NOW the weather is warming up, we are finding ourselves outdoors more either for work or recreation and that also means working up a thirst.
In a break away from the deluge of pale ales, Hahn has come up with a true thirst quencher in its Hahn Radler. This style was developed in Germany cut 50/50 with beer and lemon but Hahn, recognising the Aussie demand for beer with a beer flavour (not lemon) has blended theirs at 70 per cent beer and 30 per cent lemon.
The result is in some way a glorified shandy with more body. It is definitely a thirst quencher, is very easy to drink on a hot day but is a mid-strength at 3.2 per cent and will have broad appeal, especially to those who aren't hardcore beer drinkers and prefer a less robust bitterness.
It is clean with a good tight white head and has a distinctive lemon scent in the aroma. The Radler is clean and crisp across the palate with a just a touch of bitterness in the aftertaste and doesn't sit heavily in the gut.
This is a very social beer which doesn’t have the same level of sweetness as other infused beers on the market and therefore has great sessionability - being a mid that is an added bonus.
It lends itself nicely to salads, seafoods and light Mediterranean-style foods but will be equally at home with barbies and parties. If you are after a full-bodied beer, then this isn't your cup of tea (so to speak) but if you are after a refreshing alternative or a good cleansing ale, Hahn Radler might be the answer.
MY TIP: Straight from the stubbies or in a tall pilsner-style glass and don’t bother with fruit, there’s enough lemon in it already. At around $16 per 330ml sixpack, it’s a decent mid- strength alternative.