I love big Radlers and I cannot lie

Sounds like it'd be awesome! So what's the difference between a radler and shandy?

 

If you have the Boulevard sampler 12 packs in your area pick one up. The ginger lemon radler in there from their tasting room series is outstanding.

 

I remember being 16 once.

 

The only one that I really enjoyed was Sam Adams Porch Rocker, which you can at least taste the lager beneath it all.

Sixpoint RAD is worth checking out as an out of bounds radler

I made my own using Spaten and Nantucket Nectars lemonade 3/1 and it was good

 

What's the point of this comment? Not every style is going to appeal to you, just respect beer.

 

First off, it was a joke. No disrespect meant. I actually do remember the first time I ever had a radler. I was in Munich on a family vacation when I was about sixteen, and recall enjoying them immensely. Probably because I was sixteen and was excited to find alcohol that didn't taste like absolute garbage. There I believe it was 50:50 beer:apple juice.

 

I think the only difference between "Radler" and "shandy" comes down to the origin of the two terms. I'd say in the US they're both used for the same thing- a beer (usually a lighter ale or lager) that is combined with citrus juice of some sort.

In Germany, Radler is typically made with pils mixed with sparkling lemonade, though I did have a hefeweizen-grapefruit Radler when I was there as well. Both beers were labeled as "Radler". Radler, the story goes, was made for Bavarian cyclists who wanted to enjoy beer but not get dehydrated.

In the US, I mostly see "shandy" to refer to this same sort of beer, though the term "Radler" pops up every now and again.

Anyone who disparages a Radler hasn't had one when it's 90+ degrees out, you don't have any AC, and it's too hot to think. At that point, Radler is a godsend. At around 2.5% (in the traditional German style) you can start drinking early without getting inebriated- perfect for floating in a lake with a Radler when the heat is on. When the sun goes down, switch to a better beer that you actually can sit and enjoy.

 

These other brothers can't deny...

 

I read "big radlers" as high ABV radlers -- do those actually exist? I guess an imperial RAD would be called CRUNK

 

Haha...that's coming from a talking goat

 

Shandy is just the American term for radler. Radler refers to the cyclists in Germany who would mix lemonade or sparkling fruit juice to their beer so they could be refreshed all day without being too drunk to ride. I've also heard about certain properties in beer being good for muscle recovery. Not too sure on the validity of that. Source per my father.

Buying a premade radler seems kind of ridiculous to me, when I could just grab my favorite pils and add lemonade or whatever I'm in the mood for.

As for a beliner-weisse shandy, haven't seen it but I'd love to try one. The most recent weyerbacher anniversary (19) is a blend of a mango wheat ale and an extra strong beliner-weisse. 10% abv mind you but I suppose the basic idea is the same. Loved it btw.

 

It's like buying pre-sliced or pre-cooked food.

 

I think it depends. Would I run out and buy Coors Summertime or whatever it's called? No.

But when I was in Germany, I didn't want to fuck around with mixing lemonade and beer, so I just bought Rothaus Radler when I wanted. Rothaus makes some great beers, and the Radler is made with fresh lemonade produced at the brewery.

I'd imagine if you use poor quality lemonade (say a powdered mix) you'll get a bad Radler even if you use a good base-beer (say...SN Summerfest). If you use quality lemonade and a good base-beer in the wrong volumes, you'll still get a bad Radler. I'd rather leave the guesswork out of it and drink the product the brewmaster has signed off on.

 

So are there any radlers with an abv higher than 4%

 

This just happened and it was amazeballs. I found my new summer beer!

 

Or Four Loko

 

Difference is you drink a Shandy normally, whereas you drink a Radler with your pinky up....duhh