Fresh off the success of their Narragansett Autocrat Coffee Milk Stout, The Narragansett Brewing Company, headquartered in Providence, RI has combined their beer with another Rhode Island icon with the release of Narragansett Del’s Shandy. Del’s Lemonade, if you don’t know, is a chain of shops in the Ocean State that sells frozen lemonade drinks, something like a slushy if you want to relate, though those of us who have had a Del’s can tell you there is just nothing more refreshing on a hot summer day than an icy cold, lemony Del’s, preferably after a trip to the beach.

Narragansett has this to say about their collaboration on the can:

Great-Grandfather DeLucia made his first frozen lemonade back in Italy in 1840. During the winter he carried snow into nearby caves and insulated it with straw. When summer arrived, he mixed the snow with fresh, local lemon juice and sugar, making a refreshing drink. His grandson, Angelo introduced this icy treat to Rhode Island in 1948, and today there are over 30 Del’s stands across America. ‘Gansett is proud to present this delicious Shandy with the perfect balance of Narragansett Lager and lemon flavor. It’s refreshingly different!

A shandy, of course (what the Germans calla radler) is a mix of lager beer and lemon flavored soda. There are a number of pre-mixed shandies on the market, which are generally less sweet than one you might make yourself by mixing a pale lager with a sugary lemon soda.

Narragansett Del’s Shandy is a specialty release, and sells for between $8.99 and $9.99 for a six-pack. Keep in mind these are 16-ounce cans, however. It is contract brewed at Genesee in Rochester, New York.  Reports are that the beer flew off the shelves and Narragansett plans to produce more. Alcohol is 5% by volume.

Narragansett Del’s Shandy pours to a bright golden color with a medium sized wispy head formation that fades soon after forming and a delightful tart lemony nose. Taking a sip, the beer has some crisp biscuit malt up front and you certainly get the classic ‘Gansett lager character. It’s creamy, too, and soon yields to the zesty, bitter lemon peel flavor and aroma. The beer has just the right amount of bitterness in the finish, too, and is very tart like fresh lemons.

Del’s Lemonade is icy cold and sweet, and of course this beer is neither of those things. It does have the delicious flavor of tart lemon and bitter lemon rinds, though, that remind me of those prized finds of real lemon chunks in the bottom of your Del’s. That’s what makes this one different, it really is loaded with bitter lemon flavor, and really recalls the experience of drinking a Del’s lemonade.

Very easy drinking and eminently refreshing, Narragansett Del’s Shandy may just be the perfect brew for a hot summer day. You don’t have to be a Rhode Islander to enjoy this beer, but that might help you find it. Don’t miss it if you have the chance to try it. As pre-mixed shandies go, this is one of the best I’ve ever tasted.

Update 7/5/2018: On vacation in Charleston, South Carolina last week I picked up two six-packs of Kinger cans of Narragansett Del's Shandy for $11.99 each. Just the thing for a hot Georgia summer!

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



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