- Top beer cocktails: Radler, Shandy, Diesel, banana wheat beer, Russ, and more.
- Beer with lemonade: Every region calls beer with lemonade something different—radler or shandy?
- Beer with cola: Diesel, Schmutz, or Krefelder—some of the names used in Germany for beer with cola.
- Try beer in Berlin with Berlin Beer Trails and learn everything about beer and beer cocktails.
Craving some variety in your beer glass? Then beer cocktails are exactly what you need. Beer cocktails combine beer with lemonade, juice, or cola. But there are plenty of other variations too, like banana wheat beer, Berliner Weisse, shandy, and much more.
What Are Beer Cocktails?
Beer cocktails are ready-made or freshly mixed drinks made from beer and at least one other ingredient—usually lemonade, juice, or spirits. They combine the crisp taste of beer with sweet, fruity, or spiced flavors and are especially popular for their refreshing character and typically lower alcohol content.
Beer Cocktails: Variety in a Glass
For years, the trend has been moving toward lighter, more refreshing alternatives to classic beer. So-called beer cocktails, which combine beer with juice, lemonade, cola, or other ingredients, are especially popular. Classics like the radler or shandy are probably familiar to everyone, but there are many more exciting creations out there.
What Do You Call Beer with Lemonade?
In Germany, beer with lemonade goes by many names, depending on where you are. In southern Germany, the term "radler" is widespread, while in northern and western Germany, people usually say "Alster" or "Alsterwasser." In eastern and central Germany, "radler" is also the common term, especially in cities. In more rural areas, the drink is often simply called "beer with lemonade." There are international variations too: in Switzerland, it's called "panaché," while in England, this mixed drink is known as a shandy.
Here's where it gets interesting:
Legend has it that the radler was invented in 1922 at the Kugleralm near Deisenhofen, Germany. On a particularly hot summer day, the innkeeper is said to have suddenly welcomed over 13,000 cyclists as guests. When the beer supply started running low, he grabbed some lemon soda, mixed it with the remaining beer, and sold the whole thing as a "radlermass" (cyclist's pint). The mix was so popular that it stuck around and soon spread across the country.
Today, the radler is a classic among beer cocktails. It's light, fizzy, easy-drinking, and perfect for hot days or anyone who prefers a bit less alcohol in their glass.
What Do You Call Beer and Cola?
When it comes to the mix of beer and cola, most people in Germany agree: the drink is called "Diesel." But even the grammatical article sparks debate—is it "der" or "das" Diesel? Grammatically speaking, "der" Diesel is actually correct, since the word refers to the fuel that inspired the name, due to the similarly dark color of the beer-cola mix.
It gets even more interesting when you look at things regionally. In some areas, there are especially creative names for this drink:
- "Schmutz" (dirt) – used in Hesse and the Ruhr region.
- "Drecksack" (dirtbag) – used in the Bavarian region.
A special case is old-style dark beer with cola, a variant known as "Krefelder," especially in the Rhineland. Here too, the name is deeply rooted and well established regionally.
Whether it's called Diesel, Moorwasser, or Krefelder, the beer and cola mix is one of the classic beer cocktails and continues to enjoy great popularity.
Top 9 Beer Cocktails for You:
Here's an overview of the 9 best-known mixed beers, including ingredients and preparation steps:
Beer Cocktail | Ingredients | Preparation |
|---|---|---|
Radler/Shandy/Panaché | 50% pale beer and 50% lemon soda. | Mix beer and lemon soda in the glass, don't stir, and enjoy cold. |
Diesel | 50% beer (lager, pilsner, or export) and 50% cola. | Carefully pour both drinks into the glass, optionally stir lightly. |
Banana Wheat Beer | 50% wheat beer and 50% banana juice. | Pour the banana juice first, then slowly add the wheat beer. |
Russ | 50% wheat beer and 50% lemon soda. | Pour in both ingredients without letting it foam up. |
Berliner Weisse (Red/Green) | Berliner Weisse (historically a sour beer), with raspberry or woodruff syrup. | Pour the syrup into the glass first, then carefully top with beer. |
Alm Radler | 50% pale beer and 50% herbal lemonade. | Mix in a 1:1 ratio. |
Shandy | Lager or ale with lemon soda or ginger ale. | Mix directly in a pint glass. |
Kriek | Lambic-based beer, fermented with cherries. | Available as a ready-made product. |
Snakebite | 50% lager and 50% cider. | Pour directly into a pint glass and enjoy well chilled. |
What Mixes Best with Beer?
My own personal favorite among beer cocktails, on a hot summer day, remains a wheat beer radler—or in the classic Bavarian variant: the Russ, wheat beer with lemon soda.
As a passionate hobby brewer, I find it especially exciting to refine beer cocktails right during the brewing or fermentation process, for example with fruits, purées, or juices. This creates creative, naturally fermented beer-based drinks that surprise not just in taste, but visually too.
However, not everyone has the equipment at home for experiments like these. If you'd still like to dive into the world of mixed beers, I'd recommend looking into the topic of "beer cocktails."
