French Drinks: What is a Panaché?

A classic panaché calls for equal parts beer and lemonade, and it is a refreshing drink for a summer barbecue or accompanied by salty snacks. The sweetness and acidity of the lemonade counteract the beer’s bitterness, making it easier to drink for those who aren’t keen on standard lager or beer. The invention of the bière panaché is attributed to resourceful German innkeeper Franz Kugler who, thanks to the opening of a cycle path linking his inn to Munich in 1922, was running out of beer and decided to cut it with lemonade. A light refreshment was thus born, and this low-alcohol beer shandy has since been served at bars – ice cold in a tall glass on sunny terraces – and by the crate in supermarkets, pre-mixed in small green bottles. Another variation called Monaco adds a splash of Grenadine syrup which sweetens it and makes it a nice pink colour – a lovely beer cocktail to be enjoyed en terrasse!

Love a French drink?

French food is always best paired with an amazing French wine. Do you know your digestif from you aperitif? Do you want to add new cocktail recipes to your repertoire? Do you want to be able to pick out a fantastic French bottle to take to your next dinner party? Don’t worry, Taste of France all this and more, from all over France.