Who Brews Shake Shack Beer?

Many would argue that nothing goes better with a juicy cheeseburger than an ice-cold beer, and the global "gourmet" fast food chain Shake Shack would also agree. Their signature beer, called the ShackMeister Ale, is the result of a long-running collaboration with Brooklyn Brewery. This partnership goes all the way back to when Shake Shack was just a single little food stand in Manhattan's Madison Square Park, trying to make it big one day.

Founder Danny Meyer wanted a craft beer that would pair well with the company's griddled burgers, crinkle-cut fries, and hot dogs. Naturally, he turned to one of the OG's of the craft beer movement, Brooklyn Brewery, which has been around since 1988. After what we can only presume was uncommonly fun research, Brewmaster Garrett Oliver came up with a pale ale that clocks in at a respectably light 4.8% abv. It features a malt base with bright hops that nicely cut through the richness of a bacon cheeseburger. The ShackMeister seems like a winner, especially because we picked American pale ales as one of the best beers to pair with burgers. 

Though you might think the beer is only served in NYC-area locations, that's not the case. One of the secrets of Shake Shack is that they have boozy options at many of their worldwide locations, which includes not only their signature beer, but even wine and cocktails at extra-special locations. If you're fortunate enough to land at one of those spots, you could order the off-menu Shake Shack Shandy, which is equal parts beer and lemonade.

When perusing online reviews, the ShackMeister Ale isn't overwhelmingly loved, but it gets solid ratings. Untappd, a popular beer app, currently has the beer at 3.41 stars (out of 5), with 31,966 ratings. Reviewers give it points for being light-bodied and smooth. BeerAdvocate, on the other hand, has some more opinionated users. One reviewer writes: "Went to shake shack, saw the beer, got super excited, was severely disappointed. Among the most boring beers I've tasted. Not worth. I recommend anything other than this. Even a warm Miller lite." Another user says: "Fairly good but not particularly memorable. I mean I will have it a[t] Shake Shack but I'm not searching for it."

However, with a 79 (out of 100) rating, the beer seems to be a decent enough choice, especially when so many fast food burger joints don't even offer alcohol. (Although, McDonald's does serve beer in more than a dozen worldwide markets.) As one user put it: "It's about time that someone recognizes the fact that a good burger needs a good beer." And perhaps that's exactly the point — the beer is designed to complement your burger, not overwhelm it. Weird and wonderfully unique craft brews certainly have their place, but perhaps not in the crowded airport food court.

Of course, if you're not looking for booze, Shake Shack has some other incredible non-alcoholic beverages as well. In our ranking of Shake Shack milkshakes, the classic strawberry came in first place, although their seasonal shakes got plenty of love, too.