This weekend is Super Bowl and I know that communities and groups all around North America will be watching both the game, and the half-time show. Whether you are participating in a large gathering or a smaller, more intimate viewing, the Fresh Grapefruit Radler is your drink. Radlers are essentially the German version of a Shandy. A Shandy is equal parts ale and lemonade, or in the German version, fruit soda. I'm not much of a soda girl, so I prefer my Radlers (and Shandys) made with fresher ingredients, so I use equal parts Ale and equal parts freshly squeeze grapefruit juice.
A Radler is the perfect drink for Super Bowl, as it is a session ale. That means it has amazing flavour, but contains a lower Alcohol (ABV) content, so that you can enjoy 1 or 2 (or 3, but no driving!) during the game and not feel tipsy.
I've chosen to pair the Radler's fresh grapefruit juice with Fat Tug IPA (India Pale Ale) from a local Victoria, BC brewery, Driftwood. The Fat Tug IPA has a hoppy profile with a significant floral aroma. It is an unfiltered IPA with grapefruit and melon notes. These flavours hi-lite and enhance the added fresh grapefruit juice perfectly.
Radler can be bulk mixed ahead of time and chilled until your guests arrive, because who wants to be mixing drinks all day when you have a game to watch and company to visit with. If you opt to mix a batch of Radlers up ahead of time, all you need to do is set up a bar area (or cart!) with the pitcher of chilled mix and your slightly chilled ale bottles beside. You can have a cute recipe posted suggesting how much mix and how much IPA to combine. Or if you are like me and love a great bar for your guests, you could even have a fancy measuring glass pre-taped and labelled to the exact measurements, so people know to first pour the mix up to the taped line, and then to pour the ale up to the same line. Couldn't be easier and people will feel free to self-serve and garnish.
The unsung hero of this drink is oleo saccharum. Oleo saccharum is made by combining super fine sugar with citrus fruit peels. The oils in the citrus peels seep out and infuse into the sugar to produce a sugar-oil syrup that has an intensely rich flavour, far more potent than simple syrup.
Photo (above): Oleo Saccharum mixture after one hour
For this recipe, I used grapefruit peels in the oleo saccharum, however lemon peels are most often used. Oleo saccharum is a key ingredient in many punches and cocktails.
I hope you enjoy a Radler or two this weekend during the Super Bowl. I also especially love a Radler on a hot summer day when you need your thirst quenched.
Enjoy,
Krista
Grapefruit Radler
Ingredients
1/2 oz grapefruit oleo saccharum*
1/2 oz Campari
6 oz IPA (I like Fat Tug from local Phillips Brewery)
5 oz fresh grapefruit juice
pinch of salt
grapefruit slice, garnish
Method
Into a universal beer tasting glass (above photo is an IPA glass (middle) & a stemmed universal beer tasting glass (left)) add oleo saccharum, Campari, grapefruit juice and pinch of salt. Top with IPA. Gently stir to combine with a long stemmed bar spoon. Add grapefruit moon to garnish
*Oleo Saccharum (with Grapefruit peel),
Loosely based on Jeffrey Morgenthaler’s "Lazy Guy Method"
Ingredients
1.5 cups superfine sugar (this does make a difference, I've used regular sugar and it doesn't liquify quite as well)
Peels of 4 pink grapefruits, all pith removed (juice remaining grapefruits for use in Radler)
Method
In a large bowl combine and mix the sugar and grapefruit peels until peels are coated. Pour mixture and any loose sugar into a large zip top or vacuum seal bag. Seal so that no remaining air is inside the bag. Let bag sit for up to 24 hours at room temperature (photo below). Watch for mold to form, it can happen quite quickly.
At this point, pour Grapefruit oil infused simple syrup and peels through a fine mesh strainer into a glass container, reserving the liquid. Peels can be composted or used in marmalade or cut into strips and candied. Refrigerate liquid for 2 weeks to a month.
Recipe Notes
*Drink results are best when both the oleo saccharum and Campari are chilled prior to mixing the Radler.
*If you do not want to use oleo saccharum, here are a few other ways to mix a good Radler
IPA (6 oz) + grapefruit juice (5 oz) + Campari (1 oz), or
IPA (6 oz) + grapefruit juice (6 oz), or
1can of Steigl Grapefruit Radler (this is my favourite pre-mixed can and is available at most liquor store, but I encourage you to try and make your own - the freshness of the grapefruit juice is a game changer!)
