What beer to put in a chili?

Stout/Porter.
A smoky one works well.

A good Mexican cerveza and a good glug of a smoky bourbon are my usuals.

something brown.

I'm wondering if you can find some sort of slightly smokey Imperial Stout or Baltic Porter. They would be the right kind of darkness and flavour, but might add a little sweetness to things.

Maybe add a bit, then drink the rest.

I'm always a bit sceptical about the benefits of adding beer/wine to food, especially something as strongly flavoured as a chilli. Just seems a waste 🤣 I like my chillis pretty thick also.

To get that smokey flavour I like adding a couple of tablespoons of chipotle chilli paste.

I’m wondering if you can find some sort of slightly smokey Imperial Stout or Baltic Porter.

forget the boozy type of beer and add some ginger beer.
Old Jamaica Extra Fiery Ginger 40p a tin

Buy a big can, add a little, enjoy the rest!

I have a small bottle of Omnipollo's latest somewhere at home. At 14,5% and pretty sweet, it would be faaaaaar too much for a chilli. Hell, even drinking that takes a good hour and a comfy chair.

Seems an odd thing to put in a chili, any idea why this is suggested?
(caveat - I'm assuming you're using mince and cooking reasonably quickly. If using stewing meat and slow cooking, then it is not insensible. In which case something sweet and dark, a porter or milk stout would work, as would a good dunkel. Or a rauchbier would be awesome if you can get one)

Chunked beef, not mince. Allowed to simmer.
I loke the ginger beer idea as I always add fresh ginger anyway.

Right, down to the Co-Op and a can of Guinness if there is nothing else.

can of Guinness if there is nothing else.

Their West Indies porter (bottle, yellow label) will work.

Avoid anything with a widget such as Guinness in a tin.

Modelo Negra, not that I've tried adding beer to a chili, but reckon that could be a good option (make sure you get at least couple of bottles as it's pretty tasty to drink too)

Made this the other week with the exception of the tin of tomatoes, turned out pretty well. Went for a mix of minced beef and beef cheek: https://www.seriouseats.com/the-best-chili-recipe

Seems an odd thing to put in a chili, any idea why this is suggested?
(caveat – I’m assuming you’re using mince and cooking reasonably quickly.

Who the hell cooks a chili quickly? Even with mince it's a multi hour job to evaporate off the liquid from all the good shit in there (including beer), and bring all the flavours together. Exactly the same rules for Bolognese, just with wine (and milk) instead of beer.

Would ginger beer add much over just fresh ginger and a bit of sugar? I suppose you'd have to do a blind test with something like Birch Tree wine as a control (Birch Tree wine, I've got a recipe somewhere, lost out in a blind test with the authors friends against fermented sugar in water for apparently lacking flavor and mouth feel).

Avoid anything with a widget such as Guinness in a tin.

The nitrogen is inert surely?

I'd 2nd Guinness though, the sourness should cut through a bit.

Chilli infused beer, obviously. Was given a few bottles a few years ago, they didn't last long.

I’m always a bit sceptical about the benefits of adding beer/wine to food,

I've seen a lot of recipes which call for "leftover wine" and I'm like "leftov... no, you've lost me, sorry."

A good Mexican cerveza

A light tasting (and some would say tasteless) beer, like a Mexican cerveza, will add nothing to a chilli except liquid.

A Negro Modelo (as already mentioned above) might add a bit, a Corona or similar won't. But I'd just bung in some cheap stout, probably Guinness. I'd definitely avoid any kind of IPA.

I’d definitely avoid any kind of IPA.

How about a Dios Mio from Tempest.😜

https://www.tempestbrewco.com/item/258/TempestBrewCo/Dios-Mio-Lime-Jalapeo-IPA-440ml-can.html

Personally I'd keep the beer in a glass rather than tip it in food.

If I was a lesser man I'd have started a 'What beer to chill Putin?' thread.

But I'm not.

So I didn't.

I’m always a bit sceptical about the benefits of adding beer/wine to food,

A good stout can definitely add flavour plus you can do a "glug for the chilli, glug for me" approach.

Personally I’d keep the beer in a glass rather than tip it in food.

Personally I'd tip the beer in me rather keep it in a glass.
However, couldn't find a beer liked the look of so ginger beer it is.
Tesco's own brand that has kept my Dark'n'Stormys going since lockdown started.

Thanks for the advice folks.
I'm now forearmed so will be on the lookout next time I'm shopping in town.

I’m always a bit sceptical about the benefits of adding beer/wine to food,

Italian "bolognese" sauce, a meat sauce, cooked the minced beef on a high heat until all the liquid from the meat has evaporated and the meat starts sticking to the bottom of the pan. That's when you add a glass of wine, to de-glaze it, and the meat soaks it all up, so good. One of the few things I vaguely know how to cook!