Radler? Hmm... I'm both German and a cyclist and can do without Radler.
I'm doing a lot of cycling, too, and I am also able to forgo a Radler at the end of a ride
. But we're getting off topic ...
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I rather like Radler, though I seldom drink one. It's light and refreshing and has low alcohol. A bit sweet, but not cloying.
A Belgian colleague of mine - I used to be a teacher - whom I once stayed with on an interchange program, told me he considered Duvel (8.5% ABV) an excellent lawn mover beer. He usually had two, he said! And that's where I think a Radler is a good alternative
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OK, I was seriouis about the Radler. But if I'm to be even more serious, I'd say a good, crisp German pilsner is the best next step for a person fond of the light lagers. Way more taste, but still just as refreshing.
A kölsch is more or less the same, and an extremely nice beer. But if we are talking about brewing, it's hideously difficult to get it right, i.e. clean enough. It should have no more esters than a pilsner, and that's something I have never managed.
