1
Place all brine ingredients, except the lemons, into a large pot with 3.5 L of water. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar. Transfer to a bowl or container that will hold the liquid and the chicken, add the lemon wedges and let cool completely. Cover and chill for at least 2–3 hours.
2
Put the chicken into the brine, ensuring it is fully submerged. Cover and refrigerate overnight (about 8 hours, but no more than 12 hours, otherwise the chicken will become too salty).
3
The next day, remove the chicken from the brine and pat it dry with plenty of kitchen paper. Place it on a rack in a large roasting pan and air‑dry uncovered for another 6–8 hours so the skin dries and will become crisp when roasted. Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking.
4
Adjust the oven racks so a standing chicken will fit on a tray. Preheat the oven to 200 °C/180 °C with convection/gas 6. Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl with 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Rub this all over the chicken. Pour half the beer from the can into a jug, then place the half‑filled can in the centre of a deep roasting tray. Position the chicken on the can so it occupies the cavity of the can.
5
Carefully transfer the chicken to the oven and roast for 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes, checking every 15 minutes to ensure it does not tip over. If it tips, remove it, pour the remaining beer into the can, reposition the chicken and return to the oven. The chicken is done when a meat thermometer inserted into the thigh near the breast (not touching bone) reads 70 °C, or when the juices run clear when pierced with a skewer. If not yet done, roast for another 10 minutes and check again. Lift the chicken from the can, loosely cover with foil and let rest in a warm place for 10 minutes, then serve.

Source: bbcgoodfood.com

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