Shandy for the Dandy: Beer Eye for the Snooty Guy

I HATE BEER! At one point, I'll admit I thought beer was for the "other side of the tracks" individuals.  Boy was I wrong.  Now that I've gotten past my close minded views, I decided to try beer for myself.  I still hated it.  I found the beers I've tried (Budweiser, Coors, etc) were extremely bitter, and left a horrid after taste.  Never the one to give up easily, I listened to beer connoisseurs and tried a few imports.  It wasn't until recently, however, that a friend offered me a Shandy, beer mixed with ginger root.  I was in love.  I didn't realize that a Shandy has actually been quite popular for ages, especially in London, England.    In addition, you can make your own Shandy.  Being the cocktail-esque kinda guy, I prefer mixed drinks.  Who knew they made beer cocktails?  With this knowledge, I have become a certified beer drinker, but only Euro imports (still have to maintain my snob appeal).  For those of you that hate beer as much as I did (guess I still hate it straight up), I have found some recipes for some great beer cocktails.  I recommend a great shandy, and you can make it at home yourself, with a few quick steps.  A great pale ale (might I recommend Stella Artois) or lager mixed with ginger ale, lemonade, or carbonated lemonade (mix to taste) and you're set.  Visit "That's The Spirit" for great Beer Cocktail ideas, and for a crash course in Beer 101 visit the Beer Advocate. **This article posted for ages 21 and up**

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