Nothing beats a cold glass of non-alcoholic German drink when the hot weather starts to annoy you.
Many tourists who find themselves in the streets of Berlin would agree that a chilled glass of pilsner wakes up the spirit of Germany inside them.
It’s the ideal companion to a pleasant summer day, whether you’re in a tavern, a Biergarten, or simply sipping Cola by the river.
Germany offers a range of options besides good German beer. Below is a list of Germany’s best non-alcoholic drinks:
Table of Contents
- 1. Mineral Water
- 2. Club-Mate
- 3. Fresh Fruit Juice
- 4. Apfelschorle
- 5. Bionade
- 6. Fassbrause
- 7. Spezi
- 8. Coffee (Kaffee)
- 9. Mineral Water (Mineralwasser)
- 10. Punch (Bowle / Punsch)
- 11. Schorle
- 12. Tea (Tee)
1. Mineral Water
While the reputation around Germany’s clean tap water is dissipating, many people in Germany still want their water to be bottled and bubbling.
The range of mineral waters available in Germany and the level of sprudel (carbonation) is impressive.
The terminology used to describe water can often be perplexing.
These terms will assist you in avoiding a blunder when making your order:
- Ohne Kohlensäure: Has no carbonation
- Stilles Wasser: Has zero to few bubbles
- Medium (green or green-labeled bottles): Minimal bubbles
- Klassisch / Classic: Heavily carbonated
Remain confident that it will be carbonated if you request a “stilles Wasser” at a pub or a restaurant.
2. Club-Mate
Once upon a time, only a few selected individuals had heard of this South American-inspired drink created in Germany.
Presently, club-mate is now sold at every Späti or Spätkauf (convenient store) and may be found in the hands of any fun-seeking club-goer.
Club-mate is a caffeinated Yerba Mate drink and can also be referred to as a soda or tea. It is prized for its high caffeine concentration (20 mg/100 ml), which provides a subtle, long-lasting buzz, as well as its low sugar level.
This non-alcoholic German drink can be the best choice for individuals whose weekends start on Thursday evening till Sunday morning.
If you can’t get enough of the drink in the winter, it’s still accessible, but in a herbal “winter variant”.
You’re not alone if you don’t appreciate it the first time. “Man gewöhnt sich daran,” the drink’s catchphrase translates roughly to “You’ll eventually get used to it.”
3. Fresh Fruit Juice
Summer brings a bounty of fruit juice. KiBa, made with Kirsch (cherry) and banana, is many people’s favorite non-alcoholic German drink.
Fresh orange (Orangensaft) is widely available at all types of events.
Other juices include:
- Apfelsaft: Apple juice
- Birnensaft: Pear juice
- Brombeersaft: Blackberry juice
- Grapefruitsaft: Grapefruit juice
- Johannisbeersaft: Current juice
- Traubensaft (rot or weis): White or red grape juice
4. Apfelschorle
This fancy version of apple juice (combined with sparkling water) is frequently the kid’s drink of choice at social gatherings.
Still, its ubiquity and refreshing flavor make it the ideal non-alcoholic German drink.
Schorle is simply a juice blended with sparkling water, and there are numerous varieties of this drink.
5. Bionade
Bionade is a non-alcoholic German drink, naturally fermented and carbonated beer made by the Peter beer brewery in the Bavarian town of Ostheim vor der Rhön.
Elderberry Holunderbeere), lychee, ginger-orange (Ingwer-Orange), and quince are some of the Bionade available.
Sugar, water, barley malt, calcium carbonate, carbon acid, and magnesium carbonate are all ingredients in this non-alcoholic German drink.
It’s described as tasting like a soft drink; however, it’s a much healthier option.
6. Fassbrause
Fassbrause is a German soda-like drink with a distinct flavor. While some variants are alcoholic, the majority are not, and the drink is created with spices, fruit, and malt extract.
It is also known as “keg soda” because it is customarily stored in a keg. The most prevalent flavor is apple, but strawberry and rhubarb are becoming increasingly popular.
This non-alcoholic German drink was created in Berlin in 1908 as a fruit, malt, and herb blend to serve as an alcohol-free beer alternative.
Nonetheless, the term has since come to refer to a wide range of alcohol-free beverages and beer mixes, such as Radler.
Fassbrause from Spreequell or Rixdorfer can still be found on tap in some Berlin bars.
7. Spezi
In a country noted for its rigorous brewing purity standards (Reinheitsgebot), it may come as a surprise that Germans enjoy mixing soda with a variety of beverages, including beer (Diesel).
Another non-alcoholic variation of this cocktail is the trendy Spezi (range soda and Cola).
8. Coffee (Kaffee)
The distinct flavor of German coffee is defined by over 1,000 tastes and over 60 acidities.
The know-how of German manufacturers, their meticulous selection of coffee beans, the mode of transit, and the method of roasting the beans, ground, and packaged all contribute to this.
It’s no news that Germans are coffee lovers. Some Americans prefer their coffee black. Those who don’t like it can whiten it with Kaffeesahne (a brand of condensed milk).
Of course, coffee is at the heart of the Kaffee and Kuchen ceremony, in which Germans sit down to enjoy pizza and a cup of scalding hot coffee.
9. Mineral Water (Mineralwasser)
You are sure to be given mineral water (Mineralwasser) if you request a glass of water in Germany. This is unlike tap water (Leitungswasser), which is easily served in the United States.
German waiters would generally ask if you prefer your mineral water “with or without Sprudel?”.
This is because Mineralwasser is available with or without carbon dioxide. It is good that you get to make a choice, ja?
10. Punch (Bowle / Punsch)
Bowle is a refreshing mixed drink that is similar to a summer punch.
The May Bowl or Maibowle, which is flavored with Waldmeister (woodruff) and mostly sipped during May, is the most popular of all Bowle.
On the other hand, punsch refers to a particular type of alcoholic liqueur but should not be mistaken with the generic term “punch.”
You can make it by combining spirits (rum, arrack, or brandy) with arrak tea (spices and lemon), sugar, and water.
Most punsches contain spirit arrack, which typically contains 25 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) and 30 percent sugar.
11. Schorle
The term “schorle” refers to a mixed drink that is popular throughout the summer. A Saftschorle, Fruchtsaftschorle, or Fruchtschorle are made up of a mixture of mineral water and fruit juice.
It’s also a popular beverage for post-workout hydration. A Schorle is also referred to as Gespritzter or Spritzer in some parts of Germany.
12. Tea (Tee)
Both fruit tea (Fruchttee) and black tea (Schwarztee) are relatively popular in Germany. Fencheltee (Fennel), Kamillentee (Camomile), Pfefferminztee (Peppermint) and Hagebuttentee (Rosehip) include the most desired herbal and fruit teas.
Tourists can have some of the best teas in Ostfriesland. This is a region in Germany particularly well-known for its tea-drinking tradition.
Whatever your drink choice, alcoholic or not, be rest assured that Germany has something for you.
