Adult Beverages In Northern Europe for Newcomers * Oompah Bands

[Zorro]

Adult Beverage Orientation (Northern Europe Version) For Newcomers

Germany

Newcomers to Germany who enjoy an occasional liquid refreshment of the 'adult beverage' variety are in for a real treat. Of course I must mention that you need to be extra careful driving, drive only if you must, and slow down, the life you save might be mine!

Now to what has developed into a double-barreled approach, and sort of like a double-barreled shotgun hitting you if you over-do it, of schnapps and beer. Everywhere you go in norther Europe, whether it be the Akvavit and Carlsberg beer in Copenhagen or the Kirschwasser and Kronenbourg of Strassbourg, the Jenever and Heineken in Amsterdam to the Himbeergeist schnapps and Stiegl beer in Vienna you will find this tandem blast of intoxication always present.

And in Germany, where you will find easily more different beers than all these other countries combined, you also have bounteous schnapps, and some of the world's best white wines. And they are all around you right now, all over the Rhineland, the Moseltal and the Pfalz. And there are over 1,200 breweries in Germany. Their greatest concentration is in and around Bamberg, to your east, up the Main River, where I understand Elvis (in Memphis just known as E), hung out when he was stationed in the area (an Army private, then got up to E-4, I believe), so be kind to your local Army privates, for therein might walk the ghost of E himself,...hmmm. Walk on E, walk on.

And in addition to all the lager type pilsner beers, all adhering to the Rheinheit's Gebot, there are all kinds of special beers, for example: Weizenbier (wheat beer) called Weissbier in Bavaria, Alt (a dark ale) and Kölsch (special brew of Cologne), and Pils (a light-gold pilsner, very popular in Germany). In addition to these there are also seasonal beers such as Bockbier in the winter, and Maibock in May, with double the alcohol content. And there are several regional specialties, such as the Berliner Weisse.

In northern Germany beer is usually served in smaller glasses than in the south, for example 200 to 300 ml. In Berlin their schnapps (in Berliner dialekt it's 'Snahps') is a small glass of straight Vodka, and then a small glass of Drei Bären, Schultheiss or Beck's (for example) as a 'back'. While down south, especially in Bavaria (the Texas of Germany) a 500ml. 'Halbe' is a small glass to them, while more normal there would be a full 'Mass' or 'Masskrug'. Here in the Pfalz you will find a 'Stein' or, usually, a 'Schoppen' for a big glass of beer.

There is also excellent hard cider in Germany, especially in and around Frankfurt. This 'Apfelwein' or 'Ebelwoi' is often served in a jug called a 'Bembel'. In the Saarbrücken area the cider is called 'Viez' and they make it as 'susser Viez' (sweet), 'Viez fein-herb' (herbal), and 'alter Saerkower' (sour). The town of Merzig is the capital for 'Viez'.

But all over Germany the real most popular adult beverage is coffee or 'Kaffee'. When I lived in Germany it often seemed that whatever it was people were doing, they would really rather go 'Kaffee trinken' than anything else. Whether it meant to sit down and discuss something, or even to just sit alone and think, you needed to go and 'Kaffee trinken". Reminds me very much of my Grandmother in Nebraska, whose father's birthplace was in a small town outside of Dresden. I just have to hear the words 'kaffee trinken' and she's right here.

When Christmas is coming, and you want to see how they do it in Germany at its best, in Dresden, Leipzig, Nüremberg, Münster or Aachen, you will generally find people drinking one of my old favorites 'Glühwein'. This is a delicious warm red wine, mulled with cinnamon and cloves, also found in ski-lodges in the winter. And you will also soon find out that there are 23 distilleries in Germany producing whiskies.

After beer, the 'almost just as popular', other, adult beverage in Germany is schnapps. These are sweet and delicious fruit-flavored liqueurs favored as after dinner drinks, to 'aid the digestion', or on their own. I discussed these a bit back when I was talking about Alsace, your neighbor through the woods to the south (see "Travel With Zorro", in the archives, p.5), "France Info - 3 (French Wines), and 10 (Alsace Part 1), just scroll down. Now, across the Rhine from Alsace is the German Black Forest (I know you are already thinking about chocolate cake and cherry schnapps) and here you will also come across some other very tasty schnapps. The most popular are made from cherries (Kirsch), raspberries (Himbeergeist), sloe berries (Schlehenfeuer), pears (Williamchrist) and apple (Apfelkorn). They also have some made with herbs, such as Enzian.

Korn is also a very common drink to come across, probably the most commonly found spirit in Germany, considering how much home-made there is. And another winter treat I haven't mentioned is Eiergrog, a warm drink with egg liqueur and rum. And don't forget their traditional favorite drinks Jägermeister, Steinhäger and Theo. P, all favorites of mine.

And before I leave Germany and go zipping around the rest of northern Europe I wanted to give you a tidbit I came across, the ten top selling beers in Germany, interesting because I haven't even heard of half of them:

1. Öttinger from Öttingen
2. Krombacher from Kreutztal
3. Bitburger from Bitburg
4. Warsteiner from Warstein
5. Beck's from Bremen
6. Hasseröder from Wernigeröde
7. Veltins from Meschede
8. Paulaner from Munich
9. Radeberger from Radeberg
10. Sternburg from Leipzig


Austria

In Austria they go along with the program, favoring the pale lager beer, the fruit-flavored schnapps and Kaffee trinken. A famous beer from there is Stiegl (since 1492). They make most excellent schnapps, some are:
Obstler (from apples and pears), Zwetschgenwasser (plums), Himbeergeist (raspberries), Marillen (apricots), Vogelbeere (rowan berries), gentian roots, Enzian root, Inländer Rum, Steinbeisser, Gurktaler Alpen Kräuter and Leibwächter. And they even have schnapps made from beer (Rattenberger beer schnapps). Also you will find these sometimes as 'doppeltgebrannter' (80% alcohol - that's not 80 proof, that's 80%). And you can buy some of these on-line at www.austrianfood.net


Netherlands

The Netherlands, or Holland to us, or 'musclebound speedskaters' to others, favor also, as do most Northern Europeans, the pale lagers and the flavored liqueurs. Their most excellent beers include Grolsch, Amstel and one of the world's, and my, favorite beers, Heineken, truly a quality lager. A recent survey showed over half the Dutch people prefer Heineken, so I'll take their word for it. But they also like their special brews, with a bok and a white beer (wit beer).

And in Holland they also make very good liqueurs. The two names that pop into my mind, from so many years of staring at the bottles lined up on the shelf behind so many bars in so many countries: Bols and De Kuyper, and from trying to drink every different kind (impossible), but I did get to taste a whole lot of good flavors (now they are down to 30-some), and be amazed at how good the Dutch do it. For example, Vermeer Chocolate Cream Liqueur, or Pisang Ambon (banana flavor), and the famous Kümmel, and Gilka Kümmel, delicately flavored with caraway, cumin and fennel (the best is made for Bols in Berlin) and a favorite at some of the best golf links in the U.K. Bols by the way is the oldest distiller in the world, since 1575, and the oldest company in Holland still operating. And of course the favorite, maybe the world's all time favorite, genever, jenever or just gin. Where would the world, or at least the English speaking part of it, be without its gin and tonic, and its gin and vermouth - the famous Martini?


England


Ah, drinking in merry olde England. One of my favorite pursuits. But to have to write about it? Yeegads old boy, they are positively Belgian in the variety of their beers, for one thing. And then we come to their favored spirits. I'd be writing page after page. No, not gonna do it, it wouldn't be prudent. Sorry, but it's just that I keep falling off this chair, and my fingers aren't working right anymore. But I will press on for a while. In England there are lots of good beers, and they make a lot of different types, ale, stout, porter and lager are some, lager being the most popular, in the pilsner export style. The ales include Golden Pale ale, brown ale and old ale. There is also bitter. And the porters and stouts, which are generally darker and more bitter than the ales. And they also make ciders.

The biggest selling beer in England now is Carling, second is Foster's (yes, I know 'Foster's is Australian for beer mate'), but it's also the #2 beer in England. Other popular brands are Kronenbourg and Stella Artois. And the Brits have traditional mixtures they like to make with their beer, such as:
Shandy - beer and lemonade
Snakebite - lager and cider
Lager and Black - lager with a dash of blackcurrant cordial
Black Velvet - Guiness and champagne
Black and Tan - Guiness with bitter or lager

By the way, England does not have an Oktoberfest, but they do have 'The Great British Beer Festival' every August, this year in Earls Court.

And the English still make their own whisky, although Scotch & Soda is still probably the top drink of all. But they love their gin, with Tanqueray- Tonic, and a Bombay Martini being both also among the top drinks. But the list of favorite drinks in England goes on and on, and includes some from overseas. Besides the Australian, French and Belgian beers on their 'top beers' list there is also Sherry from Spain and Port from Portugal, although the top houses of both of these are actually English, the English couldn't get along without these, especially the port with their Royal Stilton Cheese, and Sherry required with so many English things that it is as much English as Spanish.

So you see, just to say England - lager beer and gin, doesn't get it. But that's what I have to do with the rest of the countries of northern Europe. At least I've already covered the wines, anyway, of France and Italy. So, you should be cool in these countries if you order these drinks :

Belgium - Jenever schnapps and a Belgian beer (eg. Duvel, De Koninck)
Ireland - Paddy and Red with a Guinness back (Paddy is an Irish Whiskey and Red is Grenadine, or sometimes red lemonade)
Scotland - Chivas and an ale back (Scottish ale if they have it)
Denmark - Akvavit and Carlsberg (or Tuborg)
Norway - ditto
Sweden - ditto, or hard cider
Finland - vodka, or hard cider
Russia - vodka (and some beer)
Poland - vodka and beer
Czech Rep. - Becherovka and Pilsner Urquell (at least that's what I like that they have there)
Hungary - Palinka and Tokay wine
Croatia - Rakija

And remember, let's be careful out there.

[Zorro]

In München Steht Ein Hofbräuhaus, Ein, Zwei, G'suffa!

Da wo die blaue Isar flieβt,
Wo man mit 'Gruβ Gott' dich grüβt,
liegt meine schöne Münchner Stadt,
die ihresgleichen nicht hat.
Wasser ist billig rein und gut,
nur verdünnt es unser Blut,
schöner sind Tropfen gold'nen Wein's
aber am schönsten ist eins:

In München steht ein Hofbräuhaus,
Eins, Zwei, g'suffa.
Da läuft so manches Fäβchen aus
Eins, Zwei, g'suffa.
Da hat schon mancher brave Mann,
Eins, Zwei, g'suffa,
gezeigt, was er so vertragen kann.

Schon früh am Morgen fing er und spät
am Abend kam er heraus!
So schön ist's im Hofbräuhaus!

English translation:

There, where the blue Isar flows,
Where every one greets you with "God bless you!"
There is my beautiful city of Munich,
The likes of which you've never seen.
Water is cheap, pure and good, but it thins our blood.
Far better is a drop of golden wine,
but the best is this:

In Munich stands the Hofbräuhaus,
One, two, drink up!
Since so many kegs run out
One, two, drink up!
There is always some brave man,
One, two, drink up!
Who wants to show how much he can drink.

You find him starting early in the morning,
and coming out late in the evening!
Ah the beautiful Hoffbräuhaus!

[Zorro]

Hey, I just wanted to mention, you don't have to go along with the standard program of having a glass of the hard stuff, or even schnapps and a beer back. You could have the schnapps, etc., with just a water back, or just a beer, as I mostly did, due to my perennial 'pas du pain' situation ('pas du pain' = no bread = no money). Or even just a club soda with a twist of lemon (make your doctor happy).

[Zorro]

.....In München steht ein Hofbraühaus

.....Trink, trink, Brüderlein trink

.....Lichtensteiner Polka

.....Ein Prosit, ein Prosit der Gemütlichkeit