On a hot and humid day there’s nothing quite like a mug/can of chilled beer, is there? And if you want to add a sexy spin to this any-time-of-the-day drink, then raise to your lips the hot, spicy and fruity beer cocktails that are being served at many of the country’s upscale hotel bars and restaurants. “Beer cocktails are finding favour with women too. So, I add ingredients like chocolate, that women really like, to my beer cocktails,” says mixologist Niraj Ved, Hyatt Regency Gurgaon. Ved, who likes to mix-and-match, cautions that you’ve got to get the blends right when mixing other liquors with beer or the cocktail might become a shade too bitter. A dash of citrus fruit juice lends the concoction just the right flavour. Sip on beer cocktails spiked with watermelon and blueberries or tread the spicy route with pepper and chilli infused concoctions. It’s easy to beat the heat.

Summer cooler
Hyatt Regency Gurgaon, The Long Bar
Glass: Brandy balloon
Ingredients:
♦5-6 watermelon chunks ♦ 30ml Framboise (raspberry liqueur) ♦ 1 tsp castor sugar ♦ 250ml Budweiser beer ♦ Watermelon balls for garnish
Method:
In a blender add five to six seedless watermelon chunks and blend well. Strain the juice into a brandy balloon and then add the Framboise and castor sugar. Top it with Budweiser beer and serve with a garnish of watermelon balls.

Spicy Beer
The Park Kolkata, Roxy
Glass: Palladio beer glass
Ingredients:
♦ A pinch of pepper ♦ 1g red chilli powder ♦ 1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce ♦ 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce ♦ 120ml freshly squeezed tomato juice ♦ 1/2 tsp crushed ginger ♦ 1 tsp green coriander leaves lSalt to taste ♦ 10ml lime juice ♦ 3 to 4 pieces of green chillies ♦ 250ml Heineken beer ♦ A sprig of celery for garnish
Method:
Combine the salt and red chilli powder on a small plate. Rub the rim of the glass with a slice of lime and invert it on the plate with the salt and chilli mixture to make it stick to the rim.

In a blender put Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, lime juice, freshly squeezed tomato juice, fresh coriander leaves, the green chillies, ginger and a pinch of salt and pepper each and blend together along with some ice. Pour into the glass and carefully top off with beer. Serve with a garnishing of celery leaves.

Monsoon Bitters
The Oberoi, Mumbai, Eau Bar
Glass: Collins glass
Ingredients:
♦ 15ml Vodka ♦ 15ml Campari ♦ 15ml Cointreau ♦ 15ml lime juice ♦ 10ml sugar ♦ 90ml-100ml Miller High Life beer
♦ A slice of fresh orange (for garnish)
Method: 
Put all ingredients except the beer into a Boston shaker along with some ice. Give it a good shake, pour into the Collins glass and top it with the beer. Serve chilled with a garnish of fresh orange slice.

Lemonita
ITC Sonar, Westview Bar & Grill
Glass: Fancy cocktail glass
Ingredients:
♦ 30ml draught beer ♦ 5ml freshly squeezed lime juice ♦ 20ml sugar syrup to balance ♦ 30ml lemonade to top up ♦ 3-4 sprigs lemon grass ♦ 2 sprigs garden green basil leave ♦ A sprig each of lemon grass and basil for garnish
Method:
Muddle all the ingredients in a mixing can along with the beer. Give the mix a good shake, pour it into the cocktail glass and top up with lemonade. Serve with a garnish of basil sprigs and lemon grass.

Beer Berry
The Manor Delhi, Indian Accent
Glass: Pilsner
Ingredients:
♦ 60g fresh blueberries ♦ 30ml Bombay Sapphire gin ♦ 30ml ginger ale ♦ 250ml Corona beer ♦ 20ml blueberry syrup or fresh pomegranate juice ♦ 10ml fresh lime juice ♦ 3-4 fresh blueberries for garnish
Method:
Muddle the fresh blueberries, gin and lime juice in a shaker. Add ginger ale and blueberry syrup or fresh pomegranate juice to the mixture and stir well. Put the contents of the shaker in a chilled beer pilsner. Top the glass up with chilled beer and serve with a garnish of fresh blueberries.

(Compiled by Lubna Salim)