Italian Limoncello Radler
This limoncello radler is a bright, bubbly Italian take on the classic. Limoncello, lemon San Pellegrino, and a light Italian lager, which I pour a little heavier on the beer than a traditional radler, so it stays crisp instead of sweet.
This limoncello radler is my Italian spin on the classic beer-and-lemonade combo, and it's just about the most refreshing thing I can imagine sipping on a hot afternoon. It leans a little more spirited than a traditional radler thanks to the limoncello, so it's still easygoing but feels a touch more like a proper cocktail.
The flavor is all about bright, sunny lemon. Limoncello brings a sweet, zippy citrus note that comes through without overpowering the glass, while lemon San Pellegrino keeps things fresh and fizzy in place of the usual lemonade. I love that its bittersweet, grown-up citrus keeps the drink from tipping into soda-sweet territory, so you get sweet and tart, bright and crisp, all in one breezy sip. If you love an Italian beer cocktail, my Beergroni is another one worth keeping in your back pocket.
This isn't a traditional radler, and that's on purpose
A real German radler is half light lager and half lemon soda, poured in even halves and built to be sessionable. Cyclists drink it, which is where the name comes from. One thing worth knowing: the lemonade in a traditional radler isn't American lemonade at all; it's a tart, fizzy lemon soda, which is why swapping in the sweet stuff from a carton never tastes quite right.
I pour this one two parts beer to one part soda instead. With limoncello already bringing sweetness to the glass, a full 50/50 soda pour tipped it sugary fast. Backing the soda off keeps the beer's crisp, slightly bitter finish in play, and that's what makes it refreshing rather than just sweet.
The beer to reach for
I use a light Italian lager, and Peroni Capri is my favorite here. It's clean and crisp with just enough hop bitterness to push back against the limoncello. A Hefeweizen or wheat beer will work, but the banana and clove notes in those styles muddy the lemon instead of sharpening it. You want a beer that stays out of the way and finishes dry.
Keep the limoncello in the freezer
Italians drink limoncello ice cold, and that's how it should go into this drink. It won't freeze solid, and pouring it straight from the freezer means less melt in the glass and a drink that stays sharp from the first sip to the last. Room-temperature limoncello also tastes noticeably sweeter, which is exactly what you're trying to avoid here.
One quick tip: add the beer last and pour it slowly down the side of the mug, since beer cocktails can foam up fast. I serve mine in a beer mug filled with ice because I want it to stay icy cold, and I don't mind if it dilutes a little as I sip. Honestly, it never lasts long anyway.
Italian Limoncello Radler
Ingredients
- 1 ounce Limoncello
- 4 ounces light beer I like Peroni Capri
- 2 ounces lemon soda I like San Pellegrino
Method
- Fill a beer mug with ice, then pour in the Limoncello.1 ounce Limoncello
- Add the beer, stopping about an inch from the top. Briefly stir to mix in the Limoncello.4 ounces light beer
- Top with a splash of lemon soda, add a lemon wedge, then serve.2 ounces lemon soda
Notes
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