Do you like India Pale Ale? Do you like grapefruit? If you answered yes to both of those questions, then the Red Hare Brewing Company of Marietta, Georgia has just the beer for you. It’s Red Hare SPF 50/50 India Pale Radler, a blend of Red Hare Gangway IPA and grapefruit soda. Their own grapefruit soda, mind you.

Now, it might make more sense to make a radler with Red Hare Long Day Lager speaking strictly in traditional terms, but there is method to Red Hare’s madness, and the citrusy, grapefruit flavors of an IPA really match well with the citrusy, grapefruit flavors of grapefruit. Annndddd I can’t believe I just said that, but there it is.

From the label:

Wishing you were still on vacation? Transport yourself with Red Hare’s take on the classic European Radler. We’ve blended our Gangway India Pale Ale with our house-made grapefruit juice to create an India Pale Radler. This IPR delivers a refreshing flavor that reminds you of the beach where it is always happy hour, and recovery is only a bacon buffet away.

Red Hare SPF 50/50 India Pale Radler has an alcohol content of 4.2% by volume, which is about in the range of where a radler should be; perhaps a bit high to be honest, but not outrageously so. German radlers (and Irish shandies for that matter) are generally a 50/50 mix of lager and soda, hence the name here. Gangway IPA has an alcohol content of 6.2% by volume, so a blend with soda should get you 3.1% alcohol by volume. If some brewer comes up with an imperial radler, I’m going to quit drinking. Anyway, Red Hare SPF 50/50 India Pale Radler has 38 IBUs and runs $9.99 a six-pack in cans. The can I’m drinking is stamped as best by Oct 02 2016, and I am drinking it on August 21^st.

Red Hare SPF 50/50 India Pale Radler pours to a hazy yellow orange color with a thick head of loosely packed bubbles and a strong citrusy grapefruit juice nose. Taking a sip, the beer is very refreshing with just a bit of caramel malt up front before it really becomes virtually all grapefruity in the palate. It’s a lot like fresh squeezed grapefruit juice with maybe a little orange juice mixed in except for a bit of grassy hops that poke through at the last. Still, I love grapefruit juice, and this is one refreshing radler beer blend.

I’ll say this, It’s VERY drinkable and mine disappeared in no time in the late August heat. This would make a great beer for the beach or backyard barbecues, if the heat and humidity allow the latter. What are the odds we see this beer again next year? I’d say at least 50/50…..

Update 6/11/2017: Red Hare SPF 50/50 is back for 2017! $5.75 for 23 ounces of this refreshing summer radler at Taco Mac. It was glorious!

Home