The notorious beer drinkers, the Germans and the English, love to concoct mixtures of beer and whatever. The famous English Black and Tan is well-known in this country, while the Shandy (from England) and Radler (from southern Germany) are less-known. Both of these are a combination of beer in the generic, and lemon-lime soda, actually "Zitronenlimonade" in German. Besides the Radler which is now commercially available in Germany from well over a hundred breweries, many other combinations have emerged in the past decades, initially in the Gasthäuser, but a number are also now commercially available. These mixes generally produce a drink with less alcohol, generally between 2.4 and 2.6 % alcohol by volume, and a few are even lower in calories. Interestingly these mixes have replaced the "Schankbier" (light beer) fad, possibly since they have more flavor.
I. Weizenbier combinations:
the Russ, Russ'n, Russ'n Mass - 1/2 Weizenbier, and 1/2 lemon-line soda
the Berliner Weisse - Berliner Weizenbier with a "shot" of either Rasberry syrup or Woodruff
***other mixtures with Berliner Weisse, as found in Thüringen***
Berliner Weisse Blau - Berliner Weizenbier with a shot of blue curacao
Berliner Weisse Spezial - Berliner Weizenbier with a shot of Creme de Cassis
Cola Weizen- Hefeweizen with cola (cokecola)
Frührstück Weisse (Breakfast Weisse) - 1/2 orange juice, 1/2 Berliner Weizenbier (don't wait for lunch!)
the Heller Moritz - Hefeweizen, with a small bottle (piccolo) of champagne and a slice of lemon
the Flieger in the Rheinland, or Neger in Bavaria - Weizenbier with a "shot" of cola, or 1/2 & 1/2, or mix to your taste
II. Pilsner lager combinations
the Alster, or Alsterwasser - 1/2 Pilsner lager, and 1/2 lemon-line soda (virtually the Radler with a north-German name.)
Ginger Bier - 1/2 Pilsner lager, and 1/2 Gingerale
Orangerei - Pilsner lager with orange juice (another possibility if you can't wait for lunch)
Kalte Ente (Cold Duck )- 2/3 Pils, 1/3 lemon-line soda plus a shot of Cherry liquor, typical in Thüringen.
the Bismark - 1/2 dark lager (Köstritzer), and 1/2 champagne
III. Altbier combinations
the Krefelder - 1/2 Alt-bier, and 1/2 cola, found in northern Germany
Altbier Bowle (Altbier with fruit),
Allbier Cola (Altbier, coke, and cherry liquer),
IV. You name it
Diesel - low calorie beer , and cola, - mix to taste
And now for the absolute latest, a Whizz Peach, but not a peachy whizz, - listed from a private brewery in Darmstadt,
the Whizz Peach - 1/2/ Kristallweizen and 1/2 peach limonade
For the total non-alcoholic drinker, a Spezi (1/2 lemon-lime, 1/2 cola) is not only traditional throughout Germany, but also extremely popular, generally for the kids, although there is one which is listed as "Alcoholfrei und Kalorienarm" (alcohol free and low in calories).
If you're still not satisfied, tell the bar-tender what you want, and he will gladly mix it, probably not even with a a demeaning look.
Many of these "mixes" are served in 1/2 liter glasses, but one time-honored tradition for the Bavarians is to congregate in their local Gasthaus after church on Sunday for their Mass (1 liter of beer and no pun intended) which invariably is accompanied with a "shot" ( Enzian, Obstler, etc), or possibly a Laterndl, a Mass with cherry liquor in a shot glass, which is in the bottom of the stein. Figure that one out!
Most of these concoctions stem from my personal experience.
One must assume that these mixtures alter the flavor of the drink as well as having other special features, either to complement a specific food item, or to produce a drink with less alcoholic content.
Less alcohol, more alcohol, no alcohol, contemplate these "mixes," be adventuresome, and you too may discover a new variety, or at least be prepared for your next trip to Europe, and not just a beer in the Hofbräuhaus in Munich. (See also: The Radler: the bicyclist and the beer.).
We asked the old Austrian brewmaster why some people add a
slice of lemon to their Weizenbier. His somewhat caustic reply
was: "That's the strange Bavarians. If I wanted a lemon in
my beer, I'd have brewed it in."
Following this informative dialogue, my wife, our Munich friend
and I walked 20 minutes to the center of town (Hallein, Austria),
and we each ordered a different Edelweiss, Kristallklar, Hefetrüb
and Dunkel. To our amazement, all three came with a slice of lemon
on the glass! At least the brewmaster was correct in recommending
that the beer should be served between 44 and 47 degress fahrenheit.
Well, there is now a new brewmaster, and although I can not accuse
him of this latest comment, the brochure from Hofbräu Kaltenhausen
states:
"If you see a lemon on your glass, order a Tequila!"
Would you concur that a lemon in an Edelweiss is "OUT?"
* I do occasionally add a lemon to an Edelweiss Kristallklar,
but don't tell the brewmaster!
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