The 10 Best Shandy/Radlers of 2022

Post By

Team Untappd

Tue, 23 Aug 2022 13:00:05 +0000

Summer is almost over. There, we said it; it's out in the open. But before we put August in the rearview we're soaking up the last few rays of the season. And in many ways there is no better way to do that than by putting on our SPF 30 sunscreen and sipping on the ultimate summer beer.

One that is more than just a beer.

Uber refreshing and zippy, shandies and radlers are actually a mixture of beer and juice or soda. They're fun fizzes that scream summer in a glass.

While the two names are often used interchangeably, typically a shandy consists of blond lager (such as a pilsner or helles) mixed with lemonade or lemon-lime soda. Similarly, a radler combines equal parts lager and citrus soda.

Shandy seems to be a bit of a more encompassing term, with these drinks sometimes featuring ginger ale, ginger beer, orange juice, or other fruit juices. On the other hand, radler pretty much exclusively refers to a citrus-based soda, most likely grapefruit

You're probably most familiar with stalwarts such as Leinenkugel Summer Shandy and Stiegl Radler, but you'd be surprised to find many breweries crafting their own interpretations.

Along with the interesting history behind these tipples.

A Short History of the Shandy and the Radler

First popping up in the 1850s, shandy actually comes from the name of a British drink called "shandy gaff," which featured beer mixed with ginger ale.

The invention of the radler includes a bit more lore. According to the story, German innkeeper Franz Xaver Kulger created a bike trail from Munich to his tavern. On a hot, sunny day in June 1922, 13,000 cyclists found their way to his inn. All thirsty and looking for something to drink. Pretty soon Kugler began to get low on beer. In a eureka moment, Kugler decided to cut his pilsner with his overstocked lemon soda.

Voila: the radler.

While this version of events hasn't been proved or refuted, it's certainly a romantic origin story.

Regardless of how the shandy and radler got here, they're still simple drinks that crush it in the warmer months. And with a low alcohol content, usually around 4.0% ABV, shandies and radlers are great for those summer activities too—whether that's cycling around the country, playing volleyball on the beach, or swimming in the pool.

Of course, you could always make your own version at home, but why do that when you have these ten excellent versions to tip back and enjoy during the last few weeks of summer.