Outside of lawn bowls clubs and ‘old mate’ pubs, the shandy – a mix of beer and lemonade – is a rare bird. For many growing up in Australia, it was the first boozy drink that our parents let us have a splash of and for most, that’s where it was left. 

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But with the sober-curious, no-and-low-alcohol movement gaining traction, is now the time for the shandy to come out of the shadows (the RSL) and into the light (every beer garden in Australia)?

For those who may be cringing at the thought of ordering a shandy with a straight face, it might help to know that in France, the ‘cocktail’ is known as a Panaché and in Spain it’s referred to as a Clara. Germans might know it better as a Radler and if you were in Singapore, you’d be drinking a Kip Lin, though this version also includes tonic water – to your health!

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With non-alcoholic spirits like Lyre’s and Heaps Normal beers appearing on drinks lists and shelves all over the place, and even big players like Bombay Sapphire and Tanqueray getting in on the action, there’s pause for thought for the OG of the low-alc movement. 

The shandy walked so that the mid-strength could run, and given its reach in every corner of the globe, we reckon it’s high time we salute the baddie of the bowls club and order a round with heads held high.

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