The bartender was helpful as BPB order his usual of a local IPA and I tried my tongue at something new, but which sounded refreshing, a ginger shandy.
Ginger Shandy left, Newcomb IPA right
The IPA was light tasting without too much of the hoppy or bitter tastes which generally accompany this style of beer. I declared it enjoyable and easy on the tongue.
Now the shandy. Oh, what a shandy. Or, what is a shandy? According to Wikipedia "a shandy, or shandygaff, is beer mixed with citrus-flavored soda, carbonated lemonade, ginger beer, ginger ale, or cider. The proportions of the two ingredients are adjusted to taste, normally half-and-half. There are also non-alcoholic shandies known as 'rock shandies'". This is not the definition I was expecting, although after having the Ginger Shandy from McCoy's, I'm not surprised. I had just assumed that a Shandy was a type of beer in and of itself, from how I'd seen it presented in stores and even on this bar's menu. Although I suppose I didn't look too closely, I don't remember any indicators that a shady was not just another style of beer. But, now I know and my notes from this occasion make a bit more sense.
Straight from the notebook: The Ginger Shandy of McCoy's, very good. Made with ginger and lemonade. Tastes like light, watery, carbonated lemonade. A dangerously deceptive drink; if it had been handed to me without a back story I would probably never have guessed that it was beer. Delicious all the same.
Overall, McCoy's was a wonderful place to relax, grab a pint, and enjoy a decent slice of pizza.
