Caged Radler



Hoppin' Frog Turbo Shandy

I'm just going to say it. I like shandys, radlers, cyclists, whatever you want to call them. On top of that I like most fruit beers in general. I know that bugs a few guys (read as, macro swilling neanderthals) who find it emasculating to drink fruit beers, but nobody gives two shits about what they think, nor should you. Besides I, like many of you, tend to not eat as much fruits from the food pyramid, or whatever they are calling it these days as we should, so to prevent scurvy I think of these beers as beneficial to my health. For the most part these are refreshing, light, low alcohol beers that deserve as much respect as some of those big boozy dark malty winter brews or over the top imperial IPA's out on the market.

The turbo shandy by Hoppin' Frog piqued my interest, sitting at a hefty 7% ABV certainly separates it from the pack. I was a bit concerned that a juiced up version might be overly boozy and take away from the taste that makes a shandy so refreshing and thirst quenching but I was willing to sacrifice my taste buds for scientific purposes. I must say i was pleasantly surprised.

I always enjoy a 22oz bomber of beer, and a shandy to boot, nice touch. Kind of a goofy graphic with a frog wearing sunglasses, and whats up with that sunny lemon slice. It looks like its bursting from the frogs crotch, I'm not sure i want to know how that lemon got squeezed for this beer. All jokes aside, it  pours a hazy golden yellow with a very thin head with next to no retention. The nose was pleasant with hints of wheat that is transformed into generous helpings of tart lemons with just a touch of booze. The taste has a slight backbone of wheat with some yeasty characteristics that quickly gets over shadowed by the sugary but slightly tart lemon flavors. For such a high level of alcohol it really doesn't play out on the palette and the beer is refreshing but a bit cloying in a lemon soda way. Certainly would be something to enjoy in the summer months but unlike a traditional shandy a couple is going to do the trick. A nice beer that is well worth seeking out and trying.