Have you tried fruit beer yet? Despite what you may think, this isn’t just that latest trend. Mixing fruit juice with beer has a long history dating back to the early 1900s in the Munich region of Germany. 

Traditionally, a 50/50 mix of beer and lemonade (or a cloudy mix of orange juice and lemonade) was made as a thirst quencher during the summer months for the cyclists in Bavaria. The mixture became known as a Radlermass, “cyclist’s liter,” which over time became shortened to just Radler. Now the term encompasses almost any beer mixed with almost any fruit juice, including flavors like grapefruit, pineapple, watermelon, blood orange and tangerine. 

The Radler-style drink became so popular, it spread to other countries and many regional variations started to appear. In England, for instance, the mix became known as a Shandy. Today many brewers are taking the process one step further and actually brewing the beer and fruit together to create a beer with sweet, bitter and sour tastes in harmony. 

Another style of fruit beer that has gained in popularity over the last couple of years is “sour” beer. The beer is purposely made slightly sour by the addition of a souring agent (usually a bacteria, like what’s used to make vinegar). Fruit is then added for a touch of sweetness to balance out the tangy tartness. 

Want to taste the tradition for yourself? Check out our Daily Dish: Fruit Beers Ripe for the Picking to see what sorts of fantastic fruity flavors we carry. You can also visit our adult beverage section and talk to our friendly in-store wine stewards to find out more!