August is waning. The weather is starting to cool a bit. Football season is right around the corner. Soon our taste buds will be wondering why we wasted our time with fruity warm weather drinks. But don't throw those fruit beers out yet!

A friend of mine turned me on to a concoction they whip up in Lancaster, PA. The Lancaster Brewing Company is home to one of my favorite beers: Lancaster Milk Stout -- a dark, thick pint perfect for cold weather. They also serve up a Strawberry Wheat, a fruit beer prone to mixed reviews. But for some time now, the bar at the brewery has been mixing the two to create what they have dubbed the "Chocolate Covered Strawberry" -- a drink that is absolutely delicious. There's no secret to it: You just mix the beers together and out comes a flavor nearing a strawberry beer milkshake.

People have been mixing beer for as long as there have been floaters. The Black & Tan dates back to at least the 19th century. And Grandma was starting her day with a Shandy (half beer, half lemon-lime soda) before I was born. Granted, not all beer mixtures are going to taste as good as what I found out in Amish country, but mixing a dark winter stout and a fruity summer brew can often equal out to a perfect fall treat.

So why not be creative?! Any dark stout with hints of chocolate or coffee will work as a good base for dumping fruit beers into. And if you have dexterity to spare, Guinness is a fun choice because if poured properly you can achieve a "layering" effect, getting the Guinness to sit on top of whatever you've poured in first. One of the easiest to try is a "Black & Cherry" by filling half a glass with Sam Adams Cherry Wheat and then gently pouring a Guinness Draught over a spoon on top. If they mix, it'll still taste fine, but your guests just won't think you're as cool.

What other fruit beer mixtures have you tried? Let us know in the comments.

[Photo Credit: lancasterbrewing.com]