German Beer
There is a long tradition of brewing in Germany, and the German Beer Purity Law has been ensuring quality since 1516. Veltins, Warsteiner, Königpilsener, Becks, Paulaner … There are more than 5,000 different types of beer to discover in Germany today – from dark brown to pale gold, from bitter to smooth.

German wine
German wines grow in 13 different areas. Many of these are known throughout the world, such as the Moselle, Rhine, Main, Neckar, Saar and Nahe. The diversity of grape varieties is equally impressive. Riesling is probably the best known, but wine lovers shouldn’t overlook pinot gris (grauburgunder), gewürztraminer or a fully ripened trollinger.
The history of wine-making at Vollrads Castle Winery in Oestrich- Winkel in the Rheingau dates back to the early Middle Ages. The finest German rieslings are still produced today from grapes grown on the south-facing slopes around the estate. Vollrads is particularly proud of the awards it has won from the state of Hessen for its wines. The restaurant in the historical castle serves excellent food.

Schnapps
56 herbs from a variety of countries are used in the making of Jägermeister – the German herb liqueur. A good German Korn (grain schnapps) should taste pure: the traditional Hardenberg brand is a good example of this. The requirements of a good fruit brandy (Obstbranntwein) are very different: here, fruitiness is what counts. Just as it says on the labels of the Schladerer range of fruit brandies.

80 years ago, the first fruit flavour gums were called “dancing bears”. Today, the name Haribo gold bears is on the lips of people around the world. Another global success is Lübeck marzipan. Niederegger has been making award-winning products from this sweet confection since 1806. Equally popular is Nuremberg gingerbread. The delicious spiced cakes were first made by Franconian monks. Nowadays, companies such as Lebkuchen-Schmidt make these tasty little treats and ship them all over the world. Another famous German brand has celebrated major success: Milka – the chocolate with the purple cow. The reputation of German spirits is beyond question.

Traditional production methods and family recipes based on well-kept secrets are what give Black Forest ham its unmistakable flavour. It is also clear that the high quality of this regional speciality has a lot to do with the selection of the raw ingredients. And it takes time. It takes about three months’ loving care and stringent quality control to guarantee this unmistakable flavour. The original Munich weisswurst is also all about quality. These sausages are made from veal and pork, seasoned with onions and fresh parsley.

Further information about German culinary specialities.