"Beer battered" refers to how fried foods are coated before frying. It's an alternative to dredging and breading, which can be more labor-intensive and messy. Beer batter is made by mixing cold beer into a mixture of flour, cornstarch, and different seasonings until it has the consistency of pancake batter. For beer battered fish, you dip the filets into the thick batter, then fry for a crispy, crunchy shell similar to traditional fish and chips.