Summer Bocktails – Grapefruit Radler Recipe with Basil
History of the Radler
I love reading the history behind storied cocktails like the Pina Colada or Moscow Mule. There’s no shortage of myths about who first invented the concoction and why. With a Shandy / Radler, the debate wages even greater. Not only can connoisseurs not decide on the history, they can’t even decide on a name or country of origin. And what would those historians say about a Grapefruit Radler Recipe?
The drink, consisting of beer and lemon soda or lemonade, is referred to as Radler in Germany and Austria (where some argue it was invented) and Shandy in England (where others argue it was invented) and pretty much the rest of the world.
No matter which country the bocktail is from, the legends of invention are pretty much the same – a bar keep, or brewery, was trying to cover the taste of bad beer with the sweet citrusy summer goodness of lemonade.
The most convincing story, however, hails from a watering hole located 14 miles outside of Munich. In 1922, the barkeeper experienced an unexpected rush of patrons as a bicycle rally came through town. Legend holds that 13,000 cyclists descended upon the Kugleralm. As the barkeeper ran low on the sudsy goodness of beer, he mixed what was left of his dwindling beer supply with lemonade as a refreshing alternative. He even named it Radler which translates cyclist.
Today, breweries and bartenders offer their own take on the radler, experimenting with both the style of beer and citrus used. In my version, I created a Grapefruit Radler with the additional infusion of fresh basil. It’s perfect for a hot summer afternoon!
Grapefruit Radler Recipe
The following recipe creates a radler that will resonate with craft beer fan as it doesn’t overpower the beer but enhances it. For starters, I use an IPA instead of the traditional helles or wheat beer. Find a citrusy IPA that is low on malt level as you are just looking for the hops bite (I used Hoppium by Foothills). I also swapped out the harsh lemons with softer grapefruit and added basil to the simple syrup for an extra level of complexity.
The result is a radler that starts with the sweet grapefruit, followed by the earthy basil, and finished with a clean hop bite.
*If you don’t want to make a basil syrup, you can buy a pre-made syrup by Monin.
Ingredients (Makes 4 servings)
- Sugar (we substitute Splenda) – 2 cups
- Water – 1 cup
- A few springs of fresh basil
- Club soda
- Grapefruits – 2
- IPA – 2 bottles
Assembly
- Mix the water, sugar, and basil of in a small pan. Bring to a boil for five minutes.
- Remove the sauce pan from the stovetop and refrigerate until chilled and ready to serve.
- Mix your grapefruit-ade by combining equal parts club soda and grapefruit. I large grapefruit yields about a half cup of juice. Add 4 tbsp of syrup.
- Combine the beer and grapefruit-ade at a 50 / 50 mix
- Find a swimming pool, balcony or golf course and enjoy!
You must be out of your mind. That’s what happens in the summer humidity of the South. Grapefruit?! Good God man, that affects your statins! Basil? What is this…pairing with spaghetti? Okay.
I I’ll try this, subject to the derision of my friends. If this turns out to be a waste of good beer,I know where you live…….malcolm
Megs said you were a tough critic… I’m not saying to use your best IPA – that would be a waste of beer. I’d aim for less than $10 for sixer quality. Then find a beach, pool, or golf course and enjoy.
Love a shandy! My Aussie grandparents used to drink them during long hot Sydney summers in the Seventies so as an adult I took them up for reasons of nostalgia when I didn’t want a full beer. You’re right in that they’re a perfect middle of the day or late afternoon drink.
Love the idea of your recipe. I’m going to try it! Seeing we now live in Cambodia, I’d like to start trying similar recipes with local ingredients like lemongrass and kaffir lime. Your reader Malcolm probably wouldn’t approve, but what do you think?
Do you like a Michelada? These days I prefer them to shandies. We first tried them in Austin, Texas, and then became hooked in Mexico City. This recipe is from Mexico, so more authentic (i.e. has more chilli) than the stuff they serve in Austin: http://grantourismotravels.com/2010/09/23/entertaining-mexico-style-micheladas-margaritas-guacamole/
We’ll try your recipe if you try ours 🙂
Thanks for stopping by! Your shandy idea sounds awesome! If you create a recipe with local Cambodian ingredients, please share it! Many ingredients found in Cambodia grow well here and are found at the famers market. We actually used to have a lemon grass plant but didn’t use it enough. We do still have the kaffir lime tree in our backyard.
I’m not sure how aware you are of the craft beer scene here in the US. It has beyond blown up. I had a craft beer with Thai influences in it last week. It was quite refreshing and nice. I bet a shandy would do the same.
I love a Michelada. In fact, I am going to include one in this series. I will definitely try your recipe as I experiment with Micheladas. Ours will most likely be spiked with our jalepeno infused tequila (jalepenos also grown at our house). Here’s a link to the infusing of the tequila –
http://thewanderinggourmand.com/2013/09/20/hot-melons-margarita/
I’ve heard PBR + Countrytime Lemonade comes very close Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy. They sell out real fast in Fargo, North Dakota, by the way.
Slamming on PBR, eh? Beware the wrath of hipsters…
Sounds tasty!
Enough to make a wino try it? 🙂
Sure! My favorite beer is the Shiner Ruby redbird. It’s got grapefruit and ginger. Yum!
Why have I not seen this on my trips to Texas visiting the inlaws?
It just came out last year and is seasonal.