Stiegl Radler Grapefruit
You might have gotten this fact about me if you are a regular reader: I don’t like beer. In a state like Michigan, with its vibrant microbrewing scene, this is almost blasphemy. Throw in that I am German of all nationalities and it is downright crazy, outrageous and reason to hand in my passport. I cannot tell you how often I get these incredulous stares when I tell someone that I don’t like beer…I can’t really tell you why I don’t like beer. I have come to believe it is its bitterness that I don’t find redeeming or pleasant.
Don’t get me wrong. I do drink beer, once in a while, and I also believe in social conventions that dictate “beer and sports”, for example. I have tried drinking wine watching sports, but it is not the same. So, I do believe there is a room for beer, I just make sure it tastes as little as possible like beer. Which is why I drink PBR (Pabst Blue Ribbon), the occasional Miller Lite or Miller Highlife. They compare to the German light weight beer “Kölsch”, the beer brewed in the city of Cologne. It drinks like lemonade and comes in small 0.2 liter glasses, so you just keep drinking and drinking and drinking. You can order it by the meter (the glasses are put on a one meter wooden board) and as long as you don’t cover your glass, you will receive new glasses without being asked. What makes this beer great for me is that it hardly tastes like beer.
My go to beer based drink in Germany, however, is something different. It is what in the US is referred to as “shandy”, a mix of beer and lemonade. In German, this type of beer is either called “Alsterwasser” (Water of the Alster, a river in Hamburg, usually in Northern Germany) or “Radler” (Bicycler, usually referred to with this word in Southern Germany). As a rule of thumb, a lot of them are 50% beer and 50% lemon soda, which in Germany is usually referred to as “lemonade”. The ratio can vary in either direction. It is insanely refreshing, does not taste like beer (major plus!) and is widely available.
Anecdotes suggest that the Radler was invented by a desperate Bavarian innkeeper in the 1920s. It was a warm, friendly summer Sunday afternoon and tons of people were out and about, passing his inn. The owner was selling record numbers of beer (it probably didn’t help than Bavarians drink huge amounts of beer from big glasses) and by the afternoon he started running out of beer. So in his desperation, he started mixing in lemon soda and selling it as the perfect drink for people riding their bicycles, hence the name “Radler”. I assume that beer and other stuff has been mixed before, but I do like the anecdote nonetheless. And I like to think that I was saved by this innkeeper when going out to a pub. Because thanks to him, I have something to order. And enjoy!
Nina is completely different: She LOVES strong IPAs, dark wheat beers and everything strong in beers. This often leads to waiters confusing our orders when we are in Germany, because usually guys order these beers, not girls. And girls order Radler, not guys…but hey, I stand by my love for Radler, especially in the summer heat.
German breweries have begun picking up on this trend over the last decade and have been selling premixed Radler, just like breweries have in the US. My favorite premixed Radlers are made by Beck’s and I am still hoping that given Beck’s omnipresence in the US these might eventually find their way here as well. I also really enjoy a mix of Weizenbier (wheat beer) with grapefruit juice sold by the Frankfurt brewery Schöfferhofer. I wish they’d sell that here…
While we were in Chicago last week, I received a text message from my friend John, The Food and Wine Hedonist, asking me whether I could bring him back some Austrian Radler that was available in Chicago. I was naturally intrigued. And after some hunting, I found Stiegl Radler with grapefruit soda at House of Glunz, an old wine store which apparently serves as the main importer of the stuff in Chicago. But it should be available at any decent liquor store in Chicago. Glunz sells it in half liter cans (classy, I know) and I was happy to bring some back for John and myself. Especially because it is really affordable, too: I paid $2.50 for four half liter cans!!!
We opened a couple of cans for a BBQ on Sunday and I quite liked the mix. It is VERY easy to drink, you hardly taste the alcohol at all. It hit a lot of right spots, although it seemed a bit too watery all in all. Given that its flavor was grapefruit, I naturally compared it to the wheat-grapefruit mix I mentioned above, and that is definitely better, has a bit more heft to it. But I’d still encourage you, beer lover (like Nina) or not (like me), to go out and find a Radler instead of a shandy. I don’t know what makes the difference between domestic shandies and European Radler, I just know I taste it…It sure gives me hope that other importers will pick up on this trend.
John has written a great article about discovering Stiegl Radler in his natural enthusiastic terms here.
the winegetter 
[…] Winegetter recently wrote a wunderbar blog post about Radlers. Oliver does a super job delving into the history of the Radler. Fascinating stuff. I’ve […]
[…] Winegetter recently wrote a wunderbar blog post about Radlers. Oliver does a super job delving into the history of the Radler. Fascinating stuff. […]
[…] My recommendation? Half a glass of Franzia Crisp White with a half a glass of San Pellegrino Limonata. Yes, the sparkling water with 18% lemon juice. Don’t be cheap and get the lemon flavored Perrier. That’s just disgusting. I mean come on now, splurge a little. You already paid next to nothing for the wine. They have other flavors too that are fantastic, but I’m drinking the limonata right now. Holy mother of (insert deity of choice here) that is tasty and refreshing! It’s like a white wine Radler! If you aren’t familiar with Radlers it’s beer mixed with sparkling lemonade and popular in Germany. I highly suggest reading this post for a more detailed explanation of my most recent beer fixation: https://thewinegetter.com/2013/05/16/radler-the-solution-to-my-beer-dilemma/ […]
[…] Winegetter recently wrote a wunderbar blog post about Radlers. Oliver does a super job delving into the history of the Radler. Fascinating stuff. […]
Never had radler but will hunt it out. Thanks! Regarding your beer-adversion, especially to its bitterness (IPAs etc), I’ve found that food got me through it. Beer has tannins and acids which feel bitter because they have a gap for protein. Fix them with a bite of protein (meat, nuts, cheese), like adding milk to coffee or tea (same problem).
Thanks! That is a super helpful tip. I do find it easier to drink stronger beers with food. I just never made the connection…but then again, with all my wine, why would I need beer? :D Thanks for stopping by!!
Anytime! Great site!
Beer tends to happen to me abroad mostly, when the wine available is horrid.
If a beer tastes too rough, I take a bite of any protein and try it again. It should cut the edge and not cut your palate.
That makes total sense to me. If there is no viable wine available, then beer is an option…but I also find myself not drinking booze at all in those circumstances. All depends on the mood, too…I will try your suggestion, though.
I love the story about the Bavarian host and the invention of Radler! :-)
Always gets me cracking up…just imagine his desperation, and then the relief when he found a solution that worked…
I also have never liked the the taste of beer. I myself usually stick to PBR or Labatt’s, because, frankly, I may not like the taste, but I enjoy the specific type of drunkenness one can experience from consuming beer. Also, with beers like that, once you’ve gotten a couple down, they don’t really taste like anything anymore!
I also have now been inspired to try Radler if I can find some. Thanks WInegetter!!!
Aaaaah, finally someone man enough to admit it, too. I feel less alone now, Dom! :) And I hear you on the specific type of drunkenness…
I hope you can find some. If not, mix a PBR or another Pilsner with Sprite. That should do the job.
I’ve never had a Radler and it sounds AMAZING. I will definitely try it if I can get my hands on one (we have a government-run liquor store and poor selection). Any suggestions for mixing my own? How about Beck’s and grapefruit or lemon soda?
Yes, that is what I was going to suggest!! Just get a standard pilsner beer, like Beck’s or Pilsner Urquell or whatever works for you. And then, what works best for me, is just mixing it with Sprite. I would probably start it off with a 30% soda, 70% beer mix and adjust from there to find what works best for you. Let me know what you think!!
Fantastic, I will try this weekend for sure. Thanks! :)
Great! Hope the temperatures are right for trying it…looks like they will be here for sure…
As a good German I will be on the lookout for Radlers at my local liquor store! Great posting!
Good luck! And thanks!
I really enjoyed your post. Made me (lol) :D
And Nina and Ken and I will get along just fine. Next time we’re all in Bavaria together you can order the Radler and we’ll order the Dunkel-weizen.
Although my very first beer, ever in my life, was an Alsterwasser. I loved it and when we’re in Hamburg in the summertime, you and I’ll order the Alsterwasser, and Ken and Nina can order the Bock.
Sounds like a plan to me! I am really looking forward to that. :)
Hmmm. I’ve never had shandy or radler. Something to put on my list of things to try!! Reminds me a bit of the Spezi soda mixture that was popular in restaurants that I frequented years ago. It’s what I ordered quite often. That was roughly half Fanta (grapefruit) and half cola. But it was/is alcohol-free. lol
Try to find European Radlers if you can. And make sure it is a hot day. Then the mix is perfect.
I didn’t even know they sold Spezi in the US! In my region, that drink is usually called “Cold Coffee”. I like it a lot! But as you point out, unfortunately it is alcohol-free…;)
I keep my eyes peeled. The restaurants weren’t in the U.S. lol
Nice! :)
I’m not normally a shandy/radler gal, but this post makes me want to drink one in the sun (I don’t care that it’s 9am)
You are such a proper German! :) Wait till it gets hotter, then the Radler thirst grows…
I LOVE LOVE LOVE Radlers!! Whenever we’re in Germany, I drink beer for about 3 days, and then I switch to Radlers. I miss Germany. Sigh. But I can get the Stiegl Lemon Radler here in Virginia. I haven’t tried the Grapefruit . . . that’ll be next on my list. It’s perfect for a hot summer day! Prost!!
Hahaha, I hear you. It is the perfect summer drink…and I am SO glad to hear you are getting Stiegl Lemon Radler in Virginia! Awesome.