10 Cool Uses For Beer

#1 Bathe In It

Beer is a wonderful skin conditioner. The next time you want a long soak in the tub, pour in a few cans of dark suds before you hop in. Just like salt crystals, the beer actually softens the water and makes for a luxurious bath. The hops and yeast help the water to soften and smooth your skin. Just don't drink it, no matter how tempted you are. That's nasty.

#2 Soothe An Upset Stomach

Forget the Pepto, the best way to cure an upset stomach is to have a nice cold brewski! Slowly sipping a can of beer can settle your stomach quicker than any over the counter drug or relief pill and the alcohol actually has an anesthetic effect that helps alleviate the pain. Most drinkers know this trick also works well for a hangover. Say goodbye to that pink chalk and open up your favorite beer for breakfast.

#3 Naturally Remove Slugs

Slugs and snails are the natural enemies of gardeners. Fortunately, they are also drunks who cannot resist beer. Thus, the best way to get rid of slugs and snails is to place an open container of beer in your garden at night. They will crawl in and literally drink themselves to death. Or drown. Point is, they'll all be dead. Instead of using chemicals on your garden, get rid of them with beer. It's much safer and easy to do. Just remember to empty the bowl full of beer each day and refill it with fresh beer.

#4 Deter Bees

Bees are pretty much alcoholics and they prefer beer on a warm sunny day. This one is actually so common-sensical that I can't believe it never occurred to me before. I mean, anyone who's ever consumed a beer at a summer barbecue knows that bees and wasps are attracted to beer because they're always flying in your beer. So if you want to keep bees away from you (and, for some reason, you're not actually drinking beer), just create a perimeter of beers around yourself. The bees will all go there and leave you the hell alone for a change. Plus you'll save money on citronella and sprays.

#5 Make A Batter

If you've ever tried beer-battered anything, you know it's awesome. When making a batter you usually add a raising agent like yeast or baking powder.But for this recipe you use beer. The bubbles and the yeast provide the raising required. Just put 1.5 cups of flour and one-half teaspoon of salt into a mixing bowl. Add a 12 ounce can of beer before mixing it together. That's it! If using the batter on fish remember to roll it in flour first before dipping in the batter. This is a great tasting batter that will enhance any foods you like frying.

#6 Beer Can Chicken

If you were unaware that such a thing as "beer can chicken" existed, you have been missing out. It's basically the best way, maybe the only way, to barbecue a whole chicken. And it's so freaking easy. All you do is pop open a can of beer, take a few swigs until it's half-full (or half-empty, if that's how you roll), stick the chicken on, and set the thing on the barbecue. Season as the chicken is cooking from the inside out, and pouring some excess beer over the top halfway through. Cook until the juices run clear and you have a feast fit for a king!

There are some other instructions about giblets and seasoning and proper cooking temperature. But that's basically it, and it yields most delicious chicken every time and you can use any beer you wish.

#7 Marinate Meat

Beer makes a delicious marinade and it works on just about every type of meat you are preparing. Just marinate the meat for a few hours or more in a mixture of beer and your favorite seasonings. You can get adventurous by trying different beers with spices and things you wouldn't normally try, like marmalade or jam. Soy sauce and other Asian sauces also taste amazing mixed with a can of beer.

#8 Fertilize Your Garden

Beer is a perfect fertilizer for plants and gardens. The yeast and other extracts are surprisingly good for greenery. If you end up with a backyard or deck full of half filled beer cans and glasses after a party or BBQ, just pour it into your garden. You'll be amazed at how big your plants and flowers will grow and your neighbors will think you've hired a professional gardener.

#9 Wash Your Hair

It turns out that beer isn't just an okay substitute for shampoo and conditioner. It's an excellent conditioner. Mind you, you don't want to just pop open a bottle of Coor's and pour it over your head. Alcohol is bad for hair because it dries it out. Thus, if you want to try it, you'll want to empty a couple bottles into a container and crack an egg into it. Whip it together to form a foamy solution and wash your dirty hair with it. This is an old fashioned way for hair cleansing before the chemical filled shampoo came out in bottles, and people's hair always look amazing. There are a few companies who actually sell beer shampoo mixed with egg, as is, with no other ingredients added, and you can now have luxurious and shiny hair without all those chemicals killing and dulling the brilliance.

#10 Polish Your Furniture

The next time your friends forget to use a coaster and that cool beer leaves rings on your favorite table or stand, just grab a cloth and wipe it in. Beer is a wonderful furniture polish! To polish your furniture in a zap, let a can of beer go flat and apply a little to a polishing cloth then buff your favorite beer in smoothly. You'll be amazed at how brilliant and shiny your wood furniture looks.