Amstel Radler Is Delicious and Historically Significant

There's more to Amstel's new summer shandy, Radler, than you may think. The drink, surprisingly fresh thanks to 40 to 60 percent ratio of Amstel lager to natural lemon juice, carries a low alcohol content (2.0 percent), allowing one to knock back a few without that over-inebriated smack to the face you get from most other hard lemonades.

So how did Radler come about?

Funny story. In 1922, a Bavarian named Franz Xaver Kugler built a bar at the end of a popular bike trail in Germany. After some 13,000 cyclists rode into town demanding beer (natch), Kugler realized he didn't have nearly enough booze to satisfy the thirsty German cyclists.

Panicking, Kugler improvised by mixing half his inventory of beer with thousands of bottles of clear lemon soda from his cellar. The 50/50 beer-lemon concoction was an instant hit, and Radler (meaning "cyclist" in German) was thus born.

With a taste and texture akin to San Pellegrino, sipping a Radler at work is a totally acceptable and a wonderful afternoon treat for hot summer days. Our sincere hope is that you're lucky enough to work at a company that encourages day drinking.


Jeremy Glass is the Vice editor for Supercompressor and definitely works at a company that encourages day drinking. Best job ever? Best job ever.