Spring has sprung, and that means new seasonal summer brews are on their way. And three of them are radlers from Sprecher Brewing Company.
If you’re a fan of the shandy (beer mixed with a soft drink or juice), there’s a good chance you’re also a fan of the radler. After all, the styles have a lot in common.
The radler, which was conceived in Bavaria, is actually a variation on the shandygaff, a brew composed of beer and ginger beer which was invented in mid-18th century England. Originally called "radlermass," a word that’s literally translated as "cyclist liter," the beer was created by Franz Kugler, an innovative innkeeper who built a bicycle trail from Munich to his bar.
As the story goes, on a beautiful early summer day, a reported "13,000 cyclists" descended upon Kugler’s inn, swiftly depleting his supply of beer. As a solution, he blended what was left of his brew with lemon soda to meet demand. The mixture was a hit among the cyclists, who found the variation deliciously invigorating.
Since then, countless breweries have taken on the task of creating refreshing, low alcohol brews that are perfect for warm summer days or post-workout refreshment. And Sprecher Brewing Company is one.
Last December, Sprecher released their first radler, a grapefruit variety that features smooth wheat beer augmented with the sweet, tart and refreshing flavors of pink grapefruit. The beer had a successful launch, and the brewery decided to pursue additional flavors in the same style.
"Radlers, shandys, and other fruit beers are very sought after, particularly in warm weather," notes Jeff Hamilton, president of Sprecher in a release about the new brews.
"Today’s drinker is looking for variety. With that goal in mind, our talented brewmaster created a cornucopia of radlers. We experimented with over a dozen fruits before finding the best taste profiles in peach, mango, and orange."
The new radlers are currently available in six-packs of 12-ounce bottles. However, a 12-bottle Rad Pack Variety Pack featuring all four radlers: grapefruit, orange, mango and peach is also expected to be available in stores by the end of April or early May.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with each and every dish. She’s had the privilege of chronicling these tales via numerous media, including OnMilwaukee and in her book “Milwaukee Food.” Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or recording the FoodCrush podcast, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
