Soda IN Beer?

Has anyone else done this? Pour a little soda into a beer for flavor?

I decided to give it a try tonight by pouring about 4oz of Dr. Pepper into a 12oz glass of our bock. It's probably illegal to do something like that in Germany, but I found it rather tasty.

Not sure if I really like it better than either one of the two on their own, but it's interesting and worth further testing. (Darn, I do so hate testing that involves drinking beer and/or DP.)



So, anyone else mix soda and beer in this or any other interesting way?

Germans actually mix soda and beer all the time.

Huh, ya learn something new every day. I figured what with the German Beer Purity Laws it'd be something of a cardinal sin there.

I used to work with a German woman and she told me about them drinking half coke half hefeweizen.

I heard one of the guys on the Basic Brewing podcast talk about making a brew by replacing water with mt. dew. Just dew it and report back.

hypergolic said:

I used to work with a German woman and she told me about them drinking half coke half hefeweizen.

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Colaweizen is a mix of Coke and hefe as you said. I haven't found it ALL OVER Germany, but it was definitely a pub staple in Bavaria.

I found it cloying. It's worth a try once, but after that, meh.

Radlers are pretty popular, actually (admittedly not bad.) As are Colabiers (awful, I thought.)

I inadvertently mixed up my keg lines when I first started kegging and ran a blah beer through the root beer tap. It was very good and made the beer much better. I no longer do soda, but I'd not hesitate adding some soda to a beer that needs a flavor boost.

418Brewing said:

Huh, ya learn something new every day. I figured what with the German Beer Purity Laws it'd be something of a cardinal sin there.

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Their "purity" laws are only for brewing the beer....

The times Ive spent in Germany the main things were cola (coke), orange, and I think a lemon lime were the main sodas mixed. Surprisingly its actually good.

I read that the mix was really popular with the school kids in Germany, getting out of high school and mixing their beer with various stuff.

Yes! I've enjoyed many a Radler Mass while strolling the English gardens in Munich. A Radler is typically Fanta (there, Fanta is kinda of a cross between Orange and Lemon Lime) and light lager. You'll find it often in outdoor places.

I never saw an adult drink Cola-Bier, but I've seen many give it to their kids.

Not really beer but I mix seven up and apfelwein all the time.

Thought about perhaps mixing a saison with some ginger ale...

EricScott said:

Radlers are pretty popular, actually (admittedly not bad.) As are Colabiers (awful, I thought.)

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I really enjoy the occasional Radler. Had it first in Munich at the hotel bar. Now I make them at home from time to time.

It's the best way to dress up a boring Polish pilsner.

I just had a dry hard cider mixed with a spaten octoberfest and it was awesome.

being from england and drinking quiet a bit in the pubs even on sundays after a long weekend. Drinking a carlsburg, fosters, or stella with a "splash" is just them simply adding sprite or 7up to the top to make it smoother. Very refreashing!!!

If you goto a irish or english bar in the states just ask for those beers with a "splash" or top

carlsburg with a splash is more american

carlsburg top is what we use

I tried the top here and they look at you very funny sometimes.

The local brewery here did a one time only firkin of chocolate and cherries stout and primed it with cherry Dr. Pepper. It looked like sewer water but was hands down the best beer I have ever drank.

This might sound weird but for a short period years ago I would mix in some Monster/Red Bull with my beer. It actually didn't taste all that bad. But I guess it depends on what beet you are mixing with

Lager with a splash = Lager top
Bitter with a splash = Bitter top
Half beer half soda = Shandy
Hand shandy = Hand job (You don't get those in pubs very often)

Back in the day, we used to mix Birch Beer Soda and Lager at our clambake picnics. You don't get drunk as fast and stay hydrated on a hot sunny day.

I was in Germany for a 6 months a couple years ago and they do mix cola with darker beers, and its actually not all that bad. But gives a wicked hangover.

ryan0914 said:

But gives a wicked hangover.

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I wonder why that is. I've had a bit of a headache the morning after trying this myself - not sure the cause and effect is certain, but it is likely.

Has anyone ever tried or heard of boiling some soda to reduce it down. Then add it to a batch of beer before it starts the ferment process?

Soda syrups and flavorings are widely available. I don't see the need to reduce a finished bottle of soda by cooking it down.

When I was about 12 my very Welsh grandmother decided it was time I started to learn to drink beer, so she would make me shandies (half beer, half ginger ale) and every year the amount of ginger ale would go down until by age 15 or 16 she was giving me straight beer. To this day if it is really hot out and I want something refreshing, I'll mix myself a shandy of a light ale and some gingerale.

Born and raised in England and always had a shandy at the pub.
I think it was half mild , half coke with a little cherry flavor.

I know Sprecher Brewery in Wisconsin has a drink they call "Liquid Cake". It's their Black Bavarian with a splash of their cream soda. I've had it, it really does taste like cake! But one was enough, it's a little too sweet for me.