Grapefruity Radler brew suits summer

I’ll be the first to admit that I have very particular tastes and preferences in beer. I’m picky about what I drink, and I’m usually not a fan of overly flavored beers. Chocolate this, coconut that, mango here, lilikoi there … just not for me.

I understand why people love these types of beers and can appreciate how well made they are, but I tend not to drink them.

I do have a few guilty pleasures, though — beers I normally would never like, but for some reason I absolutely love and find myself craving.

One of those, Stiegl Radler, is full of fruit flavor, super spritzy and actually only half beer, and I plan on drinking it all summer. How can one resist a light and crisp mix of golden lager and slightly sweet grapefruit soda in a can? I sure can’t on these hot and muggy summer days!

If a Radler sounds familiar, it’s because you’ve probably heard of the English version called a Shandy. Radlers (of German roots) and Shandys are basically the same thing: blends of light ale or lager and fruit soda or ginger beer. Most often the fruit is a citrus like lemon, grapefruit or orange. The blend is typically 50-50 beer to soda, and the alcohol content is kept very modest at a range of 2.5 to 5 percent alcohol by volume.

The Radler got its start in the mountains outside Munich in Germany’s Bavarian countryside, on a hot day in June 1922. A tavern owner whose bar was on a popular cycling route was bombarded by hundreds of thirsty cyclists and was quickly running out of beer. To help stretch the beer, he decided to blend it with a lemon soda that wasn’t selling well. The rest, they say, is history. “Radler” actually means “cyclist” in German!

Stiegl’s Grapefruit Radler may well be the ultimate refreshment this summer (well, at least IMO). It’s a blend of 40 percent Stiegl’s Gold Lager and 60 percent grapefruit soda. The sweetness is kept moderate and the alcohol low at only 2.5 percent, making it easy to drink. The bright grapefruit citrus flavors carry through, from the aroma straight through the entire sip. You might not even realize beer is blended into the drink.

High carbonation, Champagne-like bubbles and a mild sweetness contribute to the super-refreshing quality of this drink. Some other mass-market Shandys and Radlers can be aggressively sweet, leaving a thick coating in the mouth after each sip. Stiegl’s Radler is semidry, and the peppy carbonation keeps any sweetness from sticking around.

What’s even better is that it comes in easily packable 16.9-ounce cans (about $3.99; find it at quality grocery and liquor stores). I’m guilty of packing a few cans in the cooler on most beach trips.

If you need a bit more punch in a drink, pour it over ice and add a shot of gin, tequila, rum or vodka. The Radler is a perfect base for a cocktail right out of the can.

Go ahead, blame me when you get hooked on Radlers this summer. I won’t feel guilty about having a few, and neither should you, because they’ll keep you cool, refreshed and happy.

Tim Golden, a certified cicerone, shares his obsession with all things craft beer monthly. See his blog, “Beer in Hawaii,” at beerinhawaii.com.