Beer Butt Chicken: Fun and Tasty

Whole fryer chickens were on sale three weeks ago, so I decided to pick one up to make into beer butt chicken. Unfortunately I forgot to take into account that it's monsoon season. By the time I got the chicken thawed out enough to cook, it had poured; call me crazy, but cooking on a gas grill in the middle of a thunderstorm sounds like a really bad idea. I wound up making this in the oven instead.
First, you preheat the oven to 350 degrees and put the rack for your oven on the bottommost position. Meanwhile, empty half a can of beer into a glass; consider it a treat for yourself. Sprinkle the outside of the chicken with salt, pepper, and herbs of your choice; rosemary, thyme, oregano, and sage go really well on chicken. Set the half full beer can in the center of a roasting pan and carefully set the chicken's cavity onto the beer can. You should be able to form a tripod with the legs so the chicken doesn't fall over. By now your oven should be ready, so carefully put the chicken in the oven. Cook this for about an hour and fifteen for a four pound bird. Once the chicken is done completely, take it out of the oven and let it sit for about five minutes. Then carefully set the chicken on its side and remove the can while wearing an oven mitt. Remember the oven mitt part specifically; that beer is very likely boiling and the metal can probably doesn't feel too pleasant either. Carve up your chicken and serve with sides of your choice. I personally chose to make baked potatoes and broccoli, but any sides will do, and the pan drippings would have made an awesome gravy, so I froze the drippings for a later date.
My entire family enjoyed it to say the least. Will said this is something I will have to do again. Between the price of fryer chickens and the fact that I can make stock with the bones, I will be happy to do this again.