In Germany, beer is an integral part of life. It’s not something that one drinks by the 12-pack while watching the game on a Sunday afternoon, rather it is a beverage that comes in various colors, flavors, and strengths, each one flexible in its application to assorted occasions. The Germans are very particular about what goes into their beer, even having passed a law in 1516 known as the Reinheitsgebot, or beer purity law, that defines which ingredients are acceptable to brew beer from.

Once you’ve bought your pure beer, though, you can of course do whatever you want with it, and in Germany it is popular to mix beer with soft drinks to produce a refreshing, lower alcohol beverage. Almost invariably, that soft drink will be Zitronenlimonade, a lemon sparkling soda similar to 7-UP. These mixtures are wonderful on a hot day at the beach. They will refresh you without getting you tipsy.

One of these combinations is called a Russenmass, and it is a marriage of equal parts Weiss, or wheat beer, with lemon soda. Another is the Radlermass, which is made with equal parts lemon soda and pale lager (I hesitate to say light lager given its low-calorie brew interpretation. Light lager can also mean a full strength, pale lager).

Recently, Germany’s Herrnbrau brewery of Ingolstadt, Bavaria introduced a bottled Radlermass that is exported to the American market. Herrnbrau has an indirect history dating back to the 18th century. In 1899, the Actienbrauerei of Ingolstadt merged with the Bürgerliches Brauhaus Ingolstadt. Today, the company is known as Herrnbrau and its famous, historic brewhouse still stands in Ingolstadt in addition to more modern facilities. The company refers to itself as “Der Weißbierspezialist aus Bayern”, or the “wheat beer specialists of Bavaria.” Surely, there are a number of other Bavarian brewers who would dispute that claim.

Many styles are produced, including Hell, Pils, Dunkel, Export, and the Radler. A special Tradition beer is also produced, and this is mixed with lemon soda to make the Herrn Radler. The finished product has an alcohol content of 2.7% by volume.

Herrn Radler pours to a very pale yellow color with a light head formation and a very faint malt nose. The palate has a very subtle malt tone with a marked crispness. It is very lemony, as one would expect, with a tart bubbly finish reminiscent of 7-UP. Radler is slightly sweet and really more like a soda than a beer. It is quite refreshing.

This was worth trying, but I suspect one could achieve equal (and cheaper) results by mixing equal parts light lager (Paulaner Munich, Penn Helles Golden Lager, Dominion Helles, even Beck’s) with 7-UP. Still, pick up a bottle of Herrn Radler if you see it. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it, as I did.

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft

(G)=Growler



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