When the centigrade starts to rise, there is nothing more refreshing than a cold German pilsner. Whether you’re in a bar, a beer garden, or just having a few beers along the river, it’s the perfect addition to a warm summer’s day.
But if you want to cool off without getting drunk, Germany has other options. Surprise! There is a lot to drink besides good German beer. Here is a list of the best non-alcoholic summer drinks in Germany. Prost!
Mineral water
While the suspicion that German tap water is disappearing, many Germans still prefer bottled, bubbly water. The variety of German mineral waters and the level of sprudel (carbonation) are amazing.
The terms used to describe water can also be quite confusing. These terms will help you avoid a mistake.
Bottled water terms in Germany:
- ohne Kohlensäure – No carbonation
- Stilles Wasser – No or few bubbles
- Medium (green or green labeled bottles) – Medium bubbles
- Klassisch / Classic – Highly carbonated
If you order a “stilles Wasser” in a restaurant, you can be sure that it will not actually be carbonated. And if you want tap water, you may have to ask twice and please Leitungswasser , but they are legally bound to serve it.
Club-Mate
There was a time when only a select few had heard of this German-made, South American-inspired drink. Today it is sold in every Späti and is found in the hand of every hipster on their way to the club.
So what is it? A caffeinated, carbonated drink, Yerba Mate, can loosely be called a tea or soft drink. It is valued for its high caffeine content (20mg per 100ml) offering a long-lasting smooth buzz and relatively low sugar content. It’s the drink of choice for those who start their weekend on Thursday night and end sometime on Sunday, the hacker community, or anyone in need of a little encouragement.
If you can’t live without the drink in winter, it’s still available, but it also comes in a herbal ‘winter edition’.
If you don’t enjoy it the first time, you are not alone. The drink slogan ” Man gewöhnt sich daran ” roughly translates to “You will get used to it.”
Fresh fruit juice
Fruit juice flows freely in summer. My favorite is the Kirsch (cherry) and banana mix to make KiBa. Freshly squeezed orangensaft (orange juice) is also commonly available at all kinds of festival. Other juices:
- Apfelsaft – apple juice
- Birnensaft – pear juice
- Brombeersaft – blackberry juice
- Grapefruitsaft – grapefruit juice
- Traubensaft ( weis or rot ) – white or red grape juice
- Johannisbeersaft – current juice
Apfelschorle
This fancy version of apple juice (mixed with sparkling water) is often the favorite drink of children on social occasions, but its ubiquity and refreshing taste make it the perfect summer drink for all ages. Schorle simply refers to a juice mixed with sparkling water, which is why there are many different versions of this drink.
Continue to 5 of 7 below.
Bionade
Manufactured in the Bavarian city of Ostheim vor der Rhön by Peter Brewery, Bionade is alcohol-free and organically fermented and carbonated. It comes in varieties such as Holunderbeere (elderberry), lychee, Ingwer-Orange (ginger-orange), and quince.
All Bionade flavors contain water, sugar, barley malt, carbon acid, calcium carbonate, and magnesium carbonate. It is advertised as a soda flavor, but it is a healthier alternative.
Barrel shower
Fassbrause is another unique soda-type drink from the Germans. Although some brands are alcoholic, most are not and the drink is made from fruits, spices, and malt extract. Its name translates to “soft drink on tap” and is in fact traditionally stored in a barrel. The most common version tastes like apple, but rhubarb and strawberry are becoming popular .
Fassbrause was originally invented in Berlin in 1908 as a mixture of fruits (apples), herbs, and malt to serve as a substitute for non-alcoholic beer. But since then, the word has come to mean a wide range of non-alcoholic products or beer mixes like Radler.
In Berlin, Fassbrause made by Rixdorfer or Spreequell can still be bought on tap in some bars. Look for Sportmolle (sports beer) and note that it is often mixed with beer. Ah yes, German: mixing beer with athletics.
Speci
In a country known for its strict brewing purity laws ( Reinheitsgebot ), it may come as a surprise that Germans are interested in mixing soft drinks with all sorts of things like beer ( Diesel ). The popular Spezi (cola and orange) is another non-alcoholic version of this drink mix.
International soft drinks are also widely sold and are simply known as Cola.
