shandy

Shandy is beer or cider mixed with a lemon flavoured beverage, usually half lemonade and half beer or cider, resulting in a lower ABV for the finished drink. Shandies are popular in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the Caribbean, and Canada.

In some jurisdictions, the low alcohol content of shandies exempts them from laws governing the sale of alcoholic beverages.

Etymology

The debated origin of the term (recorded first in 1888) is shortened from ''shandygaff'', from Britain in 1853 and itself of obscure source.

''Shandy'' is a popular drink in UK and is usually ordered as either "bitter shandy" (50/50 bitter beer and fizzy clear lemonade) or "lager shandy" in which lager is substituted for the ale.

Variants by name

Radler

''Radler'' (, lit. German for 'cyclist') has a long history in German-speaking regions. It commonly consists of a 50:50 mixture of beer and a lemon-flavoured soft drink.

The term ''Radler'' originates with a drink called ''Radlermass'' ('cyclist litre') that was created by innkeeper Franz Kugler in the small town of Deisenhofen, just outside Munich. During the great cycling boom of the Roaring Twenties, Kugler created a bicycle trail from Munich through the woods that led directly to his drinking establishment.

While the term ''Radler'' has been widely attributed to Kugler, the combination of beer and soft drink is documented in texts dating from 1912. ''Radler'' is consumed not only in Bavaria, but also in other parts of Germany, Austria, Czechia, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Poland, Portugal, Netherlands, Norway, Bulgaria, the United States, Canada, and Romania.

In northern Germany, a half-and-half mix of Pilsner beer and soft drink is known as an ''Alster'' (short for ''Alsterwasser'', , German for 'water from the Alster', a river in Hamburg). Regionally the ''Radler'' and ''Alster'' may refer to shandies made with either citrus or orange flavoured softdrinks, with the two terms either contrasting or referring to the same drink. In Austria, a ''saure Radler'' is a mix of lager and soda water.

In Austria, a variant, sometimes called Almradler, is popular, using Almdudler instead of lemonade. ''Radler'' is very popular during the summer months due to its low alcohol content and reputation for being a "thirst-quencher".

In New Zealand, the word "radler" was trademarked by DB Breweries for their "Monteith's ''Radler''" beer, which is a citrus-flavoured, full-strength (5%) beer. This has led to some brewers to use the names "reldar" (''Radler'' spelled backwards) and "Cyclist" (the literal meaning of ''Radler'').

In the Netherlands, shandy and Radler are largely seen as two different drinks, shandy being a 0.5% alcohol drink popular as a children's drink during the 70s, as beverages not exceeding 0.5% alcohol were officially seen as non-alcoholic. The classic German Radler, for a decade or so, has also been sold as a pre-mixed drink of increasing popularity by most large Dutch beer brewers in a growing number of varieties.

Russ

In Bavaria, the southeastern state of Germany, as well as in the countryside of Austria, a mix of 50% '' Weißbier'' and 50% lemonade is called a "Russ". There are three different theories about the origin of this name:

* Due to a shortage of raw materials that occurred during the great inflation between 1921 and 1923, Weißbier became more popular. To further reduce material efforts, the Weißbier was thinned with lemonade. The name "Russ" may derive from the popularity of the drink among Russian workers in Germany at that time.
* Another theory of the name's origin is that the drink initially was called "Riesen-Maß" ''(Riesen = giant)'', as the drink mixture frothed heavily.
* The most popular theory is that the drink was first served in the Mathäser-Keller in Munich after the 1918 Revolution when Communists came together.

Shandygaff

A ''Shandygaff'' is an older British name for beer mixed with ginger beer or ginger ale; the earliest written record of the word dates back to 1853. In H. G. Wells’ comic novel '' The History of Mr Polly'', Wells refers to Shandygaff as "two bottles of beer mixed with ginger beer in a round-bellied jug".

Lager top

In England, Wales and Scotland, a lager top is a lager with a dash of lemonade on top, the latter of which reduces the lager's hardness.

Panaché

In France, Switzerland and parts of Italy, a mix of beer and soda ( Sprite) is called a Panaché. This name was also adopted in Portugal due to the influence of French culture in the area.

Monaco

In France, a 50/50 mix of lager and carbonated lemonade with a dash of Grenadine is called a Monaco.

Clara

In Spain, a ''clara'' is typically any mixture of beer with a sweet-tasting carbonated soft drink (in order to reduce the bitterness of the hops). The addition of soda lightens the color of the beer, hence its name (clara means "clear" in Spanish). It is usually served as a refreshment in the hot summer months, being a very popular drink. Other regions have different names for the mixture, and there is a debate over whether a clara refers to beer with lemon, or beer with a soft drink.

See also

* Beer cocktail
* '' Michelada''
* Queen Mary (cocktail)

References

External links

{{portal bar, Beer

Types of beer
Cocktails with beer
Two-ingredient cocktails