Seems the Shandy gets a bad rap. Before making them I thought this might have something to do with the low regard in which people hold mainstream American beer. Also, the low regard mainstream beer has of itself… The cocktail has a long history in the UK and Germany (where it is known as the Radler). But, on this side of the Atlantic I’ve never heard anyone order it or seen anyone drink it.The most common recipe for the cocktail is really simple: equal parts beer and soda, usually a ginger ale or lemon/lime soda. That’s fine but I wanted to class the drink up a little and I didn’t have any Sprite or 7Up. I did some looking around the internet and found a few alternative recipes and using them as a guide and a little experimentation I came up with this.
Shandy
- 8 oz. blonde beer (I used a lager from the local brewery)
- 4 oz. ginger ale (I had ginger beer so I used that)
- 2 oz. fresh lemon juice
- lemon slices for garnish
Pour into glass and stir.
These were a disappointment. D couldn’t finish her’s; she said it tasted too much like beer. I thought mine tasted like ginger beer with lemon in it. Perhaps I could have used more beer? Perhaps I should have just gone with the traditional recipe and used ginger ale or Sprite? Or maybe I needed a different beer? I don’t know… I like to have my cocktails be a little escape from the day and the Shandy didn’t offer that. It’s a mediocre beer or a mediocre soda. Why drink that when you can have a superb beer or a superb soda? Or better, a superb cocktail?
Always sounded disgusting to me. Glad it turns out I’m right. And I didn’t even have to try it.
Hah! I was hopeful, I have some friends who have been to Europe and they said they liked them. Must be something in the water over there?
Glad the blog is helping people! =)
I dunno about the water thing. I prefer the cultural explanation. I always thought root beer floats sounded disgusting too; then I finally tried one a couple of years ago and found out I was right. I just hadn’t been raised on them.
Who? What?