Beer · Explainer
What is a radler and how much alcohol does it contain?
A radler is beer mixed with lemonade, usually lemon lemonade. The mixing ratio determines how much alcohol it contains: the more lemonade, the lower the percentage. In the Netherlands, alcohol-free beer may contain at most 0.1 percent alcohol by volume and low-alcohol beer between 0.1 and 1.2 percent by volume. Most radlers are above that, so always check the label.
In brief
The key figures
| What it is | Beer mixed with lemonade, usually with lemon |
|---|---|
| Origin of the name | Radler is German for cyclist |
| Alcohol-free beer in the Netherlands | At most 0.1 percent alcohol by volume |
| Low-alcohol beer in the Netherlands | More than 0.1 and at most 1.2 percent alcohol by volume |
| Designation 0.0 | Rounded to zero percent alcohol |
| Alcohol-free in Germany and Belgium | Up to 0.5 percent allowed |
| Alcohol-free in Spain | Up to 1.2 percent permitted |
| Legal framework | Warenwetbesluit Gereserveerde aanduidingen, articles 7b to 7d inclusive |
How much alcohol is in a radler?
The alcohol content of a radler depends on the mixing ratio and is stated on the label.
Beer with alcohol is diluted with lemonade, which lowers the percentage. A brewer can also make the same flavour profile with alcohol-free beer; such packaging then says 0.0.
Because there is no legal lower or upper limit for the designation radler, the percentage differs per brand and per country. The label is therefore the only reliable source.
What is the difference between a radler and an alcohol-free beer?
A radler is a mixture of beer and lemonade, whereas alcohol-free beer is simply beer in which the alcohol never formed or was removed afterwards.
Nederlandse Brouwers names three methods for alcohol-free beer: brewing with a yeast that makes hardly any alcohol at low temperature, removing the alcohol after brewing by heating, or filtering the beer through a membrane. All three start with water, grain, hops and yeast.
With a radler, something different happens: the brewer adds lemonade after brewing. A radler can therefore either contain alcohol or come out at 0.0.
May a radler be called beer in Germany?
In Germany, a radler falls under the Biermischgetränke and not under the Reinheitsgebot, which allows only water, malt, hops and yeast for beer.
The Deutscher Brauer-Bund calls the Reinheitsgebot of 1516 the oldest consumer protection rule still in force in the world. Anyone who adds lemonade to beer is by definition making something different from what the decree describes.
It does not mean that the drink is banned in Germany. It is simply sold under a different name, with beer as the main ingredient.
Why does the limit for alcohol-free differ per country?
Each country sets the limit for alcohol-free beer itself: the Netherlands uses 0.1 percent, Germany and Belgium 0.5 percent and Spain 1.2 percent.
For a radler you buy in Bathmen, the Dutch rule counts, but the can may have been brewed in Germany or Belgium. On such packaging is the percentage that applies there.
Which details must appear on the packaging is regulated at European level in Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on food information to consumers. If you have doubts about a can, put it on our counter; we will read the label with you.
From what age may you buy a radler?
For beer with alcohol, an age limit of 18 years applies in the Netherlands, even when the percentage is low.
Alcohol verkopen wij niet aan personen onder de 18 jaar. NIX18. Aan de kassa vragen wij om een geldig legitimatiebewijs wanneer wij twijfelen over de leeftijd.
Anyone who does not want alcohol can choose a variant with 0.0 on the label. In the Netherlands, alcohol-free means at most 0.1 percent by volume.
From the shop in Bathmen
Which beers up to 3 percent are available in Bathmen?
In the shop in Bathmen there are 22 beers from 16 different brands from 3 countries. Prices range from € 0.99 to € 21.99. The alcohol percentage ranges from 0.2% to 3%.
- Brasserie d'Achouffe Chouffe 0.4% 0.4% · 33 cl · Belgium
- Brewdog Punk AF Alcoholvrij bier 0.5% · 33 cl · England
- Brewery 42 Het Luipaardje 2.9% · 33 cl · Netherlands
- Brouwerij 't Ij Free IPA alcoholvrij bier 0.5% · 33 cl · Netherlands
- Brouwerij 't Uiltje Bird of Prey 0.2% 0.2% · 33 cl · Netherlands
- Brouwerij Huyghe Paranoia Hazy Hoppy 0.0% 0.3% · 33 cl · Belgium
- Brouwerij ’t IJ Vrijwit 0.5% · 33 cl · Netherlands
- Delirium Delirio 0.3% · 33 cl · Belgium
- Grolsch Radler Citroen 2% · 30 cl · Netherlands
- Grolsch Radler Citroen 2% · 720 cl · Netherlands
Related questions
What is a session beer?What is a Trappist beer?What is a barrel-aged beer?
Short answer
Short answers to related questions
- Is a radler the same as a shandy?
- Shandy is the English name for beer mixed with lemonade. The ratio and the lemonade used differ by country and by brand.
- Is there an alcohol-free radler?
- Yes, there are radlers with 0.0 on the label. In the Netherlands, alcohol-free means at most 0.1 percent by volume.
- Does a radler belong with beer or with soft drinks?
- A radler contains beer and is shelved with the beer in the shop. In Germany such a mixture is officially called a Biermischgetränk.
- May a sixteen-year-old buy a radler?
- Nee. Voor alcoholhoudende drank geldt de grens van 18 jaar. NIX18.
The reasoning
Sources
- Warenwetbesluit Gereserveerde aanduidingen, Overheid.nl (accessed 2026-10-22)
- Alcoholvrij en alcoholarm bier, Nederlandse Brouwers (accessed 2026-10-22)
- Hoe wordt alcoholvrij bier gemaakt?, Nederlandse Brouwers (accessed 2026-10-22)
- Reinheitsgebot, Deutscher Brauer-Bund (accessed 2026-10-22)
- Verordening (EU) nr. 1169/2011 betreffende de verstrekking van voedselinformatie aan consumenten, EUR-Lex (accessed 2026-10-22)
This page was written and checked by ’t Bockje Bathmen, wine & spirits shop at Brink 2 in Bathmen. Last updated on 22 October 2026.
Verkoop van alcohol onder de 18 jaar is verboden. NIX18.