Say Goodbye To Boring Bud Light With A 2-Ingredient 'Beertini'

Gussying up one's beer is no novel concept. From sprinkling salt in your suds to adding a brew to a margarita, or topping a pour with Aperol for a classic spaghett, there are plenty of ways to use basic beer as a starting point for a delicious drink. Take, for example, the simple, briny, and endlessly sippable "beertini" (aka "redneck martini"). Simply put, a beertini is a combination of a light beer, such as Bud Light, and a few olives. The olives add a savory, salty zing, along with a more buttery, complex flavor that comes with the green olives usually used for martinis.

If you want to add more olive flavor, you can add a dash of olive brine to boot. You can also use any light, crisp beer, such as a lager or pilsner. Now, the beertini is nothing new, especially in the Midwest. In fact, this drink is also sometimes called a Midwest Martini thanks to its popularity in the Great Plains states. Now, its exact origins are unclear, but it may be that this combination found its way to prominence through regular old bar top experimentation. Regardless of its origins, over time, enough people tried it and liked it, and it eventually gained traction. In more recent years, the beertini has received some renewed attention thanks to an uptick in martinis, savory drinks, and viral cocktail hacks.

Adding a bit of olive brine and a few olives to your beer is a great hack in and of itself. However, this can also serve as a starting point for more boozy fun. For starters, if you'd like to turn this drink into a truer 'tini, you can add a shot of gin or vodka to your drink. This will add a bit of potency and, if you add gin, a bit of an herbal kick. You can also rinse your glass with dry vermouth before adding beer for more flavor. If you'd prefer not to up the ABV but want to add a bit more flavor, you can try different olive fillings beyond the pimento-stuffed variety. A blue cheese olive, for example, gives your drink a funky flavor, and a garlic-stuffed olive adds an intensely savory twist.

Olives aside, lemon juice, lime juice, or even hot sauce can take a cheap beer to the next level. Or, to go in a totally different direction, try pickled pearl onions, pickles and pickle brine, or pickled peppers for a punchy, vinegar-infused pop. You can also combine the beertini with tomato juice to make red beer. So you see, there are plenty of other flavors to add, which can take the beertini from a Midwest bar staple to a fresh, fizzy, and savory sipping experience.