Review by: Cory Smith
Here I am vacationing in Vegas, and I am dying for a good craft beer. Sitting poolside, I check out the offerings and see the only summery beer is a Grapefruit Radler from Stiegl called simply, Radler. Radler if made from 60% grapefruit soda and 40% Stiegl beer. You might recall my dislike for grapefruit from the video we did on Sixpoint’s Rad, but I’m determined to give it another shot. The question is, is this the one summer beer that The Mirage should offer?
Appearance:
They don’t quite give you glasses to pour your beer into when you order poolside, but from what I saw online, this beer is almost reminiscent of a mimosa. It’s a pale orange to yellow color that is bursting with effervescence.
Aroma:
It smells a lot like a grapefruit soda, no surprise since that is half the beer, but the lack if “beer aroma” is a bit off putting. I get giant citrus notes: grapefruit, lemon juice, and tangerine. It’s a pretty one dimensional aroma, but I’ll admit that on this 90 degree day, it’s fresh, clean, and inviting.
Taste:
Stiegl’s Radler is extremely sweet from start to finish. To me, grapefruit always has a bitter aftertaste, like biting into the pith itself, but that bitterness is enjoyably missing from Radler. My girlfriend said it reminds her off a Mike’s Hard Lemonade if they made a grapefruit edition, a statement that might sound damning, but it’s actually pretty accurate. It’s lighter in flavor than Sixpoint’s offering, which is grate for someone like me who doesn’t love the taste of Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice. The beer portion of Radler stand up well to the onslaught of fruit lending is own crisp, slightly-grainy quality.
Conclusion:
Stiegl’s Grapefruit Radler is a refreshing, thirst quenching, easy-drinking poolside beer. I’m going to give it a 90 in terms of being stylistically rated, but the question is whether this is a valid offering to be the one “summery” beer at the Mirage’s pool. To that I’d say no. This is a delicious beer, but at 2.5% ABV and $9.00 a can you don’t get nearly the bang for your buck that you would get even from a domestic lager. Yes Radler has great mass appeal, but if you’re looking to drink to feel a buzz, this isn’t the beer for you. If you want a slightly adult themed soda, then grab a Grapefruit Radler from Stiegl. I want to hear from you, though — what better options could the Mirage offer to fill their “summery craft beer” spot? Let us know in the comments below.
-Cheers!
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