German Alcoholic Beverages

Along with ale, lager is one of the two main beer categories, and in terms of production, it is the most common beer style in the world. The main distinction between lagers and ales depends on the type of yeast. Lagers use Saccharomyc... READ MORE

Riesling most likely hails from the Rhine region of Germany, but it has shown great success in other European wine regions, primary Austria and Alsace, as well as the United States and Australia. However, the best expressions of the grape... READ MORE

Helles is a German-style lager that first appeared in Munich in 1894. It was a Bavarian answer to light Czech pilsner. Although Bavaria heavily relied on strong and dark lagers, the popularity of crisp and golden pilsner beers in... READ MORE

This popular German herbal liqueur was developed in 1934 by Curt Mast. He created the base of the drink with 56 different herbs, roots, and fruits that are macerated in a combination of alcohol and water. The procedure is repeated several times, a... READ MORE

Glühwein is a type of mulled wine enjoyed in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is a staple at Christmas markets and is often enjoyed as an après-ski drink. This German version is a classic, combining red wine, citrus zest,... READ MORE

Dunkel is a German dark lager that is mostly associated with Bavaria and Munich. This dark beer, which can range from copper to dark brown, is mainly brewed from Munich malt which gives the beer its typical caramel-like and toasty charact... READ MORE

Weissbier is a classic Bavarian wheat ale that is top-fermented and characterized by its mousse-like foam and cloudy appearance—which is a result of a large proportion of wheat and a small amount of barley malt used in its productio... READ MORE

Kölsch (the Low German name for Cologne) is a specialty beer brewed only in Cologne. A document known as the Kölsch Convention was signed in 1986 by the directors of two dozen Kölsch breweries, ensuring that Kölsch beer can onl... READ MORE

German Pilsner is a light, clean-tasting lager that was modeled on the namesake Czech variety. It is brewed from barley malt, and it typically has a flowery, herbal, and spicy hop bitterness that is balanced with a moderately malty backbo... READ MORE

Bock beer is a German bottom fermenting lager that nowadays comes in a wide range of sub-styles. Traditional versions may range from golden to amber, and sometimes even dark brown. They are typically lightly hopped, rich, creamy, smooth, ... READ MORE

Rauchbier is a German beer style that is associated with Franconia and the city of Bamberg. Translated as smoked beer, the style is made with smoked malt, and it initially appeared in the 14th century. At the time, using smoked m... READ MORE

The term kräuterlikör denotes different types of European herb liqueurs, predominantly German, which are also known as halbbitter (half bitters). They appeared soon after the introduction of distillation and were primar... READ MORE

Apfelwein is a traditional cider that is generally associated with Frankfurt and the state of Hesse. It is mainly made from cooking or dessert apples, and it comes in several styles, though dry (trocken) is the most common. German cider i... READ MORE

Doppelbock is a German beer style that was first brewed in Munich by Paulaner monks. As the name might suggest—doppel translates as double—this style developed as a slightly stronger version of traditional Ge... READ MORE

Märzen is a German beer style from Bavaria that is closely connected with Oktoberfestbier and shares some similarities with Vienna lager. This style officially appeared in 1841 when it was brewed by Spaten brewery, but a similar styl... READ MORE

Altbier, meaning old beer, is a German beer style which originated in Düsseldorf. The style falls somewhere between a lager and an ale—the beers are fermented warm like ales but are then aged cool like lagers. The name altbier,... READ MORE

Oktoberfestbier is a protected designation used by six Munich breweries that serve their beer at Oktoberfest—the biggest beer festival in the world. The breweries include Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbräu, Löwenbräu... READ MORE

Dortmunder Export is a German beer style that was first brewed in the late 19th century. Named after the city where it originated, this beer style was modeled on pilsners, and it was primarily invented as a thirst-quenching brew ... READ MORE

Schwarzbier is a German dark lager style. These beers are not overly powerful or harsh, and they tend to be smooth and refreshing. The use of malted barley will give them a lightly roasted malt backbone that is accompanied by hints of cho... READ MORE

Berliner Weisse is a wheat beer that is characterized by low alcohol content, sour flavor, and a light body. Most representatives of the style are soured with the use of lactic acid bacteria, which gives the beer its specific funky, tart,... READ MORE

Weizenbock is a German beer style that was introduced in 1907 by the Schneider Weisse Brauhaus brewery located in Munich. Weizenbock was supposed to be a middle-ground between the rich and malty doppelbock and wheat beer (weissbierREAD MORE

This clear, colorless fruit brandy is double-distilled from the fermented cherry mash. Because it was originally produced with sour morello cherries, it is believed that it first appeared in Schwarzwald, Germany, where the morello cherries were tr... READ MORE

Jägerbomb is a German mixed drink that was originally made by dropping a shot of Jägermeister into a glass of beer, but the drink has evolved, and today it is usually prepared by combining Red Bull energy drink and a shot of J&a... READ MORE

This German herbal liqueur is produced with the aromatic extraction of 43 herbs that results in an amber-colored, herbal drink, with notes of spices and licorice. The base is then aged in oak casks before it is adjusted with fresh spring water to ... READ MORE

Dunkelweizen is a moderately dark, wheat-based German ale that is often described as a cross between a dunkel and a hefeweizen (weissbier). These refreshing beers typically range from copper to dark brown and ar... READ MORE

Gose is a German beer style that is usually brewed with the addition of salt, and it is traditionally spiced with coriander. It is characterized by medium sourness, malt and yeast aromas, as well as fruity and salty nuances. It is not kno... READ MORE

Feuerzangenbowle is a traditional Christmas beverage in which rum-soaked sugarloaf (zuckerhut) is suspended over a bowl of mulled wine (glühwein). The sugar is placed on a metal grate and is then lit on fire, slowly... READ MORE

Bavaria has been an important beer-producing region for centuries, and all Bavarian beers are produced under 1516 Bavarian Purity Law. The beers are made with high-quality ingredients, which are mostly locally-sourced, and the quality of the beer ... READ MORE

U-Boot is a German cocktail consisting of beer and a shot glass filled with vodka that is sunk into the pint glass. The shot of vodka dropped in beer resembles a submarine, hence the name of the cocktail. There are varieties of U-Boot whi... READ MORE

This cream liqueur is prepared with a blend of premium vodka, quality Dutch cream, and best selection of Belgian toffee. It was launched in 2000, and it is produced by the family company BEHN in Eckernförde. Dooley’s is bottled... READ MORE

Maibock is a Bavarian lager style that first appeared as a special brew to celebrate the beginning of the garden season—hence the name Mai, which translates as May. Falling in the category of Bock ... READ MORE

Korn is a German grain spirit that is traditionally distilled from fermented mash of wheat, rye, buckwheat, barley or oats. This strong colorless drink is never sweetened or flavored, and it has to have a minimum of 32% ABV, but if the al... READ MORE

Spätlese Riesling is one of the categories for late-harvest German Riesling wines. It falls under a broader category of Prädikatswein—which is a classification based on the ripeness level at which the grapes are harvested.... READ MORE

Eisbock is the strongest beer style that falls in the category of bock beers (bockbier). This beer style is primarily brewed as doppelbock, but then it undergoes freeze distillation—in which the water is partially ... READ MORE

Himbeergeist is a German raspberry spirit that is made by macerating fresh raspberries in neutral alcohol. No artificial flavorings or colorings are added, and the infusion is then distilled before it is bottled. Himbeergeist has to have ... READ MORE

Asbach Uralt is a German brandy that was first distilled in 1892 by Hugo Asbach, a Cologne native. With the knowledge he gained at various French distilleries, Asbach distilled his first batch of brandy and opened a company in Rüdesh... READ MORE

Swimming Pool is a German cocktail that is similar to Piña Colada. The cocktail combines equal parts vodka and white rum, pineapple juice, heavy cream, coconut cream, and blue Curaçao. To prepare the cocktail, all the ingred... READ MORE

In the 19th century, artisanal breweries were increasingly being replaced by larger industrial breweries, and today there are seven famous large breweries in Munich: Augustiner, Hofbräu, Paulaner, Hacker-Pschorr, Löwenbräu, Spaten, ... READ MORE

Liebfraumilch is a semi-sweet German wine style produced in Rheinhessen, Pfalz, Rheingau, and Nahe wine regions. Although official regulations stipulate that at least 70% of the blend has to include Müller-Thurgau, Bacchus, Silvaner,... READ MORE

Gin Basil Smash is a contemporary classic created in 2008 by Jörg Meyer at Le Lion in Hamburg. The cocktail combines gin, basil, lemon juice, and simple syrup. To make the cocktail, basil is first muddled with lemon juice and simple ... READ MORE

Poire Williams is a type of eau-de-vie (fruit brandy) that is distilled from fermented Williams pears. The production of this clear and colorless spirit is mostly associated with France, Switzerland, and Germany. The drink is often sold w... READ MORE

Kuemmerling is a type of herb liqueur that is classified as a kräuterlikör. It was created by Hugo Kümmerling in 1938, and since 1963 the drink has been produced in Bodenheim. Although the exact recipe is kept secr... READ MORE