Irish Car Bomb – Original Recipe And History

Irish Car Bomb
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Irish Car Bomb

5 from 1 vote Only logged in users can rate recipes
Course: DrinksCuisine: American
Servings

1

servings
Calories

221

kcal
ABV

10%

Total time

3

minutes

Learn how to make the Irish Car Bomb.

Ingredients

  • 1/3 oz 1/3 Irish Cream

  • 1/3 oz 1/3 Coffee Liqueur

  • 1/3 oz 1/3 Irish Whiskey

  • 8 oz 8 Porter Beer (Guinness)

Directions

  • Technique: Pousse Café and Bomb Shot
  • In a shot glass, pour the kahlua, the Irish cream, and finally, the whiskey. Pour gently over the back of a spoon to make clear layers between the three ingredients.
  • Fill a pint glass halfway with Guinness.
  • Drop the shot in the Guinness and down the cocktail quickly since the Irish cream starts curling instantly.

Featured Video

History Of The Irish Car Bomb.

The Irish Car Bomb was invented in 1979 by Charles Burke Cronin Oat while he worked at Wilson’s Saloon in Connecticut. The Irish Car Bomb was a bomb shot cocktail using another drink he invented called the IRA Shot. The IRA Shot is a layered shot of coffee Liqueur, Irish Cream, and Irish Whiskey. Nowadays, the shot served with the Irish car bomb is usually just Irish cream and Irish whiskey, but initially, there was coffee liqueur too. This is a fantastic cocktail, and the mix of Irish cream, coffee, and Guinness is fantastic.

Since its invention, the Irish Car Bomb has been one of the most popular St. Parick Day cocktails in the United States. St. Patricks Day is a regular holiday in Ireland, but it’s an all-out party in the United States. People dress up in costumes, there are parades, entire rivers are dyed green, and people get hammered. A cocktail like the Irish car bomb fits the mood of the day. In the last ten years, there has been a push to rename the cocktail as the name is considered offensive by some. although after 40 years as a super popular St. Patrick’s day drink and being known as the Irish car bomb, that might be hard to do.

The Irish Car Bomb Name.

I see my role in this as simply being the conveyor of the history of this cocktail. Whose duty is to convey information free from judgment, both good and bad. Judgment and opinion are the personal responsibilities of every person for themselves.

That being said, the name Irish car bomb is considered offensive for its reference to bombings by the IRA in the early 1970s. I imagine living in fear of the IRA is pretty traumatic, not to mention the innocent people who died, so don’t ask for one of these in Ireland. I’ve never been to Ireland, but from what I have read, if you order one of these at a bar, someone may try to fight you. That may be an exaggeration, but I wouldn’t know.

In the United States (Where this drink is from), I don’t think most people care. I’ve never personally witnessed anyone get upset in the United States, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. An alternative name I’ve seen suggested is the Irish Slammer. Some get very offended by the name, and some get very offended at the idea of changing the name. You can’t make everyone happy. So if you want to roll the dice and order one, I say read the room and know your audience, and remember most people in the United States are not personally invested in the Irish Car Bombs name.

The Irish car bomb is not the only controversial drink name. Some find the Kamakaze upsetting because it’s named after the Japanese suicide attacks of WWII. Adios motherfucker is often called an AMF. All the sexual cocktail names. The Black and Tan came out of late 19th century San Francisco, but there was another Irish paramilitary group in the 1920s called the black and tans. Even though the drink predates the paramilitary group, I’ve read of some Irish pubs refusing to serve Black and Tans. I read a statistic once that over the last 5000 years, there have been around 11,000 wars, so something is going to bother somebody, be it a book, movie, opinion, simply existing, etc. So again, read the room, know your audience, be good, and try to make wise choices.

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Michelada – Recipe & History

Michelada
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Michelada

0 from 0 votes Only logged in users can rate recipes
Course: DrinksCuisine: Mexican
Servings

1

servings
Calories

111

kcal
ABV

4%

Total time

3

minutes

See how to make a Michelada.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 oz 1/2 Lime Juice

  • 1/2 tsp 1/2 Salt

  • 1 tsp 1 Worcheshire Sauce

  • 2 dashes 2 Maggi Sauce or Soy Sauce

  • 1 tsp 1 Hot Sauce

  • 12 oz 12 Pale Ale or Lager

Directions

  • Technique: Build In Glass
  • Combine all ingredients except for the beer in a glass.
  • Mix the ingredients together.
  • Pour the beer into the glass. It will mix with the other ingredients at the bottom of the glass.
  • Garnish:
  • Tajin rim

Featured Video

History Of The Michelada And The Chelada.

It would be hard to pin down a single origin to the michelada and most likely there isn’t one. Doing a search of digitally archived newspapers, magazines, and books the earliest printed reference I can find to the michelada is in the early 1990s. In a 1992 Mexican book, “Cafión Castro, detective tropical y otras crónicas” by dámaso Murúa, the author mentions the main character stopping to get a michelada and in parenthesis explains it’s a beer with lime and salt. Which tells us the michelada existed but was obscure enough that it needed to be explained. In a 1998 mexican travel guide “Mexico – Traveler’s Companion” by Maribeth Mellin, the author explains that for ordering authentic local drinks “The latest beer concoction is the michelada , served in an icy mug with an inch or so of lime juice in the bottom , salt around the rim and ice”. She also points out that some regions add Maggi sauce to their micheladas and call michelada’s without Maggi sauce just cheladas. I found a few other examples that mirror this information but you get the idea.

The impression i get from these publications from the 1990s is the earliest form of the michelada was just lime juice and salt and the different recipes are regional. Micheladas made with Maggi Sauce, Clamato, or just lime and salt are all equally authentic and most likely developed simultaneously in different regions. So make the Michelada the way you like and flavor it as you feel fit.

These days the Michelada made with only lime juice and salt is usually referred to as a Chelada instead of a michelada. The modern naming of these drinks is a bit clearer than the older way as it helps distinguish between the variations. The Chelada is the lime juice and salt version, the michelada is the savory one with Maggi sauce or soy sauce, and the clamacheve is a michelada with clamato. Where I live, a clamacheva is the default michelada recipe, and nine times out of 10, this is what you will get when you order a michelada.

What Does A Michelada Taste Like?

The Maggi sauce is delicious in this cocktail, and funky flavors from the Worcestershire sauce blend well. I’m used to having a michelada made with clamato, so I was impressed with how good it was when I first had this. I now prefer this over the michelada with clamato. Maggi sauce reminds me of Malta Hatuey (if you have ever had that drink). It has the same roasted, funky and salty malt flavor. Malta is an acquired taste, so if that doesn’t sound appetizing, give soy sauce a try. Surprisingly it doesn’t make the beer taste salty. The salt and seasonings provide a lot of great flavors, but the salt almost makes the beer taste sweeter.

The best advice I can give on making a good Michelada is not to be afraid to load it up with spices. I am not Mexican, so when I consulted my born and raised in Mexico friends on how to make these, they would tell me to add a little lime juice, a little this, a little that, etc. My idea of a little was very different from their idea of a little, and once I learned that my micheladas started to taste good. So add a good amount of spices, and don’t be afraid that you may have added too much. It might be the right amount.

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Clamacheve – Michelada With Clamato Recipe

Michelada
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Clamacheve

0 from 0 votes Only logged in users can rate recipes
Course: DrinksCuisine: Mexican
Servings

1

servings
Calories

127

kcal
ABV

4%

Total time

3

minutes

Learn how to make a Clamacheve.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 oz 1/2 Lime Juice

  • 1/2 tsp 1/2 Salt

  • 1 tsp 1 Worcestershire Sauce

  • 1 tsp 1 Hot Sauce

  • 2 oz 2 Clamato

  • 12 oz 12 Pale Ale or Lager

Directions

  • Technique: Build In Glass
  • Combine all ingredients except for the beer in a glass.
  • Mix the ingredients together.
  • Pour the beer into the glass. It will mix with the other ingredients at the bottom of the glass.
  • Garnish:
  • Tajin and chamoy rim

Featured Video

History Of The Michelada.

It would be hard to pin down a single origin to the michelada and most likely there isn’t one. Doing a search of digitally archived newspapers, magazines, and books the earliest printed reference I can find to the michelada is in the early 1990s. In a 1992 Mexican book, “Cafión Castro, detective tropical y otras crónicas” by dámaso Murúa, the author mentions the main character stopping to get a michelada and in parenthesis explains it’s a beer with lime and salt. Which tells us the michelada existed but was obscure enough that it needed to be explained. In a 1998 mexican travel guide “Mexico – Traveler’s Companion” by Maribeth Mellin, the author explains that for ordering authentic local drinks “The latest beer concoction is the michelada , served in an icy mug with an inch or so of lime juice in the bottom , salt around the rim and ice”. She also points out that some regions add Maggi sauce to their micheladas and call michelada’s without Maggi sauce just cheladas. I found a few other examples that mirror this information but you get the idea.

The impression i get from these publications from the 1990s is the earliest form of the michelada was just lime juice and salt and the different recipes are regional. Micheladas made with Maggi Sauce, Clamato, or just lime and salt are all equally authentic and most likely developed simultaneously in different regions. So make the Michelada the way you like and flavor it as you feel fit.

These days the Michelada made with only lime juice and salt is usually referred to as a Chelada instead of a michelada. The modern naming of these drinks is a bit clearer than the older way as it helps distinguish between the variations. The Chelada is the lime juice and salt version, the michelada is the savory one with Maggi sauce or soy sauce, and the clamacheve is a michelada with clamato. Where I live, a clamacheva is the default michelada recipe, and nine times out of 10, this is what you will get when you order a michelada.

What Does The Clamacheve Taste Like?

The Clamacheve is a fantastic drink; it tastes like a beer mixed with a Bloody Mary. The funky tomato juice with spices and salts mixes very well with the malty refreshing taste of a beer. The times I have traveled somewhere where they are unfamiliar with this drink, I will order a bloody mary and a beer and mix the two at the table. The other tables look at me like I’m crazy but taste like a michelada with clamato. If you like bloody marys, then you would like this.

The best advice I can give on making a good Clamacheve or Michelada is not to be afraid to load it up with spices and lime. I am not Mexican, so when I consulted my born and raised in Mexico friends on how to make these, they would tell me to add a little lime juice, a little this, a little that, etc. My idea of a little was very different from their idea of a little, and once I learned that my micheladas started to taste good. So add a good amount of spices, and don’t be afraid that you may have added too much. It might be the right amount.

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Chelada – Recipe & History

Chelada
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Chelada

0 from 0 votes Only logged in users can rate recipes
Course: DrinksCuisine: Mexican
Servings

1

servings
Calories

111

kcal
ABV

4%

Total time

3

minutes

Learn how to make a Chelada.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 oz 1/2 Lime Juice

  • 1/2 tsp 1/2 Salt

  • 12 oz 12 Pale Ale or Lager

Directions

  • Technique: Build In Glass
  • Combine all ingredients except for the beer in a glass.
  • Mix the ingredients together.
  • Pour the beer into the glass. It will mix with the other ingredients at the bottom of the glass.

Featured Video

History Of The Michelada And The Chelada.

It would be hard to pin down a single origin to the michelada and most likely there isn’t one. Doing a search of digitally archived newspapers, magazines, and books the earliest printed reference I can find to the michelada is in the early 1990s. In a 1992 Mexican book, “Cafión Castro, detective tropical y otras crónicas” by dámaso Murúa, the author mentions the main character stopping to get a michelada and in parenthesis explains it’s a beer with lime and salt. Which tells us the michelada existed but was obscure enough that it needed to be explained. In a 1998 mexican travel guide “Mexico – Traveler’s Companion” by Maribeth Mellin, the author explains that for ordering authentic local drinks “The latest beer concoction is the michelada , served in an icy mug with an inch or so of lime juice in the bottom , salt around the rim and ice”. She also points out that some regions add Maggi sauce to their micheladas and call michelada’s without Maggi sauce just cheladas. I found a few other examples that mirror this information but you get the idea.

The impression i get from these publications from the 1990s is the earliest form of the michelada was just lime juice and salt and the different recipes are regional. Micheladas made with Maggi Sauce, Clamato, or just lime and salt are all equally authentic and most likely developed simultaneously in different regions. So make the Michelada the way you like and flavor it as you feel fit.

These days the Michelada made with only lime juice and salt is usually referred to as a Chelada instead of a michelada. The modern naming of these drinks is a bit clearer than the older way as it helps distinguish between the variations. The Chelada is the lime juice and salt version, the michelada is the savory one with Maggi sauce or soy sauce, and the clamacheve is a michelada with clamato. Where I live, a clamacheva is the default michelada recipe, and nine times out of 10, this is what you will get when you order a michelada.

What Does A Chelada Taste Like?

The Chelada is fantastic, and the lime juice and salt mix beautifully with beer. The lime’s acid and freshness perfectly cut the beer’s malty flavor. It’s a great beach drink and a great beer to enjoy after a day of hard work outside.

The best advice I can give on making a good Chelada or Michelada is not to be afraid to load it up with spices and lime. I am not Mexican, so when I consulted my born and raised in Mexico friends on how to make these, they would tell me to add a little lime juice, a little this, a little that, etc. My idea of a little was very different from their idea of a little, and once I learned that my micheladas started to taste good. So add a good amount of spices, and don’t be afraid that you may have added too much. It might be the right amount.

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Boilermaker – Original Recipe & History

Boilermaker
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Boilermaker

0 from 0 votes Only logged in users can rate recipes
Course: DrinksCuisine: American
Servings

1

servings
Calories

221

kcal
ABV

8%

Total time

3

minutes

Learn how to make the Boilermaker.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 oz 1.5 Bourbon

  • 12 oz 12 Pale Ale or Lager

Directions

  • Technique: Build In Glass
  • Pour beer into a pint glass, and whiskey into a shot glass.
  • Pour the whiskey into the glass of beer.

Featured Video

The History Of The Boilermaker.

This has been a complicated drink to research. Some sources say it was invented in the mining towns of Montana in the 19th century, but I don’t see evidence for that. Ultimately, it’s just whiskey and beer, which doesn’t deserve its own menu item. After a ton of looking around and checking many different sources, I didn’t see any mention of this drink being called a boilermaker till at least 1957. The earliest use of whiskey and beer being called a boilermaker that I could find came from the February 1957 issue of the New Yorker volume 33. Maybe there is an older reference, but I have not seen it yet.

The Boilermakers’ origins might be from bootlegging during prohibition. In the 1932 cocktail book “The Art Of Mixing” by James A. Wiley and Helene M. Griffith, there is a cocktail on page 7 called the Block and Fall. The block and fall recipe is one shot glass of rye whiskey and a glass of beer. The joke goes, “Drink two – walk a block and fall.” This is relevant because, in the Congressional Record of the 68th congress of the United States dated April 1 to April 14, 1924, on page 6030, they mention a style of bootleg whiskey called block and fall. The article states that even with substantial efforts and resources to coordinate federal, state, and local forces to block the smuggling by the sea of alcohol, it will not affect the block and fall variety of bootleg liquor. It describes block and fall as a small quantity of whiskey mixed with water and cheap grain alcohol. By doing this, a bootlegger could take a small amount of whiskey, lengthen it, and sell it for a considerable profit. The article states that Individuals will try and get prescriptions for whiskey, arguing medical necessity, and then use the small quart of medical whiskey to make block and fall. The article even makes the same joke about why the street name of this product is called block and fall. This is still done today with other illicit drugs. A kilo of coke often gets cut with meth, baby powder, etc., and suddenly that single kilo is now 4 kilos.

Again no one knows the exact origins of this drink, but my best guess is that the prohibition-era block and fall eventually became known as the boilermaker. Like block and falls purpose of lengthening whiskey and turning a small amount of whiskey into a large amount, the boilermaker was originally a way to turn a shot of whiskey into a larger drink on the cheap.

How Do You Drink A Boilermaker?

There are a few ways to drink the boilermaker. These are the most common ways.

  • Drink the shot, then chase it with the beer.
  • Sip them both together.
  • Bomb shot it, dropped the whiskey in the beer, and consumed it all at once.
  • Pour the whiskey into the beer and drink the beer as you normally would.

Again this is a weird one because it’s just two different drinks at the end of the day, but I feel the whiskey and beer should be mixed. You can’t sip lemonade and then take a sip of iced tea and say you’re drinking an Arnold palmer. They must be combined. The bomb shot way is acceptable, but that is to get you buzzed fast. The other way is to pour the shot into the beer and drink the beer normally. This is how I think the drink was originally intended to be consumed. For someone who just got off work, it was a way to make a cheap drink last before heading home to the wife and kids (Let’s be honest though, the stay-at-home parent has a MUCH harder job than the one who goes to work). It’s stronger than just a beer, but it also lets you sit down and take your time. A true hard-working man’s drink. Who knows, maybe that’s how it got the name boilermaker.

My Personal thoughts On The Boilermaker.

Not that anyone cares but here are my thoughts on the boilermakers. I like it, and I like pouring the shot in and drinking it like a regular beer. If I have a boilermaker, though, it is a one-and-done drink. I’m not having anything else after that. It’s also fun to see what combinations of spirit and beer taste good together. For example, I like a rye shot with a blue moon or some other hefeweizen, or another one I like is aged rum with a modelo negro. Using tequila in a boilermaker is excellent too. It’s fun to look at the bottles at the back of the bar and mix and match a spirit to a beer. The boilermaker is excellent in moderation. I can see why it was once called the block and fall.

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Porter And Cream – Recipe

Porter & Cream
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Porter And Cream

0 from 0 votes Only logged in users can rate recipes
Course: DrinksCuisine: American
Servings

1

servings
Calories

430

kcal
ABV

6%

Total time

3

minutes

Make a Porter and Cream beer cocktail

Ingredients

  • 2/3 oz 2/3 Simple Syrup

  • 5 dashes 5 Vanilla Extract

  • 1.5 oz 1.5 Stabilized Heavy Cream

  • 12 oz 12 Porter Ale

Directions

  • Technique: Build In Glass
  • To make stabilized heavy cream add 1 tbsp (7 g) or cornstarch to 1 cup (240mLs) of heavy cream.
  • Mix the two ingredients with a wire whisk and let it sit for a few minutes before using.
  • Mix stabilized cream, simple syrup, and vanilla extract into a pint glass.
  • Add beer and give the drink a few turns to mix evenly.

Featured Video

The Right Beer Makes A Big Difference.

For this cocktail, I was trying to make a beer cocktail that tasted like a root beer float. I found a sweeter/low bitter porter to taste better. I find stouts to be a bit too bitter and strong to blend well with the cream. Guinness works well but keeps an eye out for a sweeter porter, but the simple syrup can easily be adjusted to offset a more bitter beer. My favorite beer to use when making this is Black Butte Porter by Deschutes Brewery. It’s also one of my favorite porters anyway, so I’m sure that plays a role, in my opinion, but it blends very well with the dairy, sugar, and vanilla extract. So I say find your favorite porter and give it a go. If it misses the mark, then try a different one.

The Problem With Mixing Dairy And Alcohol And How Stabilized Cream Can Help.

Dairy and alcohol do not mix well. Especially dairy and a slightly acidic drink like beer. The problem is in an acidic or alkaline environment, protein will denature (aka cook), and the protein molecules will unfold. These loose unfolded protein molecules can bond together, forming large, firm protein clumps. We call cheese, and a beer with tiny bits of cheese floating about is repulsive. There are two ways to prevent this from happening.

  1. The high-fat content in heavy cream will bond with the alcohol and help prevent it from denaturing the proteins. This is why heavy cream is added to a white Russian and not milk or half and half. The fat will only protect against alcohol, though. Beer is also slightly acidic, and to protect against that, you need something else.
  2. Starch is the secret ingredient that will prevent the protein from bonding together and forming clumps even in an acidic environment.

Using starch to stabilize dairy is nothing new; pastry bakers have been using cream mixed with corn starch for a long time. Boston cream pies, meringues, and whip creams that last for hours. It’s been a long time since I have taken an organic chemistry class but what I believe happens is the starch, which is a long glucose chain, will bind to the unfolded and denatured protein chain. The protein/amino acids will bond to the glucose that makes up the starch instead of to another protein/amino acid chain. This is why a Boston cream filling remains silky smooth after being cooked. There is a bit more to it, and I could talk about the different effects starch will have based on when it is added, but for this specific drink, this will do.

How To Make Stabilized Cream.

To make stabilized heavy cream add 1 tbsp (7 g) or cornstarch to 1 cup (240mLs) of heavy cream. Mix the two ingredients with a wire whisk and let it sit for a few minutes before using.

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Shandy – British Style Recipe

Shandy (Sparkling Clear Lemonade)
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Shandy (British Style)

0 from 0 votes Only logged in users can rate recipes
Course: DrinksCuisine: British
Servings

1

servings
Calories

168

kcal
ABV

2%

Total time

3

minutes

Learn how to make a British-style Shandy.

Ingredients

  • 8 oz 8 Stong or Pale Ale

  • 8 oz 8 Clear Sparkling Lemonade (7Up or Sprite)

Directions

  • Technique: Simple Combine
  • Half fill a pint glass with lemonade.
  • Fill the remaining half with beer.

Featured Video

The History Of The Shandy.

The Shandy Gaff is the oldest known version of the shandy-style beer cocktails. The Shandy Gaff is a 1:1 strong or pale ale beer mixed with ginger beer. The earliest printed recipe I could find for the Shandy Gaff is in the 1888 Harry Johnson’s new And Improved Bartender’s Manual. Every recipe I can see from 1888 to 1972 refers to the cocktail as a Shandy Gaff and not simply a Shandy, and they are all made with beer and ginger ale. Although the most popular shandy mixer today is not ginger beer but lemonade. The kind of lemonade used depends on the region.

Americans use the more regionally typical non-carbonated lemonade (like a child’s lemonade stand-style lemonade), the British use clear carbonated lemonade (7Up or Sprite), and the german style uses the cloudy carbonated lemonades (Italian soda style lemonade). The German-style is my favorite way to make it. The first account I could find of the cocktail being called a shandy and make with sparkling lemonade is in a 1989 research paper by John Balding called “We Teach Them How to Drink!” Interestingly that research paper argues that British children will start drinking at young ages anyway, so parents need to teach them responsible ways to drink when they are young. The Shandy is described as gateway alcohol since it is so easy to drink.

The commonly told history of how the lemonade was first mixed with beer comes from Munich, Germany. The story goes that a Pub owner outside Munich was in danger of running out of beer when countless cyclists stopped at his pub for a drink. To avoid running out of beer, he mixed the local lager with lemonade and sold it as the Radlermass. Radlermass is german for “cyclist liter.” The other german name I find for beer and lemonade is Alsterwasser. This is a reference to the Alster River in northern Germany. The article referencing these two german shandies referred to them as tractor or field beers. They were intended as session drinks with a low ABV but enough sugar and calories so that they could be consumed while doing hard work. They could refresh and nourish a sweaty field worker without inhibiting them mentally.

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Shandy Gaff – Classic Recipe & History

Shandy Gaff
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Shandy Gaff

0 from 0 votes Only logged in users can rate recipes
Course: DrinksCuisine: British
Servings

1

servings
Calories

192

kcal
ABV

2%

Total time

3

minutes

Learn how to make a Shandy Gaff.

Ingredients

  • 8 oz 8 Stong or Pale Ale

  • 8 oz 8 Ginger Beer

Directions

  • Technique: Build In Glass
  • Half fill a pint glass with ginger beer.
  • Fill the remaining half with beer.

Featured Video

The History Of The Shandy And Shandy Gaff.

The Shandy Gaff is the oldest known version of the shandy-style beer cocktails. The Shandy Gaff is a 1:1 strong or pale ale beer mixed with ginger beer. The earliest printed recipe I could find for the Shandy Gaff is in the 1888 Harry Johnson’s new And Improved Bartender’s Manual. Every recipe I can see from 1888 to 1972 refers to the cocktail as a Shandy Gaff and not simply a Shandy, and they are all made with beer and ginger ale. Although the most popular shandy mixer today is not ginger beer but lemonade. The kind of lemonade used depends on the region.

Americans use the more regionally typical non-carbonated lemonade (like a child’s lemonade stand-style lemonade), the British use clear carbonated lemonade (7Up or Sprite), and the german style uses the cloudy carbonated lemonades (Italian soda style lemonade). The German-style is my favorite way to make it. The first account I could find of the cocktail being called a shandy and make with sparkling lemonade is in a 1989 research paper by John Balding called “We Teach Them How to Drink!” Interestingly that research paper argues that British children will start drinking at young ages anyway, so parents need to teach them responsible ways to drink when they are young. The Shandy is described as gateway alcohol since it is so easy to drink.

The commonly told history of how the lemonade was first mixed with beer comes from Munich, Germany. The story goes that a Pub owner outside Munich was in danger of running out of beer when countless cyclists stopped at his pub for a drink. To avoid running out of beer, he mixed the local lager with lemonade and sold it as the Radlermass. Radlermass is german for “cyclist liter.” The other german name I find for beer and lemonade is Alsterwasser. This is a reference to the Alster River in northern Germany. The article referencing these two german shandies referred to them as tractor or field beers. They were intended as session drinks with a low ABV but enough sugar and calories so that they could be consumed while doing hard work. They could refresh and nourish a sweaty field worker without inhibiting them mentally.

Recipe Resources

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Alsterwasser – German Style Shandy Recipe

Shandy (Sparkling Cloudy Lemonade)
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Alsterwasser (German Style Shandy)

0 from 0 votes Only logged in users can rate recipes
Course: DrinksCuisine: German
Servings

1

servings
Calories

168

kcal
ABV

2%

Total time

3

minutes

Learn how to make a German-style Shandy.

Ingredients

  • 8 oz 8 Amber or Pale Lager

  • 8 oz 8 Sparkling Cloudy Lemonade

Directions

  • Technique: Simple Combine
  • Half fill a pint glass with lemonade.
  • Fill the remaining half with beer.

Featured Video

The History Of The Shandy.

The Shandy Gaff is the oldest known version of the shandy-style beer cocktails. The Shandy Gaff is a 1:1 strong or pale ale beer mixed with ginger beer. The earliest printed recipe I could find for the Shandy Gaff is in the 1888 Harry Johnson’s new And Improved Bartender’s Manual. Every recipe I can see from 1888 to 1972 refers to the cocktail as a Shandy Gaff and not simply a Shandy, and they are all made with beer and ginger ale. Although the most popular shandy mixer today is not ginger beer but lemonade. The kind of lemonade used depends on the region.

Americans use the more regionally typical non-carbonated lemonade (like a child’s lemonade stand-style lemonade), the British use clear carbonated lemonade (7Up or Sprite), and the german style uses the cloudy carbonated lemonades (Italian soda style lemonade). The German-style is my favorite way to make it. The first account I could find of the cocktail being called a shandy and make with sparkling lemonade is in a 1989 research paper by John Balding called “We Teach Them How to Drink!” Interestingly that research paper argues that British children will start drinking at young ages anyway, so parents need to teach them responsible ways to drink when they are young. The Shandy is described as gateway alcohol since it is so easy to drink.

The commonly told history of how the lemonade was first mixed with beer comes from Munich, Germany. The story goes that a Pub owner outside Munich was in danger of running out of beer when countless cyclists stopped at his pub for a drink. To avoid running out of beer, he mixed the local lager with lemonade and sold it as the Radlermass. Radlermass is german for “cyclist liter.” The other german name I find for beer and lemonade is Alsterwasser. This is a reference to the Alster River in northern Germany. The article referencing these two german shandies referred to them as tractor or field beers. They were intended as session drinks with a low ABV but enough sugar and calories so that they could be consumed while doing hard work. They could refresh and nourish a sweaty field worker without inhibiting them mentally.

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Shandy – American Style Recipe

Shandy American
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Shandy (American Style)

0 from 0 votes Only logged in users can rate recipes
Course: DrinksCuisine: American
Servings

1

servings
Calories

192

kcal
ABV

2%

Total time

3

minutes

Learn how to make an American-style Shandy.

Ingredients

  • 8 oz 8 Stong or Pale Ale

  • 8 oz 8 Non-Carbonated Lemonade

Directions

  • Technique: Simple Combine
  • Half fill a pint glass with lemonade.
  • Fill the remaining half with beer.

Featured Video

The History Of The Shandy.

The Shandy Gaff is the oldest known version of the shandy-style beer cocktails. The Shandy Gaff is a 1:1 strong or pale ale beer mixed with ginger beer. The earliest printed recipe I could find for the Shandy Gaff is in the 1888 Harry Johnson’s new And Improved Bartender’s Manual. Every recipe I can see from 1888 to 1972 refers to the cocktail as a Shandy Gaff and not simply a Shandy, and they are all made with beer and ginger ale. Although the most popular shandy mixer today is not ginger beer but lemonade. The kind of lemonade used depends on the region.

Americans use the more regionally typical non-carbonated lemonade (like a child’s lemonade stand-style lemonade), the British use clear carbonated lemonade (7Up or Sprite), and the german style uses the cloudy carbonated lemonades (Italian soda style lemonade). The German-style is my favorite way to make it. The first account I could find of the cocktail being called a shandy and make with sparkling lemonade is in a 1989 research paper by John Balding called “We Teach Them How to Drink!” Interestingly that research paper argues that British children will start drinking at young ages anyway, so parents need to teach them responsible ways to drink when they are young. The Shandy is described as gateway alcohol since it is so easy to drink.

The commonly told history of how the lemonade was first mixed with beer comes from Munich, Germany. The story goes that a Pub owner outside Munich was in danger of running out of beer when countless cyclists stopped at his pub for a drink. To avoid running out of beer, he mixed the local lager with lemonade and sold it as the Radlermass. Radlermass is german for “cyclist liter.” The other german name I find for beer and lemonade is Alsterwasser. This is a reference to the Alster River in northern Germany. The article referencing these two german shandies referred to them as tractor or field beers. They were intended as session drinks with a low ABV but enough sugar and calories so that they could be consumed while doing hard work. They could refresh and nourish a sweaty field worker without inhibiting them mentally.

Related Articles

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Discover More Classics

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