German Radler (Alster)

(beer blended with soda pop)   

The blending of beer with citrus can be found in Germany, Austria and England. Hefeweizen with a lemon twist is widely appreciated throughout Bavaria and America. The most common blend in Germany is the “radler,” a fifty-fifty mix of pilsner or Bavarian helles with lemonade or Sprite or 7-Up.       

Radler is thought to have originated in Bavaria in 1922 when the proprietor of a pub, short on beer and facing a group of thirsty cyclists, blended lemonade with dark lager. In fact, the name “radler” is German for cyclist. A twist on radler is “russ,” in which the lager is replaced with hefeweizen. Both radler and russ are quite popular, particularly with young Germans. Another popular blend replaces the Sprite with Coca-Cola. The English version is known as shandy, a fifty-fifty blend of light ale and Sprite or 7-Up.

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces pilsner or Munich helles
• 6 ounces Sprite or lemonade   

Step by Step:

Blend both ingredients in the glass. To make "russ," substitute hefeweizen for the pilsner.