It sounds bad, but when in Rome… (or Berchtesgaden)
One of the more obscure tastes that I acquired when I was stationed in Germany was a Radlermass. I noticed that many of the Germans that had just finished the long climb up the mountain to the Vorderbrand Gasthaus would call for what I thought was a “Rattler”. They would say. Ein Radler bitte! Soon they were served this very tall cold drink – it looked like beer? I soon found out that it was a mixture of the local brew, mixed with lemon/lime carbonated drink.
Since my team was staying at the Vorderbrand, we started ordering a Rattler, as we thought they were called. It is a well known thirst quencher amongst the locals there, we had never heard of it up north. We would usually work up a sweat, even on the coldest days coming back from the Jenner Ski Area, just a short kilometer away from the Vorderbrand, and that one liter Rattler would go down lke a Big Gulp from 7-11. But then we order a Weinbrand and a Bier, and break out the pinochle decks – life was good back then.
No, it’s not my favorite German Beverage, but is still in the top five. What’s your favorite from Germany?
Mitch