Variations of the Shandy can be found in countries from Germany to Africa.  (We first tasted one while traveling in China!)   Classically, a Shandy is made by filling a glass half-full with a dark beer and then topping it off with lemonade.    A Shandygaff is made by mixing beer and ginger ale or root beer, and a Snakebite is the mixture of beer and apple cider.

Whatever the poison, it’s a wonderful drink for a summer evening.

Here’s how we do it at Beekman 1802.

The Beekman Shandy

Ingredients

A dark beer or ale (we use Three Philosophers from the nearby Brewery Ommegang)

Pure lemon juice (either fresh-squeezed or bottled)

Preparation

Pour an ice cube tray full of pure lemon juice and freeze solid

Fill a frosted bar glass with the lemon ice cubes and then pour the beer over the ice cubes

If you happen to have ginger root laying around, shave a few thin curls of ginger onto the top for garnish

Cheers!