German Drinking Culture: Beyond The Beer

Germany is famous for its beer, but what else do Germans drink? Well, it turns out that German drinking culture extends far beyond beer. In fact, the country has a rich history of drinking wine, coffee, tea, and spirits.

Wine, for example, was introduced to Germany by the Romans, and later, in the 16th century, church reformer Martin Luther declared: Beer is man-made, but wine comes from God. Wine was also produced in many German monasteries, and today, the country boasts some of the oldest and best wine regions in the world.

Coffee is another popular drink in Germany, with Germans consuming an average of 150 litres per year. The country is also home to a thriving café culture, with coffee houses serving as popular places to socialise and discuss the matters of the day.

As for spirits, Germans enjoy a variety of liqueurs, brandies, and schnapps, often incorporating them into cocktails or traditional drinks like apfelsaft (a mix of apple juice and soda).

So, while beer may be the first drink that comes to mind when thinking of Germany, the country offers a diverse and fascinating drinking culture that goes well beyond the brews it is famous for.

Wine

During this period, only the wealthy could afford good wine. The majority of people could only access cheap wine, sometimes mixed with vinegar. This may be why, even today, Germans consume less wine than beer, with an average of 20 litres of wine per year.

In the 1960s and 1970s, German wines were exported in large quantities to the rest of the world. However, these wines were often sweet and blended, and most Germans have never heard of them. Today, German wines are regaining their reputation for quality, with an increasing number of high-quality wines being exported.

Germany is now the world's third-largest producer of Pinot Noir, and German Pinot Noirs are being recognised for their exceptional quality and affordable price. German Riesling is also highly regarded, with its natural sweetness balanced by acidity.

German wines have a unique classification system based on the ripeness of the grapes at harvest, known as the Pradikatswein System. This system includes categories such as Kabinett, Spätlese, and Auslese, which indicate the time of harvest and the ripeness of the grapes.

Sparkling wines, or "Sekt", are also popular in Germany, and Germans are the world's largest consumers of sparkling wine per capita. It is customary to drink a glass of Sekt for any occasion, any day of the week.

Coffee

The tradition of Kaffee und Kuchen, or coffee and cake, is a popular afternoon ritual in Germany. It involves getting together with friends or family to sip coffee and eat cake while catching up. This custom has been adapted by Americans, who declared April 7 as National Coffee Cake Day.

In Germany, coffee is preferred over tea, unlike in Britain, where tea is the drink of choice. When ordering coffee in Germany, it is common to refer to the number of cups, or "Tassen," rather than using the plural "Kaffees." A cup of coffee in German is "eine Tasse Kaffee," and two cups of coffee would be "zwei Tassen Kaffee."

Tea

While Germany is best known for its beer and wine, tea is also a popular beverage. In fact, according to the German Tea Association, the country has the highest per capita tea consumption in the world, with an average of 6.5 kg of coffee consumed per person per year. However, this figure is heavily influenced by the tiny region of East Frisia, located in the German state of Lower Saxony, where tea consumption is estimated at a staggering 300 litres per person per year.

The traditional East Frisian tea is a mix of Assam tea (black tea) with a touch of Ceylon, served with a dollop of cream and a piece of rock candy (called "Kluntje" in the regional dialect) at the bottom of the cup. The tea is then poured over the candy, creating a pleasant crackling sound and a cloud of milk at the top. The mixture is not stirred, so that the drinker first experiences creamy, then bitter, and finally sweet flavours as they drink.

Outside of East Frisia, tea is also consumed in the rest of Germany, albeit at a much lower rate. Both black tea (Schwarztee) and fruit tea (Fruchttee) are popular, with the most common types being camomile, fennel, rosehip, and peppermint. Herbal tea (Kräutertee) is also often drunk for its health benefits.

Cocktails

While Germany is famous for its beer, there are many other alcoholic drinks to be enjoyed, including cocktails. Here are some German cocktails to try:

Hugo

A refreshing cocktail, the Hugo was invented by Italian bartender Roland Gruber in 2005 as an alternative to the spritz. It is a mix of prosecco, elderflower syrup, peppermint, and sparkling water. It is similar to a mojito but with the addition of elderflower syrup, which gives it a distinct floral taste. Hugos are particularly popular in southern Germany and are best served before a meal as an aperitif.

Aperol Spritz

Aperol Spritz is another cocktail that is often served as an aperitif. It is made with bubbly wine and sparkling water, and has a bittersweet flavour and low alcohol content. The drink has a gorgeous bright orange colour and is commonly enjoyed during the summer.

Berliner Weisse

Berliner Weisse is a low-alcohol, slightly sour cocktail that was first introduced in Berlin in 1700. It is made with a bright, top-fermented draft beer and a shot of woodruff or raspberry syrup, served over ice in a bowl-shaped glass with a stem.

Radler

The Radler is a combination of beer and citrusy soda, or beer and lemonade. It is said to have originated in a bar in Deisenhofen to prevent the bar from running out of beer during a cycling event. The name means 'cyclist' in German. It is a popular drink at parties, but can also be enjoyed all year round.

Eierlikör

Eierlikör is often called German Eggnog, although the two drinks are prepared differently. Eierlikör includes rum and whipping cream, while eggnog contains nutmeg and cinnamon. It is a strong, sweet drink with a vanilla aroma. It is typically served on Christmas Day or Easter, or given as a gift.

Feuerzangenbowle

This spectacular German cocktail involves suspending a rum-soaked sugarloaf over a bowl of mulled wine and setting it on fire, so that the sugar melts and drips into the wine.

Swimming Pool

The Swimming Pool is a German cocktail that tastes similar to a Piña Colada. It is made with vodka, white rum, heavy cream, pineapple juice, coconut cream, and blue curaçao. It is usually garnished with fresh pineapple wedges.

Jägermeister Old Fashioned

Jägermeister is a German digestif with a complex blend of 56 herbs. It is commonly used as a mixer in cocktails, but can also be enjoyed on its own. One popular cocktail that uses Jägermeister as its base is the Jägermeister Old Fashioned, which also includes rye whiskey.

Soft drinks

Fruit juices are also very popular, with orange, apple, grape, and multivitamin being the most common choices. These juices are often mixed with mineral water to create a drink known as a "Fruchtsaftschorle", "Saftschorle", or "Fruchtschorle", which is a refreshing option in the summer.

Coffee is another soft drink that Germans enjoy. They are big coffee drinkers, and the country has a rich history of coffee culture, dating back to the 17th century when the first coffee houses opened. German coffee is characterised by its unique taste, with over 1,000 flavours and 60 acids. It is often served black or with Kaffeesahne, a type of condensed milk. Coffee is an essential part of the German tradition of Kaffee and Kuchen, where people sit down in the afternoon to enjoy a slice of cake with a cup of hot coffee.

Tea is also a popular choice, with both black tea and fruit tea being consumed. The most popular types of fruit and herbal teas include camomile, fennel, rosehip, and peppermint. The region of Ostfriesland is especially famous for its tea-drinking culture, consuming almost a quarter of all tea drunk in Germany.

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