Radlers, Shandies and Lambics: The Most Refreshing Beers You'll Drink All Summer

by Jordan Davis on Jun 16, 2014 in Beer

I hadn’t expected to see a bright orange-pink bottle among the craft beers, even in the fruit beer section, and the fine print legend at the bottom of the Schöfferhofer label — “unfiltered hefeweizen beer with grapefruit flavoring added and colored with cochineal extract” — didn’t exactly sell me.

But I like hefeweizen, and I love grapefruit sodas like Ting, so I gave it a try. Of all the kinds of expectations, the low ones are often the most fun to pursue: this crisp soda, tart, fizzy and slightly sweet, gave way to a full-bodied wheat finish and a little buzz. I wanted a thousand of them stat.

There are several ways to mix beer and fruit. What I had found was a radler, a half and half mix of beer (usually ale or hefeweizen) and lemonade or orange or grapefruit soda. Radler means cyclist. As the story goes, an enterprising innkeeper dealt with the unexpected arrival of thousands of touring cyclists by stretching out his beer supply with soda. The traditional fruit beer is the Belgian lambic, a spontaneously fermented sour beer with fruit added during the brewing. Shandies are usually beers made with controlled yeasts with juice or fruit added during the secondary fermentation (if you see a six-pack of Narragansett’s Del’s Shandy snap it up), though some drinks labeled shandies are finished beers mixed with juice during bottling.

I’d seen lambics and shandies for years; when I could afford to splurge, I’d get a Lindeman’s or Timmerman’s, and if I was offered a Leinenkugel Summer Shandy or two at a party, my parents didn’t raise me to refuse kindnesses. But radlers are something else — reasonably priced, low in alcohol, and tasty.

A 2013 Bloomberg interview with a Heineken executive on the conglomerate’s rollout of several radlers worldwide clarifies that the industry sees the drink as a non-beer beer that appeals to new (young) consumers in mixed (men and women) social settings. I feel a little funny enjoying what can be described as beer soda, an alcopop or beer for kids — take it easy on the alcohol until your brain is done maturing, please — but I like the idea of a low alcohol beer that doesn’t taste like aluminum garbage water. And as I say, radlers are tasty.

All the radlers I found in stores across the northeast were drinkable, even the Coors Light Summer Brew. While the first I found, Germany’s Schofferhofer, turned out to be the best, its Austrian counterpart Stiegl, another grapefruit mix, is just as good; if your palate favors the sour side, you might prefer Stiegl. Both come in at 2.50% ABV. Lemon radlers from Amstel and Poland’s Warka both come in at 2% ABV and taste like Sprite or 7-Up. If the labels didn’t say beer, I’d be unclear these actually had any alcohol.

You can taste the beer in the Coors offering (3.9% ABV) and in Sixpoint Rad (3.2% ABV). The Coors is on the watery/light side and the Sixpoint is extremely sour and slightly smoky, and while getting through one of either isn’t a chore, I wouldn’t want to have more than one at a sitting. But even the beer-resistors I shared radlers with were being sincere when they asked if they might have another Schofferhofer, Stiegl, Amstel or Warka. As party facilitators, a case of any of these four will do wonders. For sheer conversational interest, the Schöfferhofer with its clear bottle and unexpected color is the one to display prominently in the fridge.

And just as you don’t need to buy pre-mixed black and tans if you have an ale and a stout around, you can make your own radler to suit your tastes. I found the lightly sweetened fizz of San Pellegrino’s sodas and the crispness of lagers (especially pilsners) to go together best, but mixing non-carbonated juices and ales isn't unheard of.


Tags: Beer
Recent Articles
spacer

Feedback

How are we doing? Tell us what you like or don't like and how we can improve. We would love to hear your thoughts!

*Name:
*E-mail:
*Suggestions:
 
The Shark Week Drinking Game

The Shark Week Drinking Game

This year, one of cable TV's longest-running programs celebrates its 29th anniversary. Enjoy it to the fullest with this handy game. Shark Week starts...read more ›

by The Drink Nation Jun 26, 2016
A Spanish Winemaker is Producing Blue Wine

A Spanish Winemaker is Producing Blue Wine

We've all heard of red wine and white wine. But now, we can get what we've always dreamed of when looking through a wine list: blue wine. ...read more ›

by Ryan Hudak Jun 21, 2016
Devil's Creek Brewery Is Open in Collingswood

Devil's Creek Brewery Is Open in Collingswood

Collingswood's first brewery, Devil’s Creek Brewery, opened its doors recently on May 21 at its new spot on Haddon Avenue....read more ›

by Erica Bauwens Jun 2, 2016
SPONSORED
Drink Nation Store Rectangle
Craft Beer Garden and Restaurant Comes to Cooper River

Craft Beer Garden and Restaurant Comes to Cooper River

Cooper River Park in Pennsauken may be known for weddings and crew races, but a new beer garden is giving craft beer lovers a new excuse to check out ...read more ›

by Erica Bauwens Jun 2, 2016
Tonewood Brewing Is Coming to Oaklyn

Tonewood Brewing Is Coming to Oaklyn

Oaklyn is getting a brand new brewery called Tonewood Brewing, which will be run by two brothers, with a projected opening date of Tuesday, June 7....read more ›

by Erica Bauwens Jun 2, 2016
Medford's Main Street Is Experiencing a Craft Beer Boom

Medford's Main Street Is Experiencing a Craft Beer Boom

Medford in Burlington County will soon be home to two craft breweries along their Main Street drag....read more ›

by Erica Bauwens May 18, 2016
The Inventor of St. Germain, Robert J. Cooper, Has Passed Away at 39

The Inventor of St. Germain, Robert J. Cooper, Has Passed Away at 39

The inventor of St. Germain passed away on Monday, April 25, 2016....read more ›

by Alexander Frane May 2, 2016
Make This Purple Cocktail To Honor Prince's Memory

Make This Purple Cocktail To Honor Prince's Memory

Make this delicious purple cocktail to honor Prince's memory....read more ›

by The Drink Nation Apr 21, 2016
This Late Night L.A. Restaurant is Serving Boozy Bowls of Classic Kids Cereal

This Late Night L.A. Restaurant is Serving Boozy Bowls of Classic Kids Cereal

Grab a boozy, late-night breakfast at L.A.'s newest concept....read more ›

by Alexander Frane Apr 19, 2016
Disney's Tower of Terror Is Getting a Bar

Disney's Tower of Terror Is Getting a Bar

Disney's Tower of Terror is getting its very own bar....read more ›

by Alexander Frane Apr 15, 2016
SPONSORED
View all Articles

Sign up to get weekly drinking news, bar reviews, events and more sent directly to your inbox!

Close