Turn Your Beer Into A Ginger Ale Shandy For A Refreshing Twist

Although plenty of people will disagree, it is actually possible to end up with extra beer. Maybe you have leftovers after a party but you're more of a wine household. Maybe someone brought a variety that isn't your favorite; a nice gesture, but a real space waster. Or, maybe you just unearthed some frosty suds (properly stored!) from the back of your freezer that have passed peak form. All are occasions for a little innovation, and all are occasions when a shandy comes in handy. It's so tasty that you might even set out to make one, leftovers notwithstanding.

Shandy is a mix of beer and another carbonated potable, typically citrus. The latter is often lemon-forward, and the former is sometimes swapped for cider. Like a radler, a shandy's proportions should be half booze and half soft drink. But, it's also a fairly forgiving beverage. Ginger shandies, though perhaps lesser-seen today, are actually classics of the genre and date back to the shandygaffs of 19th-century England. Lighter beers work best here, though something like a Guinness could make a statement. And, while you'll want to avoid sours to minimize any puckering when citrus is in the mix, they should perform just fine in the ginger shandy variety.

In addition to being delicious, ginger ale shandies slot right into the low-ABV category without you having to buy ancillary liqueurs or break out the juicer. If your beer base is a common 5% ABV, for example, you are obviously reducing your overall consumption when swapping some out for ginger beer. You can also keep the shandy totally zero-proof with a non-alcoholic beer.

Shandies also feel a little more polished than a cooler full of cans when you're hosting a casual brunch or summer cookout. You might want to serve something a little more intentional, but you don't want to spend the whole day measuring, shaking, and stirring. Instead, you can make a batch of shandies in advance or even à la minute without a major time commitment. They're also a sneaky way to stretch your beer if it's reaching its end and the fun's just begun. Provided you've got enough ginger ale kicking around, you can virtually double your supply with little more than a few pours.