Relaxing evenings, good friends, laughter, and food—what could be better? In Switzerland, the Apero tradition is a cherished hallmark of social life, traditionally involving snacks and drinks before dinner or after a long day. But why settle for the usual? Why not elevate your easy apero recipes with the magic touch of great beers?
We at Fermento have developed extensive experience brewing exceptional beers and pairing them with food. Working alongside top chefs and food experts around the world, we have learnt that simple apero recipes with beer are much more than just mixing creative ingredients. These are recipes that combine joy, community and flavour – ideal for relaxed, happy get-togethers. This inspired us to craft a series of easy apero recipes that showcase how beer can bring a new dimension to your gatherings, impressing friends with innovative, flavorful, yet simple dishes.
Here’s a sneak peek into five of our favorite easy apero recipes—perfect for sharing, fun to prepare, and guaranteed to surprise your guests.
In our brewing and cooking courses, we often prepare a cheese spread inspired by the famous “Beer and Cheese” mixes—like the Worcester style. The secret? Use high-quality, mild Fermento beers, like our Golden Breeze Pils or Ventuno honey beer.
Ingredients:
Preparation:
Mix the cheese and grated cheese in a bowl until smooth. Slowly add beer—preferably cold—to keep the mixture smooth and slightly frothy. The beer not only adds a subtle malt and hop aroma but also makes the spread beautifully creamy and velvety—perfect for spreading on crusty bread, crackers, or served alongside veggie sticks like cucumber, carrots, or even pretzels.
This easy apero recipe is a hit —helping everyone enjoy healthy, tasty snacks that are quick to prepare.
2. Crispy veggie tempura with beer — another highlight among easy Apero recipes.
A classic from Japan: tempura deep-fried in beer batter. For the batter, we use our Fermento Mistral – a wheat beer with a fruity mango flavour. This makes the dough particularly light, fluffy and crispy.
Important tip:
Always use cold beer— this is crucial. Cold beer is essential and results in a crispy, airy crust. It’s the same technique used by many Japanese chefs, where beer is added chilled to the batter to produce that lightness and crunch.
Preparation:
Mix Fermento Mistral, flour, a pinch of baking soda, and a small pinch of salt. The beer should be poured directly from the fridge and added gradually until you get an ideal batter—smooth, fragrant, and crispy. Dip vegetables—zucchini, sweet peppers, mushrooms or onion rings—and fry in hot oil until golden. Serve immediately with the soja-based tempura-sauce Tentsuyu or a spicy dip. You’ll love how this easy apero recipe turns vegetables into golden, crispy bites—perfect as a healthy snack or starter.
3. Beer-Marinated Chicken Wings: Juicy, Tasty, and Perfectly Crispy
For a true crowd-pleaser, marinated chicken wings in beer are unbeatable. We recommend Fermento Ventuno or Fermento Amber Ale for this—both perfect for easy apero recipes.
Preparation:
Place the chicken wings in a large zip-top bag or a shallow dish. Pour about 250 ml of Fermento beer—either Ventuno for a sweet honey malt flavor or Amber Ale for a more malty, caramel undertone. Add crushed garlic, fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary, freshly ground black pepper, and a pinch of salt. Seal the bag or cover the dish tightly, ensuring the beer marinade coats all the wings evenly.
Grilling tips:
Let the wings marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours, but for maximum flavor, overnight is ideal. The beer tenderizes the meat, infuses it with subtle malt and hop aromas, and keeps it juicy during cooking.
Pro tip: Serve with fresh celery sticks and a dip of your choice—blue cheese or spicy mayo work wonders. And remember, always enjoy a cold beer from the same Fermento variety you used for marinating; it makes the pairing even more perfect!
Who doesn’t love warm, freshly baked bread? Our beer bread dough is “flexible” —bake it in the oven or fry it, depending on your mood and the occasion. It is one of those easy apero recipes that requires minimal effort but delivers maximum flavor.
Ingredients:
Preparation:
Add the beer gradually, blending it into the dough until smooth—
no kneading needed. For a quick easy apero, fry spoonfuls of the batter in hot oil until golden. Or pour the batter into a loaf tin and bake at 180°C for about 30 minutes until golden and cooked through.
The beer carbonates the dough, creating an airy structure and subtle hum of malt and hops that make the bread irresistibly good. Serve slices with cheese, butter, or dips—it’s perfect for sharing!
5. Cheese and Beer: Classic Pairing for the Perfect Finish
No easy apero recipes collection would be complete without a cheese pairing. And teaming cheese with Fermento beers yields delicious results.
Arrange a cheese platter with these beers and cheeses, serving with fresh bread, beer bread or nuts. It’s a simple, elegant way to end your easy apero recipes gathering.
Mozzarella, Buffalo mozzarella, French chèvres
Brillat Savarin, Burrata, Feta, Asiago, fresh goat cheese (SOFT CHEESE)
Gruyere, Gouda, Milder Cheddar, Reblochon (MATURE CHEESE < 8 MONTHS) Tete de Moine, Fontina (SEMI HARD CHEESE)
Tangy Cheddar
Mimolette, Gruyere, Beaufort, aged Cheddar, Comtè (HARD MATURE CHEESE 12 MONTH)
Vacherousse, Emmentaler
Gruyere, Gouda (HARD MATURE CHEESE < 8 MONTHS)
tangy and fresh goat cheese, tangy cheddar, Pecorino
Triple cream, Crescenza
Final Thoughts: Try These Easy Apero Recipes and Make Your Next Gathering Unforgettable
Cooking with beer and preparing easy Apero recipes is not only uncomplicated, but also great fun. With high-quality Fermento beers, you can take your aperitif to a new level, discover creative combinations and surprise your guests with delicious snacks and dishes with beer.
Remember: the best beer makes all the difference. Fermento beers are the perfect choice for your recipes, adding unparalleled depth of flavour and aroma with that certain something special. Take the opportunity to create new beer-rich flavour experiences and surprise friends or colleagues at your next Apero!
And the most important thing: when cooking and eating, drink the beer that you have also used for your Apero dishes with beer. It combines the flavours, enhances the aromas and turns food with beer into a real pleasure trip.
Let your creativity run wild and try out the simple Apero recipes presented here. They are simple, delicious and perfect for any occasion. Cheers!