These chili recipes pack real depth and flavor.

Adding beer to chili isn’t just trendy, it’s transformational. Whether you’re working with beef, beans, turkey, or even plant-based ingredients, a splash of the right beer adds body, bitterness, sweetness, or smoke.

This collection explores a variety of beer chili styles for weeknight dinners, tailgate parties, and cold-weather comfort food.

🍺 Classic Beef & Ale Chili

A hearty, traditional chili made with ground beef, tomatoes, kidney beans, and a bold amber or brown ale.

The beer deepens the flavor and balances the spices, giving you a full-bodied bowl that only gets better with toppings like sour cream, cheddar, and scallions.

👉 Beer Chili Recipe

🌶️ Chipotle Stout Chili

Smoky, spicy, and rich — chipotle peppers and dark stout beer team up for a bold, slow-simmered chili with a hint of roasted sweetness.

Perfect for those who like their chili with a smoky backbone and a bit of heat.

👉 Chipotle Stout Chili Recipe

🍗 Turkey & Pale Ale Chili

Lean, light, and zesty — this version swaps beef for ground turkey and uses a citrusy pale ale to lift and brighten the flavor.

Add corn, black beans, and lime for a Southwest twist.

👉 Turkey & Pale Ale Chili Recipe

🫘 Vegetarian Lager Chili

No meat, no problem. This plant-based chili uses a clean lager to enhance a mix of beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, peppers, and spices.

Flavorful, healthy, and ideal for meal prep or Meatless Monday.

👉 Vegetarian Lager Chili Recipe

🌶️ Lager Chili with Black Bean

Simple, satisfying, and perfect for weeknights, this chili uses a crisp lager to round out the earthy richness of black beans and smoky spices.

Add fire-roasted tomatoes, bell peppers, cumin, and a squeeze of lime for a balanced, hearty bowl with a subtle beer finish.

👉 Lager Chili with Black Bean Recipe

🧅 Beer & White Bean Chicken Chili

Creamy and mildly spiced, this white chili uses shredded chicken, white beans, green chiles, and a wheat beer or blonde ale for smooth balance.

Top with Monterey Jack, avocado, or crushed tortilla chips.

👉 Beer & White Bean Chicken Chili Recipe

🍫 Chocolate & Stout Chili

Rich, bold, and complex, this gourmet-style chili blends dark stout beer with unsweetened cocoa or dark chocolate.

It’s not sweet — just deeply flavorful, with a hint of mole-inspired richness that makes it unforgettable.

👉 Chocolate & Stout Chili Recipe

🧾 Final Thoughts: One Pot, Infinite Possibilities

From smoky and rich to light and bright, beer chili can be endlessly adapted to your taste, your brew, and your pantry.

Serve it in a bowl, over fries, on hot dogs, or with a slab of your homemade beer bread. However you spoon it up, you’re in for deep flavor and warm comfort with every bite.

🍺 Explore Our Top Cooking with Beer Recipe Collections

From crispy beer-battered classics to bold mains, cheesy dips, breads, and even desserts — these roundups bring together the best of beer-infused cooking. Whether you’re hosting a game day, planning a backyard BBQ, or just experimenting in the kitchen, there’s a beer recipe collection for every craving.

• 🍽️ Cooking with Beer (Main Hub) – Your ultimate guide to cooking with beer, from mains to apps and desserts.
• 🥨 Beer-Battered Appetizers and Sides – – Crispy onion rings, fried pickles, mushrooms, zucchini, & more pub-style favorites with a golden beer crunch.
• 🍞 Beer Bread Recipes – From 2-ingredient quick breads to jalapeño cheese loaves.
• 🧀 Beer Cheese & Dips – Beer cheese soup, queso, nachos, ranch dip & more.
• 🍖 Beer Can Chicken & Grilled Mains – Bold, juicy recipes straight from the grill.
• 🌶️ Beer Infused Chili’s – Hearty, bold, and slow-simmered beer-infused chili.
• 🍻 Beer Mac & Cheese – Creamy, quick& easy, made to impress.
• 🍰 Beer-Infused Desserts & Sweets – Sweet treats made better with beer.
• 🎉 Oktoberfest & Seasonal Ideas – Perfect pairings for parties, fall feasts, and festive gatherings.