Culture & Lifestyle • Beverage

Shandy

A shandy is a mixed drink made by combining beer with a non-alcoholic beverage, most commonly lemonade.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

A shandy is a mixed drink made by combining beer with a non-alcoholic beverage, most commonly lemonade. It is typically lower in alcohol by volume than straight beer and is especially associated with British pub culture. In Canada, shandies are known as a style of beer cocktail and appear in pubs, breweries, and home mixing traditions, especially in warm-weather settings.

Definition

A shandy is a beer-based mixed drink, most often combining beer with lemonade. Dictionary and reference sources describe it as a beverage made from beer and a non-alcoholic drink, especially lemon soda or lemonade.

History and etymology

The word shandy is widely treated as a shortened form of shandygaff, a 19th-century term for beer mixed with ginger beer or ginger ale. Sources differ on the exact origin of the name, but agree that the modern term emerged in English usage.

Ingredients and variations

The classic shandy is often made with equal parts beer and lemonade, though proportions vary by preference. Variants may use ginger ale, ginger beer, lemon-lime soda, or other fruit-flavoured soft drinks.

The shandy is often compared with the German radler, another beer-and-citrus drink. The two overlap in ingredients, but the names and regional traditions differ.

Key facts

A shandy is a mixed drink of beer and a non-alcoholic mixer, usually lemonade.
It has a lower alcohol content than beer alone because it is diluted with a non-alcoholic beverage.
The term shandy is a shortened form of shandygaff, a 19th-century name for beer mixed with ginger beer or ginger ale.
Shandies are especially associated with British pub culture.
In Canada, shandies are popular as a beer cocktail, especially in warm weather, and are found in pubs, breweries, and home mixing.

🍁

Canadian context

Shandies are known in Canada as a style of beer cocktail and appear in pubs, breweries, and home mixing traditions, especially in warm-weather settings.

Frequently asked questions

What is a shandy?

A shandy is a mixed drink made from beer and a non-alcoholic mixer, usually lemonade.

Does a shandy always contain lemonade?

No. Lemonade is the most common mixer, but some definitions also allow ginger ale, ginger beer, or other soft drinks.

Is a shandy alcoholic?

Yes, because it contains beer, but it usually has less alcohol than plain beer.

Where did shandies come from?

Modern shandies are generally linked to England and the older term shandygaff.

What is the difference between a shandy and a radler?

Both are beer-and-citrus drinks, but radler is the German name for a similar drink, while shandy is the more general British term.

References

Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shandy
Supports: Basic definition, lower alcohol content, and regions where shandies are popular.
Merriam-Webster — https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shandy
Supports: Definition of shandy as beer mixed with a nonalcoholic drink, especially lemon soda.
Cambridge English Dictionary — https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/shandy
Supports: Definition of shandy as beer mixed with lemonade or sometimes ginger ale.
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English — https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/shandy
Supports: British English usage and definition as beer mixed with lemonade.
Dictionary.com — https://www.dictionary.com/browse/shandy
Supports: Definition and note that shandy is short for shandygaff.
Merriam-Webster — https://www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/word-history-of-shandygaff-or-shandy
Supports: Etymology of shandy as a shortening of shandygaff and historical usage.