Beer Battered Shrimp Recipe

These beer battered shrimp are seasoned to perfection and coated in a light breading that is super crispy. They're addictive, and you'd never guess how easy it is to make this recipe in just 20 minutes!

The Best Fried Shrimp with Beer Batter

I'll be honest, fried food has a special place in my heart. And while I'll never turn down a plate of onion rings, this crispy beer battered shrimp has to be my favorite fried food ever, so I just knew I had to share it!

Honestly, this is the best fried shrimp recipe you'll ever make, and it's even better than something you'd get from a restaurant! It makes incredibly tender and crispy shrimp that have the most delicious flavor, and after your first bite, you'll understand why it's my favorite appetizer to make when I have guests over.

By the way, since this fried shrimp is so easy to make, you'll have plenty of time to make some other appetizers to pair with it. If you're looking for what to serve with beer battered shrimp, this calamari steak, these cream cheese sausage balls, or this crab dip are all really delicious pairs. 

Ingredients You'll Need

One of my favorite things about these crispy batter fried shrimp is how simple the ingredients are. And odds are, you have all of them ready to go!

Anyway, here are all of the beer battered shrimp ingredients: 

• Shrimp- peeled and deveined with the tail pulled off.
• Beer- any light beer works best.
• Flour- all purpose flour to coat the shrimp.
• Salt and pepper- for added flavor.
• Oil- for frying. Any neutral-flavored oil with a high smoke point will work. I personally like vegetable oil, but you could also use canola oil or peanut oil.
• Sweet and sour sauce to serve

Oh, and when it comes to the dipping sauce, you really don't have to only use sweet and sour. I like to switch it up every now and then with this seafood boil sauce or sweet chili sauce. 

By the way, if you buy frozen shrimp, then I highly suggest you buy a little extra so you can make this delicious firecracker shrimp next!

How To Make Beer Battered Shrimp

STEP 1: PREP WORK

First things first, take out a large bowl and add the flour, salt, and pepper to it and give it a mix. Then you can add the beer to the bowl, and you'll want to mix these ingredients together with a fork or whisk to combine them.

Next, you can heat the oil in a pot, deep fryer, or deep frying pan until it reaches a medium-high temperature of around 350°F (180ºC).

STEP 2: FRY THE SHRIMP

While the oil is heating up, you can prepare the shrimp by submerging them in the beer batter. After they've been fully coated in the batter, lightly shake 'em off to remove any excess batter and transfer them to the hot oil.

Now you can fry the breaded shrimp for a minute or so until they're golden and crisp, then carefully remove them from the oil and transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate. 

STEP 3: SERVE

Finally, once all the shrimp are fried, serve them warm with the sweet and sour sauce or your preferred dipping sauce. Enjoy!

How To Store and Reheat This Shrimp

If you have leftovers, you can store the shrimp in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days. To keep the shrimp for longer, you can freeze it in a freezer-safe bag or an airtight container for up to 3 months.

When you're ready to enjoy your fried shrimp again, reheating them is definitely the way to go. To reheat, I suggest using either the oven or air fryer. For the oven, transfer the leftover shrimp to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and heat at 350°F for about 10 minutes or until they're warmed through. For the air fryer, transfer the shrimp to the air fryer basket and heat at 350°F for 3-4 minutes or until they're crispy again and warm.

Frequently Asked Questions

HOW DO YOU KEEP BATTER FROM FALLING OFF SHRIMP?

The best way to keep the batter from falling off shrimp is to make sure they're completely dry before dipping them in the batter. After you fry the shrimp, you'll want to drain the excess oil off them by putting them on a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate. 

DOES BEER BATTERED SHRIMP HAVE BEER IN IT?

Yes, beer battered shrimp does have a small amount of beer in it for the shrimp breading. Now, the alcohol cooks away when you're frying the shrimp, so kids can safely eat them. With that said, if you'd rather not use alcohol, then you can swap beer for ginger ale or sparkling water.

WHAT BEER IS BEST FOR BEER BATTER?

The best beer for beer batter is any light beer. This will keep the breading nice and light and extra crispy when it's fried. The light beer will also give the shrimp the most delicious flavor.

WHAT DOES BEER DO IN FRYING BATTER?

When beer is added to the batter, it creates effervescence from the bubbles and imparts a subtle malty flavor to the shrimp that is just delicious. The beer also helps create a crispy and airy breading with a nice golden color.

More Shrimp Recipes

• Olive Garden shrimp alfredo
• Blackened shrimp
• Shrimp scampi without wine
• Pan seared shrimp
• Shrimp soup
• Panko butterflied fried shrimp