Is the humble lager shandy back in fashion? Shandy Shack seems to think so

The shandy is enjoying an unlikely revival, with Shandy Shack betting that Britain is ready to rediscover one of its most familiar summer drinks.

For years, shandy has been the undercelebrated default if you wanted a gentler alternative to a full-strength pint. Now changing drinking habits are throwing a fresh light on this classic beverage.

Its appeal has always been easy to understand. Beer provides bitterness and body. Lemonade provides sweetness, acidity and fizz. The result is refreshing and immediately approachable.

The British Beer & Pub Association forecasts that 64 million pints of low- and no-alcohol beer will be sold over the summer, up by 8 million on 2025. We’re clearly developing a thirst for lighter, more sessionable drinking.

Its appeal is easy to understand – shandy has always been a remarkably simple idea…

Shandy Shack bets on a shandy revival

In the UK, the shandy revival is being led by Shandy Shack. Founded in 2018, the brand began experimenting with craft beer and natural mixers as a lighter option after sport. It has since grown into a UK-wide brand, with its products now stocked by retailers including Sainsbury’s and M&S.

The company’s answer is a range of four fruit-led shandies, all bottled at an easy drinking 2.5% ABV. The drinks are gluten-free and vegan, and are designed around modern brewing and natural mixers.

The line-up is enticing. Elderflower Shandy with Lager combines crisp pilsner with fragrant elderflower cordial. It has a floral, bright character, perfect for long summer afternoons. 

Raspberry Shandy with Lager takes the same pilsner base in a fruitier direction, adding ripe raspberry for a crisp finish.  Both are available at Sainsbury’s, priced £2.50.

Lemon Shandy with IPA heads towards craft beer territory. It combines a Citra and Mosaic-hopped session IPA with natural lemonade for a zesty, citrus-led drink. Shandy Shack describes it as its seaside-inspired option. It’s available through the Shandy Shack website at £25.99 for 12.

Ginger Beer Shandy with Pale Ale completes the line-up. Here, malty pale ale meets ginger beer, which brings extra warmth and a little more depth to the formula. It’s also available from Shandy Shack direct.

According to data from Shandy Shack, London tops the list of shandy-loving UK cities, followed by Bristol, Reading, Manchester and Oxford. Southampton, Birmingham, Cheltenham, Liverpool and Salisbury complete the top ten.

The origins of shandy

Shandy has been part of British drinking culture for well over a century. Its origins lie in the 19th‑century habit of mixing beer with ginger beer or lemonade to create a lighter, more refreshing drink. The name is thought to come from ‘shandygaff,’ an old term for beer mixed with ginger beer, which appears in English writing as early as the 1850s. 

As pale ales and lagers became more common, lemonade gradually replaced ginger beer, giving rise to the modern shandy served in UK pubs today. It’s the original low‑alcohol pint, suited to summer drinking, pub lunches and long afternoons where a full pint might feel too heavy. 

How to make shandy

Simple and refreshing, the classic shandy is equal parts chilled lager or pale ale (½ pint) and carnoated lemonade – and it’s a doddle to make.

Pour the beer into a clean, chilled pint glass, then top up with an equal measure of cold lemonade. Stir gently, to avoid losing carbonation.  If you’re feeling fancy, you can add a lemon slice for garnish. 

The ratio can be tweaked according to taste. Some prefer a 60/40 beer‑forward mix but half‑and‑half version remains the standard.

Lemonade, and not beer, is key to shandy’s appeal – and explains why the drink has never really taken off in the US. In Britain, lemonade means a fizzy, clear, lemon‑flavoured soft drink. In the States, lemonade is a still, non‑carbonated drink made from lemon juice, water and sugar. That single difference changes everything.

The closest equivalent in the US to a British shandy is the radler, which became popular in Germany during the early twenties. It’s made by mixing lager with a citrus soda, which has a very different flavour profile to our sparkling lemonade. 

If you want to make a Victorian-style Shandygaff, mix equal parts light ale or lager with ginger beer (not ginger ale). Then give it a light stir and serve.

Shandy Shack Raspberry and Elderflower are available in Sainsbury’s, priced £2.50. Lemon Shandy with IPA and Ginger Beer Shandy with Pale Ale are priced £25.99 for 12, from Shandy Shack direct.