16 Other, Yet Very Awesome Uses For Beer

It turns out that there’s a lot more that you can do with beer besides being like everyone else and drinking it.

Most of the things on this list I would save for beers that you don’t like. It’s a perfect way to get rid of those craft beers that didn’t taste right and those homebrews that just didn’t come up right. Plus, it’s a lot more interesting (and sometimes more environmentally responsible) than just pouring it down the drain.

Cook With It
My favorite non-drinking use for beer is cooking with it. I started cooking with it, by doing a Guinness corned beer on St Patty’s day. Now I use it regularly in meat marinades and even made some pancakes with it.

Make Beersicles
Here’s another one that I have to try. I would love a Saison icicle on a hot and humid summer day. It’s just like making popsicles when you were a kid, only difference is that instead of adding Kool-aid, you’re adding your favorite summer beer.

Takes Care Of Brown Spots In Your Lawn
Okay, the first two uses are worth using good beer for, but if I’m pouring beer into my lawn, it’s not going to be my favorite IPA or Belgian ale. The theory is that acids will kill off (or at least scare away) harmful bugs, the sugars will keep the grass happy, while the yeast will produce nutrients for it. I also read about people using beer for similar purposes in their gardens and their household plants.

Trap Cockroaches And Slugs
You know your beer is bad when only cockroaches or slugs are attracted it. The plan here is to setup a can with beer in it (tuna can for slugs, soup can for cockroaches) and the annoying pest will get stuck in the can until you can come by and remove it. Probably not as simple as it sounds, but it might be worth trying it.

Get Rid Of Bugs And Flies
If you have bugs or flies annoying you, setup a jar or can of beer in the area where they are. Cover the top with plastic wrap or paper, leaving just a small opening for the flies to get in. Once they’re in, they won’t be able to get out.

Keep Your Kegger (Or Picnic) Bee Free
Before the get together gets going, setup small containers filled with beer around the area that you don’t want the bees. The bees will hopefully be attracted to those small containers and leave you and your guests alone.

Loosens Rusty Bolts
I haven’t actually tried this yet, but after reading how this works I can’t wait to find a rusty bolt that won’t come off. The acids in beer can dissolve enough rust so that you can loosen them.

Clean Your Gold Jewelery
I wouldn’t start with your best jewelery on this one, but apparently the beer can act like commercial gold cleaning chemicals. All you have to do is put your jewelery in a dish of beer, let it soak, remove it, rinse it and polish it with a dry cloth.

Polish Wood Furniture
Gold jewelery isn’t all that beer can clean. Use a soft cloth dipped in beer to restore the original color and polish.

Polish Pots
You can earn bonus points if you use beer to polish your pots. Just wipe the pots in a cloth dipped in beer, let it soak, rinse it, then wipe it with a dry cloth. The acid is said to work on most metals.

Wash Your Pillow Cases With An IPA
The rumor is that the hops smell is suppose to help people get to sleep. I wonder if I can convince my significant other to let me try this one out.

Get Out Tough Stains
Someone spill some red wine on your carpet? Or do you have some other tough stain that doesn’t want to come out? Use a light beer (because really what else is light beer good for), pour it on the stain, blot it with a cloth or paper towel, repeat if necessary, then vacuum up the liquid. It’s probably a good idea to try this on a non-visible part of your carpet first.

Put Out A Fire
Don’t use beer on a grease or electrical fire, but if you shake up the beer, the foam and liquid can douse a fire. I would probably use this just on flare ups on your grill and let a real fire extinguisher handle anything bigger.

Beer Shampoo
I’m going to sound like a shampoo television commercial for a second, but beer can add luster and body to dull, limp hair. It’s as simple just using the beer like you would your shampoo. For bonus points, you can mix your beer with a raw egg. Apparently, they did that back in the day and the results were unexpectantly good.

Cure An Upset Stomach
Maybe drinking a beer when you’re hungover wasn’t just an excuse to drink more beer the next day. Apparently, the beer has an anesthetic effect that can help reduce the pain whether it’s from a hangover or another ailment.

Bonus Uses
Use beer to attract butterflies and even soothe an upset stomach.

—

If you like beer, make sure you follow Passion For The Pint on Facebook or Twitter.