Beer Butt Chicken with Tallgrass IPA

Beer Butt Chicken is a really fun and easy way to cook a whole chicken.  There are lots of different variations and recipes.  Basically you stick a can of beer up the chicken's butt, set it on the grill and let it go.  Usually I have used a 12 oz can and had to use a handy dandy beer can rack to hold up the chicken.  However with a 16 oz tallboy can it can hold up the chicken on its own.  I've been wanting to use a Tallgrass tallboy for a while, and tonight was the night.

The first step is to rinse off the chicken and then dry it.  The rub down the skin and under the skin with oil and seasoning.  We used a generic chicken rub tonight, but use whatever you want.

Next is to prepare the can.  You want the can about half full.  Since I was making two birds, that meant I got to pour a full pint for me.  I also stick a stalk of green onion into each of the cans.  Then the can goes up the chicken's butt.

The grill should be preheated to about 375-400°F.  You want indirect heat, so for gas grills just use the outside burners and for charcoal spread the coals to the outside edges.  Once on the grill I stick a wedge of onion into the top of the chicken and a few wedges on the grill for aroma.

After about 75-90 min, depending on how big your bird is, this is what you have.  You want the breast to get to 165°F.  The skin is so crispy and delicious.  The meat is very tender, fall off the bone.

This was all that was left after feeding a family of five.  Yum, yum!  I thought the maltiness of the Tallgrass IPA added some sweetness to the chicken meat and the hops complimented the spice rub.