Yes, Germans love beer more than anything, as the whole world knows. But what they mix it with and what other drinks they like to combine is a fact that is hardly known beyond the country’s borders. Time to change that! Here are five mixed drinks you should know if you are in Germany.
Mixed drinks – yes, that does indeed sound a bit boring by itself. That’s why there are special names for such mixtures in Germany. These probably mean nothing to guests from abroad. And even within the country’s borders, there are sometimes comprehension problems. We will explain and introduce the Germans’ favorite mixed drinks in more detail:
Radler
This mixed drink is also another word for cyclist. This is no coincidence, because in 1922, a Munich innkeeper mixed his beer with lemonade and then served his drink as a “Radlermaß”. This was, of course, so that his cycling guests would not have to stagger home. Traditionally, light beer is used, but in parts of Bavaria, dark beer is also used.
In northern Germany, Pils is mixed with lemonade. But watch out: here the drink is called “Alsterwasser”! Because the color of the mixture is reminiscent of the Hamburg river of the same name. The name is less well known in the Münsterland region, where, by the way, orange lemonade is used instead of lemonade. And it certainly takes an effort for strangers to order the mixture, because there they traditionally order a “Wurstwasser”, sausage water. Why? Well, guess.
Spezi
Not a German drink in particular, because cola and orangeade are mixed all over the world. Nevertheless, probably every child in Germany knows what a “Spezi” is. The name is not a popular invention, but has been the brand name of an Augsburg brewery since 1956. By the way, if you’re not quite sure what it’s called, you can simply order a “Kola-Mische”. Then every child knows what you want.
Drecksack
Yes, now it’s getting tricky. We advise you to make sure you use a friendly tone when ordering. Because if the name of the drink and an insult (“Scumbag”) are the same, trouble could sometimes be pre-programmed. But that’s not the only reason it’s tricky, because the beer-coke mix has quite a few names and few of them sound tasty. Depending on the region, the mix is called “Diesel”, “Kalter Kaffee” (cold coffee), “Moorwasser” (moor water), “Schussbier” (shot beer) or “Dreckiges Bier” (dirty beer). We suspect that this also has to do with the color of the drink. It gets better in Saarland. Because with “Gespritztes” (spritzer), the mix almost sounds refreshing. In Cologne, a glass of “Kölsch Cola” is very popular. Rumor has it that in some places it is even perceived as a non-alcoholic version of Cologne’s favorite drink. We’ll leave it at that.
Berliner Weiße mit Schuss
Bavaria is generally perceived as the most famous beer region in Germany, but the capital city Berlin is also fond of the hoppy drink. And has been since the 16th century. The top-fermented wheat beer from Berlin had disappeared from the scene for a few years. For a long time, it was only mixed with caraway schnapps or corn schnapps, but in the 1980s it came in a green guise.
Green? Yes, because refined with woodruff syrup, served in the typical bulbous glass with a short stem, beer garden guests enjoyed the “Berliner Weiße mit Schuss”. Alternatively, with raspberry syrup. We note: color is everything when it comes to German mixed drinks.
Kalte Ente
We admit that we had never heard of the name before our research. And we’re not yet sure whether this drink will make it to the next editorial party. That’s because “Kalte Ente” (cold duck) is a type of punch consisting of white wine, sparkling wine and lemons (or lemon juice).
It is said to have been invented by an archbishop from Trier, who, after his meal, is said to have requested a “kaltes Ende” (cold end), instead of the usual mocha, in the form of this very mixture. Whether he spoke unclearly or the person called was briefly distracted is not known. Today, the drink is served in a carafe with a spout shaped like a duck’s bill. Well, it fits again.
Korea
We have already become accustomed to some rather special mixed drinks, but to finish we want to go one better. This mixture is not everyone’s idea of heaven on earth, in fact quite a few turn up their noses at the very thought of it. And yet – it has been around since the 1970s. In the 1990s, it was sometimes considered a cultured drink for getting drunk quickly in teenage circles. That’s the rumor. We’re talking about red wine with cola. Just the thought of it may almost massage disgust into the facial features of the passionate red wine drinker. Here, too, there are regional designations that are not immediately apparent. “Kalte Muschi”, for example, or dirty ox blood. Incidentally, the mixture comes from Spain, which is the favorite vacation spot for many Germans.