DRINK RECIPE: Step Up Your Shandy Game

[Photos by Carrie Epps]

Nothing says summer quite like a tall, cold glass of lemonade. A curious fact, considering that citrus fruits reach their peak flavor in winter, but, there you go.

It was on a very summery day in May while studying abroad in London that I first learned about the shandy. After enjoying a class outside, a group of us, including our professor, retired to a pub for a little afternoon refreshment. Being of slight stature -- this is an understatement; she was rail-thin and not even five feet tall -- our professor ordered a half-pint shandy, because it was the only thing she could drink, she told us, without getting totally plastered.

So, what is a shandy? A beer and lemonade cocktail, refreshing as all get out with a slight boozy bite. In recent years, I’ve seen an increasing number of pre-made shandies available on the market, and they’ll do in a pinch, but, really, there’s no reason why you can’t do it yourself.

To make a proper shandy, you’ll need European-style lemonade, which is a fizzy lemon-flavored soft drink. It’s nothing like American lemon-lime flavored sodas, though, so don’t use that. For those of us on the western side of the pond, I recommend lemon (or lime) Italian soda or you can make it yourself. For the beer, I recommend something with a high citrus profile. I used Lagunitas IPA, but a Hefeweizen would be lovely. Fill a pint glass half full with beer and the remaining half with lemonade; or make it with more beer than lemonade or vice versa. No formal measurements, just personal preference. That simple, and simply delicious.

But since I can't leave well enough alone, here are a few suggestions I have to kick it up a notch:

For this first approach, freeze your lemonade into ice cubes, reserving a cup or so. Toss a few in a pint glass, pour in some beer, top off with a few ounces of lemonade and garnish with a slice of lemon. The lemonade ice cubes keep your drink nice and cold, and add more flavor as they melt. You can also make this suitable for entertaining a large group by turning it into a punch -- freeze the lemonade in a large metal bowl, transfer the lemonade ice cube to a punch bowl, and cover with beer and reserved lemonade.

For this second approach, muddle half a lemon (cut into slices or chunks) in a pint glass with a teaspoon or two (or three) of agave nectar or superfine sugar. Pour in a few of ounces of sparkling water, and beer to taste.