LET'S GET CRAFTY
TIMOTHY LONG
For Your Summer Drinking Pleasure…The Shandy It gets hot in the DC area in August, real hot. It can be unbearable. This is the time of year that reminds us that large parts of our area are reclaimed swamp. If the humidity doesn’t remind you of it, the mosquitos certainly will. For many, it is a time for cooler, lighter drinks. The stouts and ales become less popular. And the Shandy takes center stage. That’s right, the Shandy. Or its German cousin, the Radler. No matter which of the names you choose, it’s a beer with either fruit soda or fruit juice in it. As my readers know, I am not usually a fan of any kind of flavored beer. My sister once tried to hand me a Bud Light Lime when I asked her if she had any beer. My first impulse was to disown her. I didn’t. But when we are together, I now tell people that she is a distant cousin from a foreign land called Cleveland. Yes, I am a purist when it comes to beer. And now I’m recommending a beer with fruit juice in it. Yes, I am once again being a hypocrite. But summers are hot, and adjustments can be made. These traditional summer delights are refreshing and quite enjoyable. The trick is to make them correctly. More to come on that point. People argue over beer all the time. 36 August 2022
THESE TRADITIONAL SUMMER DELIGHTS ARE REFRESHING AND QUITE ENJOYABLE. THE TRICK IS TO MAKE THEM CORRECTLY. Fisticuffs have ensued over which beers are the greatest. Belgian and German beers are often at the center of these arguments. The answer is, of course, German. The German purity laws, the Reinheitsgebot, are second to none. The German’s approach to beer is as pure as a bee’s approach to honey. And both the bee and the German bring us perfection. Do not take me wrong, the Belgians do make great beer. And I do enjoy many of their beers. I just do not care for the ones they fruit up. The fruit flavor often overpowers the beer. So, I am stating that I do not care for fruity beers and recommending the Shandy. Are you rolling your eyes? Good. Keep reading. A little history first, the Shandy is the predecessor of the Radler. The two are similar, but not the same. And both are summer traditions. The Shandy originated in the pubs of England in the 19th century. The original name was Shandygaff. Back then, it was a mixture of beer, usually a pilsner or helles, with ginger ale or
ginger beer. Today, it can be mixed with all kinds of non-alcoholic beverages, but most often a lemon/ lime soda. Charles Dickens once referred to it as the “perfect alliance between beer and pop.” The Radler has a quite different history. Although there is no official record, legend has it that the Radler was invented in June of 1922 by a barkeep named John Xavier Kugler. According to Hopculture.com: “As the tale goes, Kugler, an innkeeper in Deisenhofen, Germany, capitalized on the country’s biking craze by creating a bike trail from nearby Munich to his tavern. One beautiful day in June 13,000 cyclists wound their way to his establishment looking to quench their thirst. Overloaded with thirsty patrons, Kugler quickly began to run out of beer. But a stroke of genius saved him. Kugler cut his pilsner with overstocked lemon soda.” It was an immediate hit. Nowadays the Radler is still usually made with
lemonade or lemon soda. Like its cousin the Shandy, it is a great way to take a lighter beer and turn it into a refreshing summer drink. If made properly, both are quite delicious and thirst quenching. Therefore, I am quite forgiving when one is handed to me on a hot summer’s day. I haven’t disowned anyone family members over it. Whichever one you choose; I offer two rules when it comes to enjoying this summer delight.
The first rule, drink only freshly made, not mass produced. Yes, it’s August, and you see Shandys and Radlers in the beer department of every store. Don’t! Just don’t! None of them are anywhere near the quality level of one that is made by your local bartender. Or better yet, by you in your own home. A draft pilsner or helles from your local craft brewery works wonderfully when creating one of these thirst-quenching sensations. Fresh lemonade can be a huge plus as well. These drinks were meant to be made fresh, not mass produced and bottled. GET CRAFTY > PAGE 37
Old Town Crier
