A beer? We can offer you 5000!

World-famous German beer is an integral part of the country's history and culture. Out of over 1200 breweries, from the North Sea to the Alps, flow 5000 different kinds of beer on tap. This also applies for drinking habits in the various parts of Germany: In general, but especially in northern Germany, the light "Pilsener" with little hops is favored. An amber colored "Alt" (a top-fermented dark beer) is popular in Düsseldorf and in the Lower Rhine valleys. In Cologne people drink the golden "Kölsch" which is brewed with lots of hops and served in so called "Stangen" (straight, narrow glasses). Further down South a lager rich in malt is dominant. This area is also the home of the "Weissbier" or "Hefeweizen" (a light, highly effervescent, top-fermented beer), slightly cloudy due to the yeast.

The dark beer "Schwarzbier", served in an elegant tulip-shaped glass, is starting to regain its former popularity. This very old beer is mainly brewed in the regions of the former East Germany - in Thuringia and Saxony, as well as in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. An very unique local specialty is "Rauchbier" (smoked beer) which is brewed in Bamberg, Bavaria. It has a unique ham flavor to it because the malt is dried over an open fire in the first place.

"Weihenstephan", the world's oldest brewery, is located in Freising, a town near Munich in Bavaria. As early as in 1040 monks were brewing beer in Weihenstephan. But for special occasions the dukes of Bavaria ordered "Bockbier" (very strong beer) from Einbeck near Hannover. To the present day the tradition in Munich has it to open the strong beer season with a specially brewed "Doppelbock" (extra strong beer).

Extremely light, on the other hand, is "Berliner Weiße" (lager) which is served flavored with woodruff or raspberry syrup. It glows either green or red in a stemmed ball-shaped glass and makes a fantastic refreshing drink in the summer. If you would like to try something less intoxicating - why not order a "Radler" or "Alster Wasser" (types of shandy in the south and north respectively)? This is a fifty-fifty combination of beer and lemonade. It is deliciously refreshing and guarantees you can drink more. Up until 1993 these drinks were not allowed to be pre-mixed prior to serving. But today you will find them bottled just like "Diesel" (beer & coke mix) and many other new refreshments.

German beer is still brewed as per the purity law from 1516: made from malt, water, hops and yeast - and nothing else!