Very cool beer drained and knocked back is bitter (5)
I believe the answer is:
acerb
'is bitter' is the definition.
(synonyms)
I don't understand how the rest of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for acerb that I've seen before include "Sour, bitter" , "harsh and bitter" , "tart" , "sharp" .)