Beer's master's thesis ("The Commercial Policy of England Toward the American Colonies") was supervised by Professor Herbert Levi Osgood[1] and was immediately published in the Columbia University Studies in History, Economics and Public Law.

After retiring from business in 1903, he devoted his time to extensive research in British archives, and wrote three highly regarded and influential books on the British-American colonial period.

Beer was a strong proponent of an Anglo-American alliance, arguing it would contribute to greater peace in world politics.

Beer did not consider the prospect of Africans governing themselves, as "the negro race has hitherto shown no capacity for progressive development except under the tutelage of other peoples."

He supported a mandates system whereby former colonies were governed through international collaboration in a way distinguishable from imperial rule and under open public scrutiny.

[3] Beer left a bequest to establish a prize recognizing outstanding historical writing relating to European international history since 1895.