goes Mu] A little rule about cooking with alcohol. If the quality is so low that you wouldn’t drink it, then don’t cook with it. [/QUOTE] I disagree. I like my beers dark as night and so thick you can stand a spoon in them. That kind of beer doesn’t work well for recipes that are geared around pilsners. The character is all wrong, in most cases. In general, I have a hierarchy of booze that goes drink neat \> drink mixed \> use for cooking. As long as you avoid geninuinely bad-tasting stuff, the quality required for cooking is lower than that required for drinking. ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2007, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-matter-what-beer-i-use-in-beer-butt-chicken/396968/16 "2007-03-22T18:34:14Z")
[QUOTE=The Chao Goes Mu] A little rule about cooking with alcohol. If the quality is so low that you wouldn’t drink it, then don’t cook with it. [/QUOTE] Actually, there was an article in the _New York Times_ today about this very question, with regards to wine. The author discovered that it is generally _not_ true that a better quality wine will give you a better quality cooked product but that, to the contrary, it pretty much doesn’t matter so long as the wine is not quite literally undrinkable. The NYT is a registration-only site, though registration is free. For those who might be registered, [here](http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/21/dining/21cook.html?em&ex=1174708800&en=0377cdfec1d60db0&ei=5087%0A) is the link. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2007, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-matter-what-beer-i-use-in-beer-butt-chicken/396968/17 "2007-03-22T22:14:24Z")
Must this be done on a grill? Is it possible to open roast it in an oven? Oh, and thanks **El Perro Fumando** , for the link. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-matter-what-beer-i-use-in-beer-butt-chicken/396968/18 "2007-03-23T00:18:43Z")
[QUOTE=Baker] Must this be done on a grill? Is it possible to open roast it in an oven? [/QUOTE] It sure is. I’ve done it. Works just fine. Hm. BB Chicken is usually a summertime, camping thing with me, but I’m kinda gettin’ a hankerin’ here…