There are a lot of beverages to choose from in Germany. (Nick Galeano)
Imagine, it’s a hot day in the middle of the German summer, and you walk into a grocery store for a drink. There are so many options to choose from. There are soft drinks, fruit drinks and dairy drinks. You are just so overwhelmed by the abundance of choices.
But some of the best options for drinks in German would be Schokomilch, any soft drink and Apfelschorle.
These are some of the most common drinks in Germany and also probably some of the best drinks you can get in Germany as they have good flavors and are healthy for the most part.
There are several key differences between the drinks.
For instance, soft drinks are any soda, such as any orange soda, colas and citrus sodas. In Germany, combining an orange soda with cola is popular. These mixed drinks come from the brands Mizzo Mix and Schwipp Schwapp. You can also find refreshing citrus sodas, such as Bitter Lemon.
Many stores also offer a wide variety of lemonades and ice teas from lemon to peach and elderberries.
A selection of German soft drinks. (Nick Galeano)
Next, you have your juice drinks, from 100 percent juices like apple, orange and blood orange, to mixed juices.
In Germany, the most popular mixed juices are multivitamin juice and ACE, a combination of orange juice, carrot juice and lemon juice. ACE stands for vitamin A, C and E, vitamins that can be found in high concentration in this juice. My favorite mixed juice drink is Ki-Ba, a mixture of banana and cherry juice. The name is an abbreviation of Kirsche-Banane, giving away what’s in it. You can purchase cherry juice and banana juice to mix it yourself or purchase a premixed version.
There are many popular juices and juice blends in Germany. (Nick Galeano)
You can also find several refreshing dairy drinks with a variety of flavors. Mango lassi is a thick Indian dairy drink you can find in the juice and deli fridge of many grocery stores.
There are also flavored milks. Schokomilch (chocolate milk) is my favorite and very different in taste from the U.S. ‘s chocolate milk, as it’s made with different ingredients. The reason is that high fructose corn syrup, some artificial colors, preservatives and flavor enhancers are common in the U.S. but are not allowed in Germany.
In Germany, many drinks are not as sweet as they are in the U.S. because they do not use the amount of sugar that is used in the U.S. So, if there is something in the U.S. you didn’t like to drink, try the German version of it as they may taste different.
German dairy beverages have less sweetener than their U.S. counterparts. (Nick Galeano)
There are many drinks in Germany. Next time you are in a German grocery store or a Getraenkemarkt, which specializes in beverages, take some time to browse. You will find a wide variety of drinks from refreshing lemonades to teas and waters with various amounts of carbonation.
With water, you can choose from still (Still) to some bubbles (Medium) to more bubbles (Classic).
Do you like some flavor? Check out the wide variety of Schorles they have: Those are drinks that include sparkling water. Apfelschorle is my favorite; however there are many more juice schorles to choose from. So, head to a local store, check out the options and try some.
Most beverage bottles in Germany come with a deposit called a Pfand ranging from 8 to 25 cents.
The Pfand is added to the price when you buy the drink, and you get it back when you return the empty bottle to a store. It’s a smart way to help the environment and your wallet!
