Classic Shandy
Updated July 16, 2026
Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
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Ingredients
6 to 8 ounces cold lighter-style beer, such as lager
6 to 8 ounces cold sparkling lemonade, ginger ale or ginger beer
Nutritional analysis per serving
14 grams carbs; 113 calories; 20 milligrams sodium; 1 gram protein; 7 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
In a pint or Collins glass, combine the beer and lemonade, ginger ale or ginger beer. Stir gently to mix, and serve.
Private Notes
Comments
The less fussy, the better. Growing up in the UK, we used the equivalent of 7-Up and any light lager- and not half and half, more 1/4 lager to 3/4 beer. Here in the US, 7-Up or Sprite would pair well with Bud or Miller or any relatively plain regional lager. Cheers.
When I lived in England, this drink was made with Sprite or 7-Up; "lemonade" referred to those beverages, not the lemon/sugar/water drink we make in the U.S. And it was delicious!
Anyone who comes to Hamburg shouldn’t order a “Radler,” but rather an “Alsterwasser,” or simply an “Alster.” It’s a shandy, named after the lake in the city, the Alster.
Pour in the heavy sugary lemonade last so that it mixes well with the beer. The other way round it stays at the bottom of the glass. Simple but makes a difference.
It may taste good, but is it an authentic Shandy? I'm not a beer lover and remember two different drinks I used to order in British pubs in the late 1970s and 80s -- a Lager and Lime or a Shandy. I seem to recall that the Shandy was made with lemonade and ale (not a bitter, which would be far too strong for tipplers like me), while the L&L was nade from lager and 7Up or Sprite. Does that sound right to any of our friends acros the Pond?
Where I grew up in the UK, if you ordered a "shandy", it would be about two parts bitter ale to one part lemonade (Sprite, 7Up or - and preferably - R Whites) and that would be the "classic" one to me. A "lager shandy" was in the same ratio but made with lager. The beer would usually be 3.5-4.5%. You could also order a "bitter-top" or "lager-top", made similarly but more like four parts beer to one part lemonade.