Stiegl Radler, My New Favorite Beer
At least for the next couple of months …
Miguel and I were hanging out at Longman & Eagle’s outdoor bar, waiting for our table.
We started out with a couple of beers from Kansas City’s Boulevard Brewing. They were good beers, but there wasn’t anything really outstanding about them. When it came time for our second round, I saw the word “Radler” near the bottom of the beer list and asked what it was. The bartender explained it’s from Austria’s Stiegl brewery, whose Goldbrau I’ve had before and didn’t think was very good. She then said that it’s absolutely delicious and explained to me what it was. It must have been pretty obvious from the expression on my face that I was turned off by the description. All she said was, “No, you REALLY have to try this.”
So who am I to turn down a nice bartender? Besides, I can think of worse ways to part with five bucks.
One sip and… BOOYAH!!! My new favorite beer.
Here’s how she described it – “half lager,half grapefruit soda. It’s low alcohol, but it’s refreshing.” OK, of the four descriptors three are NOT what I look for in beer – lager, low alcohol, and grapefruit soda. But this works. Really, really well. It tasted like Squirt soda with some mild beer undertones and is one of the most refreshing beverages I’ve ever had. I can imagine having this on a hot summer day after a playing tennis or doing some yard work. Or during a round of golf. Or even while sitting on my derriere. Really, just about on any summer day. Maybe it won’t be as good in colder months but, for now, it’s my new favorite.
The term “Radler” is a German term for a beer mixed with cider, sparkling lemonade, or ginger ale. Stiegl has three varieties – grapefruit, lemon, and raspberry – but I was only able to find the first two. I imagine I’d like the raspberry as I’m a big fan of Belgian Framboise. The lemon version has been available for a couple years and the grapefruit just landed on our shores earlier this year. So maybe it’s just a matter of time before raspberry arrives.
The store owner said that the grapefruit version is the hottest selling beer in Chicago right now. It’s so popular that stores only get a certain allocation of it so he recommended buying it if I could find any. I took his advice and quickly relieved him of his three single bottles. On the way home, I went to two other stores and was only able to procure another six-pack. I’m now trying to work a connection here to try to get some in Ann Arbor. You can be sure that if it ever comes here, I will ABSOLUTELY NEVER tell you about it. It’s all mine.
But if you’re in Chicago, take a look around and try to find some. And if you bring me back a six-pack, I’ll make you some of my spectacular chilled spicy Japanese eggplant.
Cheers!
About thefoodandwinehedonist
12 comments on “Stiegl Radler, My New Favorite Beer”
Leave a Reply to the winegetter Cancel reply
wine century
Doppel Member, Baby!
When I was in Germany last summer, Radler was the only thing I drank. It’s so good! I didn’t know you could find good Radler over here though – very cool.
If ur still in Chicago, go get some!!
havent been here yet, but right down the street from my house! i gotta try it sometime now
I LOVE radler. A US shandy doesn’t do it for me. Schöfferhofer, a weizen brewery from Frankfurt, makes an amazing half weizen, half grapefruit juice drink that Nina is drinking non-stop when we are in Germany and not imbibing on wine…it is about time real radlers reach these shores!
Yeah, I don’t like the US shandies either Have u had Stiegl’s before? Their lemon is ok but not as good as the grapefruit.
No, I never had heard of it, but the beer markets in Europe are so fragmented with so many different brewers and stuff, it is hard to keep track.
Hm. I wonder if it’s sold in Portland at all? I’ll have to look for it, because it sounds like it would be good!
Do you mean Portland, Oregon? If so, you can buy it at Edelweiss Deli on 3119 SE 12th Ave. I’ve also found it at the Zupan’s on SW Macadam. They also carry it at Belmont Station over on SE Stark St.
Hey, did I just earn myself your Japanese eggplant???? 🙂
Wow! Totally forgot about that. Absolutely you did, well worth it for the Radler. I was just looking for some at whole foods by they didn’t have, so maybe not in season? Don’t worry, I always pay up!!
🙂 No worries at all!
Pingback: “Radler”: The Solution to my Beer Dilemma | the winegetter