Chulitro

The Chulitro is a South American highball that takes the familiar brandy and cola combination for a walk on the wild side. It’s a straightforward build, but the addition of bitter beer and a squeeze of lemon juice sets it apart from your average mixed drink. This is for the drinker who appreciates a bit of a curveball in their glass, offering a refreshing, slightly bitter, and surprisingly complex experience. It’s a drink you’d find in a casual setting, not a craft cocktail bar.

Chulitro

4.50 from 10 votes

Calories: 172kcal

Prep Time: 3

Total Time: 5

Instructions

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First goes pisco. then the ice cubes. fill with coke. a little bit of beer (any kind). and the lemon juice.

Estimated Nutrition:

Calories: 172kcal (9%)

Where it came from

The Chulitro’s exact origins are a bit hazy, but the mention of ‘pisco’ in the instructions strongly points to Peru or Chile, where pisco brandy is a national spirit. It’s a drink that feels less like a meticulously crafted classic and more like a local innovation, perhaps a bartender’s playful twist on readily available ingredients. It likely emerged from a culture where highballs are popular and local spirits are frequently mixed with cola.

This drink fits squarely into the Highball family, sitting somewhere between a Cuba Libre and a Piscola, with an unexpected beer twist. Its closest relatives are the Piscola, a simple pisco and cola, and the Cuba Libre, which uses rum. What separates the Chulitro is the specific inclusion of bitter beer and a distinct lemon juice component, moving it beyond a two-ingredient pour into something more layered.

You’d typically find a Chulitro served in a bustling, unpretentious bar in South America, or at a lively home gathering. It’s a no-fuss drink that’s easy to prepare in volume, making it perfect for social occasions where the focus is on good company and easygoing refreshment, rather than intricate mixology or quiet contemplation.

What it tastes like

The Chulitro starts with the warm, fruity notes of brandy, immediately followed by the sweet, familiar effervescence of cola. The middle palate introduces a sharp, bright cut from the lemon juice, which balances the sweetness. The finish is where the bitter beer makes its presence known, adding a subtle, hoppy, and slightly malty dryness that lingers pleasantly, keeping the drink from being cloying and adding a layer of sophisticated bitterness.

Given 2.5 oz of brandy at 40% ABV, this drink contains 1 oz of pure alcohol. With the cola, beer, and lemon juice filling the glass, the total volume will likely be around 8 to 10 ounces. This puts the Chulitro’s ABV in the range of 10-12.5%, making it significantly stronger than a typical beer, which is usually around 5%, but generally lighter than a spirit-forward cocktail like an Old Fashioned or a Martini.

The technique

Building a Chulitro is straightforward and quick. Start by pouring the brandy into a highball glass. Add two ice cubes, then fill the glass generously with cola. Follow this with a dash of bitter beer and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. A quick, gentle stir will integrate the ingredients without losing too much fizz. The key is to layer the flavors as you build, allowing each component to contribute without over-mixing.

The most critical technique for the Chulitro is the judicious addition of the bitter beer. It’s easy to overpower the drink if you pour too much. A dash, as specified, is enough to introduce that unique hoppy bitterness and complexity without turning it into a shandy. Too little, and you lose the drink’s defining characteristic. It’s about finding that delicate balance where the beer is a background player, not the star.

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Ingredient Spotlight

The bottles that make or break this drink.

Brandy

Use: A young, unaged brandy or specifically pisco, as indicated in the instructions. Quebranta or Acholado pisco works well, offering a clean, fruity base. For a non-pisco option, a smooth, entry-level French brandy is a good choice.
Skip: Heavily aged, oak-forward brandies like VSOP Cognac or Armagnac. Their complex barrel notes tend to clash with the casual profile of cola and bitter beer, making the drink unbalanced and muddy.
Why: Brandy provides the alcoholic backbone and a foundational layer of fruity warmth. It’s the spirit that gives the Chulitro its strength and initial character, distinguishing it from rum or other spirit-based cola highballs.

Cola

Use: Coca-Cola or Pepsi are the standard for a reason. Their consistent flavor profile and carbonation provide the sweetness and effervescence necessary for a balanced highball. A good quality artisanal cola can also work if its flavor profile isn’t too overpowering.
Skip: Diet colas or colas with artificial sweeteners. They fundamentally alter the mouthfeel and sweetness, often leaving an unpleasant aftertaste that detracts from the drink’s overall enjoyment. Cheap, off-brand colas can also fall flat.
Why: Cola is the primary mixer, providing the bulk of the drink’s volume, its refreshing fizz, and a significant portion of its sweetness. It’s the key ingredient that turns the brandy into a approachable and popular highball.

Three Variations

Three real ways bartenders riff on this drink. Same idea, three different jackets.

Chilcano Twist

Ginger Ale for a spicier fizz: Substitute the cola with ginger ale for a spicier, less sweet version. This leans into the popular Peruvian Chilcano cocktail, maintaining the pisco base with a different mixer.

Dark Beer Chulitro

Richer, maltier beer choice: Instead of a light bitter beer, try a dash of a stout or porter. This adds a roasted, chocolatey, or coffee-like complexity that can pair surprisingly well with the brandy and cola, offering a deeper flavor profile.

Spiced Chulitro

Aromatic bitters for depth: Add an extra dash of Angostura bitters along with the beer and lemon. This introduces a layer of aromatic spice that complements the brandy and cola, giving the drink a more complex and warming character.

What if I don't have…

Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.

No Brandy?

A dark rum, like a Bacardi Reserva Ocho or a similar aged rum, can stand in for the brandy. It will shift the flavor profile towards a more traditional Cuba Libre, but still pair well with cola and the beer twist.

No Cola?

Ginger ale is a good substitute, especially if you enjoy a Chilcano. Root beer can also work for a different, sarsaparilla-like flavor, though it will be sweeter.

No Bitter Beer?

A dash of Angostura bitters can provide a similar element of complexity and bitterness, though it won’t have the malty notes. If you’re out of bitters, you can simply omit it, but the drink will lose its signature twist.

No Highball Glass?

Any tall drinking glass will do the job. A pint glass or even a large tumbler works just fine for this casual build.

Frequently Asked Questions

Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.

What is in a Chulitro?

A Chulitro typically contains brandy, cola, ice cubes, a dash of bitter beer, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

What kind of brandy should I use for a Chulitro?

While the instructions mention ‘pisco,’ any young, unaged brandy will work well. A Peruvian or Chilean pisco is ideal, but a smooth, accessible grape brandy is a fine substitute.

Is the Chulitro a strong drink?

With 2.5 ounces of brandy, the Chulitro is stronger than a typical beer but generally less potent than a spirit-forward cocktail. Its ABV usually falls between 10-12.5%, depending on how much mixer is used.

Why add beer to a cocktail?

Adding a dash of bitter beer to a cocktail like the Chulitro introduces a unique layer of hoppy bitterness and malty complexity. It helps to cut through the sweetness of the cola and adds an intriguing, savory element that sets the drink apart.

Can I make a Chulitro without the beer?

Yes, you can make a Chulitro without the beer, but it will lose its distinctive character. It will essentially become a brandy and cola with lemon, similar to a Piscola or a Cuba Libre variant.

What kind of beer works best in a Chulitro?

A light, crisp lager or a pale ale with a clean bitterness is generally best. You want a beer that provides a bitter contrast without overpowering the other ingredients with strong hop aromatics or heavy malt flavors.

Is a Chulitro similar to a Cuba Libre?

Yes, a Chulitro shares a foundational similarity with a Cuba Libre, as both are highballs featuring a spirit and cola. However, the Chulitro distinguishes itself with the inclusion of brandy instead of rum, and the unique addition of bitter beer and lemon juice.

How can I make my Chulitro less sweet?

To make a Chulitro less sweet, you can add a bit more fresh lemon juice, increase the dash of bitter beer slightly to enhance its balancing bitterness, or opt for a less sweet cola if available.

From the Drink Lab catalogue

Drink Lab has been collecting cocktail recipes since 2013. Some we wrote ourselves, plenty came in from readers, and the rest got passed across a bar somewhere along the way.

Last updated May 8, 2026 · 1 min read