Stiegl Radler Grapefruit

Stiegl Radler Grapefruit immediately caught my eye when I walked into the liquor store on a hot June day. I think it was a combination of its snazzy 500mL Gingham-patterned can and its grapefruit focus that drew me in.  I had to have it immediately.

The product of Stieglbrauerei Zu Salzburg, Stiegl Radler Grapefruit hails from Salzburg, Austria. It's a mix of 50% beer (presumably Stiegl's popular pale lager) and 50% fruit juice. It's very, VERY mild, clocking in at a liver-gladdening 2.5% alcohol. It pours a cloudy pale yellow colour, topped with a white head that fades quickly.

There is a tart grapefruit aroma with only a faint whisper of beer to it. It tastes very much like a grapefruit soda--it's fizzy and has that same blend of tartness and sugariness. The pale lager base is way in the background. It's really only a juice platform and an alcohol delivery device. I wouldn't complain if there was a bit more lager heft to this stuff.

The Grapefruit Radler is compellingly refreshing. It's alcoholicly anemic (which is a bit of a complaint), but it has a great fruit flavour. It would probably be really nice over ice. After a hot day in the sun, this stuff will really hit the spot, plus it should appeal to people who don't normally drink beer. This stuff was certainly a big hit with the wife.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.