Close the lid on your grill and wash everything. This is my rule with chicken; when the bird is on the grill everything that did or could have touched that bird has to be washed. When the chicken is done and ready to come out there shouldn't be a single germ left behind.
You want to maintain a temperature in your grill around 300 to 325 degrees F. (150 to 165 degrees C.) during the cooking time. Of course you can smoke this bird, but you need to cook it at a temperature several degrees above the boiling point of water or the liquid in the can won't do anything for this bird. If you are going to smoke your beer can chicken choose a temperature around 250 degrees F. (120 degrees C.)
