Dice the yellow onion and green bell pepper into 1/2-inch pieces, chop the celery into 1/4-inch pieces, and mince the garlic cloves. Having everything prepped and ready before you start cooking makes the next steps seamless and ensures the flavors develop properly without any scrambling.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Cook until no pink remains, about 8-10 minutes, then drain off excess fat in a colander. I prefer to use an 80/20 blend because it has enough fat to develop flavor without leaving you with a pool of grease to drain.

Transfer the cooked beef from Step 2 to your crockpot. Add the diced onion, bell pepper, celery, and minced garlic from Step 1 directly into the pot. Pour in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, and diced tomatoes with chilies. Add the beer, then stir in the dry spices: chili powder, ground cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and sugar. The combination of fresh aromatics and ground spices creates a deeply layered flavor foundation.

Drain and rinse the red kidney beans to remove excess sodium, then add them to the crockpot and stir everything together thoroughly. Cover the pot and cook on low for 8 hours (or on high for 4-6 hours if you're short on time). The long cooking time allows all the flavors to meld and develop while the beans soften and absorb the spiced broth.

Remove the lid from the crockpot and turn the heat to high for the final 30 minutes. This allows excess liquid to evaporate, concentrating the flavors and thickening the chili to your desired consistency. Stir occasionally and taste for seasoning, adjusting salt or spices as needed before serving.