Beer has no direct buff in How to Fish. You buy it for $12 (as of 2026-08-28) at the Lighthouse, give it to the Lighthouse Keeper, and he drinks it and crushes the can. You then bait your fishing rod with the Empty Beer Can to reel up the Spider Crab, the first boss.
What does beer do in How to Fish?
Beer is one of the least obvious purchases in the game, and the short answer is that it does nothing on its own. There is no stat buff, no healing, and no combat bonus for buying or drinking it. Its entire value is that it becomes an Empty Beer Can, and that can is the bait you need to summon the Spider Crab, the first boss at the Lighthouse. In other words, beer is a bait ingredient dressed up as a novelty item.
That single job makes it one of the most important early buys despite the small price. Without the Empty Beer Can you cannot start the Spider Crab fight, and without beating the Spider Crab you cannot unlock travel to the next island. So even though the shop never spells out its purpose, the beer sits right on the game's critical path. Everything else on this page is about turning that $12 can into a cleared boss. For the full shop lineup, see the How to Fish items and gear hub.
How to turn Beer into the Empty Beer Can
The beer changes hands before it becomes useful, which is what trips up most new players. You buy the Beer from the sailor at the Lighthouse for $12 (as of 2026-08-28), then hand it to the Lighthouse Keeper rather than using it yourself. He drinks the contents and crushes the can, and you pick up the Empty Beer Can he leaves behind. Only that empty can works as bait.
There is a sensible order to the Lighthouse shopping trip. Guides recommend feeding the sailor a few clams first, at roughly $3 per clam, and buying the Basic Fishing Rod for $3 before you touch the beer. Add a melee weapon as your next purchase, either the Knife at $45 or Brass Knuckles at $24, because the crab fight is a brawl. Only then buy the beer, let the keeper drink it, and take the can.
Baiting the Spider Crab with the Empty Beer Can
With the Empty Beer Can in hand, the summon is straightforward. Bait your fishing rod with the can the same way the tutorial teaches you to attach any rod bait. Cast out and reel, and instead of an ordinary fish you will pull up the Spider Crab boss. Standard lures will not do this, so keep the can specifically for this encounter.
The reason the game frames this as a quest is the story around it. The Lighthouse Keeper complains that a long-legged creature has been stealing his beer while he sleeps, and he asks you to deal with it. Rage-baiting the thief with an empty can is the in-fiction hook, and it is also the mechanical trigger for the boss. If your dialogue will not advance, check that you are actually carrying the can and not a full beer.
Beating the Spider Crab (Lighthouse boss)
The Spider Crab is a melee fight, not a shooting gallery, so bring fists or a blade rather than a gun. In co-op it is easy enough to beat with bare hands because you can revive each other, but solo runs are far smoother with a Knife or maxed Brass Knuckles for the extra damage. The knife can be sharpened at the anvil by the Lighthouse door to raise its damage, which helps close the fight before you run out of health.
The crab hits hard, and three to four quick claw strikes are enough to kill you. Its saving grace is a stun window: after it attacks or charges, it is briefly dazed, so dodge behind it and get your hits in while it is incapacitated. Eat seafood beforehand to top off your hunger and health, and keep a clam or two on hand for quick healing mid-fight. This stun behavior is unique to the first boss, so do not build a habit around it for later fights.
When the Spider Crab goes down it drops a shell, its trophy item, not plain meat. Carry the shell back to the Lighthouse Keeper and he hands over the boat keys, which is what actually unlocks travel to the Forest. If you lose, note that the attempt consumes your can, so you will need to earn more cash and buy another beer before you can try again.
Beer prices and where to buy
Beer is sold only at the Lighthouse shop, and it is cheap relative to how essential it is. The prices below were mostly recorded on a co-op run, so a solo game can vary; weapon upgrades in particular seem to cost less solo, while lures and guns cost about the same. Treat these as budgeting guidance rather than fixed numbers.
| Item | Price (as of 2026-08-28) | Why it matters for the crab |
|---|---|---|
| Beer | $12 | Becomes the Empty Beer Can, the Spider Crab bait |
| Clam | ~$3 each | Feed the sailor, and heal during the fight |
| Basic Fishing Rod | $3 | First purchase, needed to cast the can |
| Brass Knuckles | $24 | Cheapest melee, sharpen to max for the fight |
| Knife | $45 | Stronger melee, sharpen at the anvil |
| Radar | $10 | Buy after the crab to navigate to the next island |
Beer and achievements
Beer ties directly into at least one story achievement and one optional challenge. Who stole my beer asks you to find and kill the culprit, which is the Spider Crab, and bring it to the Lighthouse Keeper. That is simply the reward for completing the summon-and-defeat loop described above, so most players unlock it naturally.
The second use shows up in the post-game. After you finish the story you wake back on the first island with all of your endgame gear and free access to every island. That makes the Spider Crab a soft target for the Easy achievement, which asks you to kill a boss within 10 seconds. Bait the rod with beer, fish up the island 1 Spider Crab, and mag-dump it with a maxed Assault Rifle for a fast, safe clear.
Common mistakes to avoid
The biggest mistake is expecting the beer to do something when you drink or equip it, then selling it or ignoring it. It is not a consumable buff, and its only role is producing the can. If you skip handing it to the keeper, you never get the Empty Beer Can and the crab never spawns.
The second mistake is treating the Spider Crab like a fish and bringing a gun to a melee fight. Save your money for a melee weapon and a couple of clams instead. Finally, do not sell the shell the crab drops, since that trophy is what the Lighthouse Keeper trades for your boat keys and your ticket off the first island.
Frequently asked questions
How much does beer cost in How to Fish?
Beer costs $12 as of 2026-08-28 from the sailor's shop at the Lighthouse. That price was recorded on a co-op run, so a solo game may differ slightly. Weapon upgrades in particular appear cheaper solo, while lures and guns cost about the same either way.
Do you drink the beer yourself?
No. You hand the beer to the Lighthouse Keeper, sometimes called the sailor or old fisherman, and he drinks the contents and crushes the empty can for you. You keep the Empty Beer Can, which is the only part that matters for the fight.
What do you do with the Empty Beer Can?
You bait your fishing rod with the Empty Beer Can and fish up the Spider Crab boss at the Lighthouse. Rod baiting is covered in the tutorial. Standard lures will not summon the crab, only the can will.
Do you buy a new beer every time you lose to the Spider Crab?
Yes. Each failed attempt uses up the can, so you have to earn more cash and buy another beer to try again. That grind is why guides suggest buying a Knife or maxed Brass Knuckles first so you win in fewer tries.
Which achievements involve beer in How to Fish?
Who stole my beer asks you to kill the culprit, the Spider Crab, and bring it to the Lighthouse Keeper. In the post-game you can also use beer on the rod to pop Easy, which rewards killing a boss within 10 seconds by mag-dumping the island 1 Spider Crab with a maxed Assault Rifle.