Tipple

Shandy

beer-cocktailrefreshingsummersessionabletwo-ingredient
Collins GlassBuild
Built with: Lager · Lemonade

Origin

Franz Kugler · Kugleralm, Bavaria · 1922

The German Radler was reportedly invented when innkeeper Franz Kugler ran low on beer during a cyclists' rally and stretched it with lemonade. The British 'shandygaff' (beer + ginger beer) predates this by decades; modern English shandies typically use lemonade or lemon-lime soda

Half beer, half lemonade — the original low-ABV summer drink.

Ingredients

  • 6 oz cold Lager
  • 6 oz Lemonade (or lemon-lime soda)

Instructions

  1. Fill a chilled collins or pint glass with ice.
  2. Pour the lager in first, then top with the lemonade.
  3. Stir gently to combine and serve.

Tips

  • Lower-ABV lagers (3–5%) work best — there's no point spritzing a 9% IPA.
  • Half-and-half is the canonical ratio; some prefer one-third lemonade for a more beer-forward drink.
  • Use real cloudy lemonade for the best result; lemon-lime soda is the British pub default.

Notes

The German Radler uses lemon soda specifically; the British Shandy uses lemonade or lemon-lime soda; the historical "Shandygaff" used ginger beer in place of lemonade. All three are essentially the same idea — beer, stretched and softened.

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