Frozen Beer Margarita (Beer-Rita)
A frozen beer margarita with tequila, limeade concentrate and Mexican lager — how to blend it without foaming over in a Margaritaville machine.
Jump to recipe ↓The beer margarita (or beer-rita) is a party staple: limeade, tequila and a light lager.
Blending beer foams, so add it last and keep under the fill line.
Beer Margarita recipe
Ingredients (3 drinks)
- 3 oz blanco tequila
- 4 oz frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
- 6 oz Mexican lager, cold
Plus: a full ice reservoir. Garnish: Lime wedge, salt rim. Glass: Margarita glass or pint glass.
Instructions
- Fill the ice reservoir.
- Add tequila and limeade to the jar.
- Pour the beer down the side of the jar last.
- Run the cycle.
- Garnish with lime; optionally top with an upside-down mini beer bottle.
How much to make in your machine
Every Margaritaville frozen concoction maker is designed around a particular volume of liquid — the shaver portions ice for it. The table scales this recipe to the margarita liquid volume printed in each model’s manual (Key West DM1000 / DM1946 3 × 12 oz drinks: 9.75 fl oz; Bahamas DM0500 / Fiji DM2000 3 × 12 oz drinks: 13 fl oz; Tahiti DM3000 per 24 oz jar: 8.67 fl oz; Bali DM3500 half chamber: 11 fl oz; Bali DM3500 full chamber: 22 fl oz). Amounts are rounded to the nearest ¼ or ⅓ oz.
| Ingredient | Key West DM1000 / DM19463 × 12 oz drinks | Bahamas DM0500 / Fiji DM20003 × 12 oz drinks | Tahiti DM3000per 24 oz jar | Bali DM3500half chamber | Bali DM3500full chamber |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| blanco tequila | 2¼ oz | 3 oz | 2 oz | 2½ oz | 5 oz |
| frozen limeade concentrate, thawed | 3 oz | 4 oz | 2⅔ oz | 3⅓ oz | 6¾ oz |
| Mexican lager, cold | 4½ oz | 6 oz | 4 oz | 5 oz | 10¼ oz |
Scaling is our calculation, not a manufacturer recipe. Fruit- and ice-cream-heavy drinks vary more; adjust with the Shave Only / Blend Only controls. The Key West DM1900 isn’t listed because we haven’t verified its manual yet.
Machine notes for this drink
- A carbonated ingredient foams when blended. Pour it into the jar last, down the side, and stay well under the fill line — or blend without it and top each glass with soda instead.
- This batch uses about 13 fl oz of liquid for 3 drinks. If your drink comes out watery, the manuals’ first fix is to follow the recipe volumes or manually shave more ice; if it’s too stiff, add liquid and Blend Only.
Why this recipe works
Limeade gives sweet-tart flavor; beer adds fizz and lowers alcohol strength per glass.
About frozen margaritas
A frozen margarita lives or dies on the balance of spirit, sour and sweet. Keep tequila to roughly a third of the liquid; much more and the shaved ice won’t set. Citrus should be fresh or a good bottled juice, and the sweet element — mix, syrup, agave or liqueur — needs to be slightly more generous than in a shaken margarita because cold dulls sweetness.
Tips for the best texture
- Use a light lager.
- Pour beer slowly down the side.
- Stay under the jar’s max line.
- Salt rim is classic.
- Never put anything but ice in the ice reservoir, and don’t fill the jar past its maximum line — both are warnings in every manual.
- Too thin? Hold the toggle in Shave Only for a few seconds, then Blend Only to mix it in. Too thick? Add an ounce of liquid and Blend Only.
Serving & make-ahead
Garnish with lime wedge, salt rim and serve in a margarita glass or pint glass. Serve margaritas in chilled glasses with the rim prepared before you blend — salt for classic and citrus styles, sugar or tajín for fruit and spicy ones. For parties, pre-mix the liquid ingredients in a pitcher (everything except carbonated mixers) and keep it in the fridge; each batch then takes a ten-second pour and one button press. Set out lime wedges so guests can adjust tartness themselves.
Variations
- Bulldog-style: Serve with a mini beer bottle upside down in the glass.
- Lemon: Use lemonade concentrate.
- Mango: Add 1 cup frozen mango.
Mocktail swap
Use non-alcoholic beer and skip tequila.
Shop the ingredients
- Libbey Cancun Margarita Set — 6 margarita glasses + 89 oz pitcher (paid link)
- Stirrings Margarita Drink Rimmer (salt & sugar), 3.5 oz tins (paid link)
We link to mixers, syrups and juices only — alcohol isn’t sold through these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Frequently asked questions
Foams over?
Add beer last and fill less.
Which beer?
Light Mexican lager.
Does it stay fizzy?
Somewhat; serve right away.
How much ice should I put in the machine?
Fill the ice reservoir with ice cubes — the machine shaves the amount it needs for the cycle (dial models size it to the 1, 2 or 3-drink setting). The manuals recommend ice that has been out of the freezer for 10–15 minutes.
Will this work in a regular blender?
Yes — add about 1½–2 cups of ice per 12 oz drink and blend until smooth. The texture will be coarser than shaved ice.
Please drink responsibly. Alcoholic recipes are for adults of legal drinking age (21+ in the US). Never drink and drive.
