10 Traditional German Cocktails

Interested in new boozy drinks? You’ll love these traditional German cocktails. It’s like taking a trip to Germany without hopping on a plane!

If the popular cocktails – mojitos, margaritas, and martinis – just don’t excite you anymore, how about something different, for a change? 

It’s time to widen your horizon and get to know the alcohol-spiked refreshments that Germany has to offer.

The country is more than just lager and Jägermeister, you know!

So, this Friday night, be your own bartender. Impress your friends with your homemade rumplesnuggler, radler, kirsch royale, and more.

I’m sure you’re getting thirsty, so come on and let’s get this party started!

1. Radler

Let’s get the ball rolling with radler, a beer-based cocktail from Bavaria.

I won’t lie, I initially thought this would be somewhat like a cream-filled donut, but it’s not.

This Bavarian beverage is made of half sweet German lager and half sparkling lemonade.  

It has a mildly malty and sweet taste with notes of tart citrus, thanks to the lemonade. Served cold, it’s a wonderfully refreshing thirst quencher. 

With a relatively low alcohol content – just around 5% – radler is a mild cocktail that will give you just the right amount of buzz.

2. Berlin Style Beer Mix Drink 

Next up, let’s head on over to Berlin!

Berliner weisse is a foamy, low-alcohol ale beer with a mildly sour flavor.

It became a crowd favorite in the 1700s and still remains popular in Germany to this day.

It’s a bright, top-fermented beer at its base, with just 3% alcohol content.

It’s mild and flavorful enough to drink on its own, but it’s also commonly mixed with a shot of woodruff of raspberry syrup for a sweet and fruity flavor contrast.

3. Rumplesnuggler 

First of all, how fun does its name sound? From it alone, you can already tell this is an exciting drink!

True enough, the rumplesnuggler lives up to its name.

Here’s how it goes down: hot chocolate, Bailey’s Irish Creme, and Rumple Minze peppermint schnapps all combine to make this ridiculously cozy and warming drink. 

Oh, and there’s a dollop of whipped cream on top too, to top it all off. 

This beverage is popularly consumed by skiers over at Lake Tahoe to warm their bodies after an exhilarating ski activity.

But feel free to enjoy it in the comfort of your home, too!

4. Spiced Apple Beer Punch   

If you’re obsessed with the flavor of fall, then this next German cocktail is definitely a must-try.

While it does take a little bit more effort than simply mixing the ingredients in a glass, this beer punch is 100% worth it.

With the combination of fresh apples, cinnamon, cloves, and beer, this cocktail is perfect for all your autumn and winter festivities, from Oktoberfest to Thanksgiving to Christmas. 

It’s also fantastic for the summer, though! In fact, I’ll gladly drink this any season.

5. Kirsch Royale  

Kirsch royale is a fun twist on the original kir royale.

Instead of creme de cassis or blackcurrant liqueur, it makes use of kirsch, a colorless brandy made of cherries. 

Combined with champagne and cherry syrup, and a couple of cherries to top it off, this fruity cocktail might just be your newest favorite. 

6. MasterMix Cocktail  

This next recipe combines the infamous Jägermeister and martini to create one remarkable cocktail.

While I have several not-so-fond memories with Jägermeister, this recipe proved that the notoriously potent drink can also be used to make a sophisticated cocktail. 

A blend of Jägermeister, dry vermouth, and aromatic bitters, this martini version has a wonderful combination of flavors.

One sip will give you that herbal bouquet flavor from the Jägermeister, the subtle bitterness from the bitters, and the notes of sweet and floral flavors from the vermouth.

It’s a mastermix, indeed!

7. Bavarian Coffee

If you enjoy a good Black Russian, then you’ll definitely love Bavarian coffee.

With a blend of Tia Maria (a dark liqueur made of coffee beans), black coffee, peppermint schnapps, and whipped cream on top, the Bavarian coffee is the stuff of legends.

It’s sweet and creamy, and will definitely get you pumped. The combination of coffee liqueur and coffee makes sure of that.

Nothing can get the party started more than this tasty tipple!

The mintiness of the schnapps goes so well with the mix, as well. It gives it such a sweet flavor and a wonderful soothing sensation.

8. Wheat Beer Punch 

Wheat beer punch – okay, not gonna lie… this cocktail doesn’t sound too exciting. But wait until you see what’s in store!

First of all, look at the color. Don’t you just find its bright red hue so inviting? It’s like calling out my name.

With its blend of sparkling wine, wheat beer, raspberry syrup, and mixed berries, this libation has a wonderful combination of sweet, malty, and fruity. 

You’ll definitely want seconds. And that’s okay because it has berries in it. So… you know… it’s healthy.

9. Sangria with Jagermeister 

If you really want to up the ante, why not spike your sangria with Jagermeister? Just be sure you don’t have to wake up early the next day!

Seriously, though, this version of sangria has just the right balance of flavor. It’s wonderfully sweet, spiced, warming, and comforting.

So basically, it’s everything you can ask for in a winter drink.

Keep in mind, though, that this recipe isn’t the most basic. This punch requires up to 7 days for it to come together, but it’s completely worth it.

10. Glühwein (German Mulled Wine)

Let’s cap things off with the Gluhwein, a cozy and warming German tipple made of mulled wine.

The wine is cooked down with cardamom, ginger, orange, cloves, and anise, among others, giving it such warming and soothing flavors.

A popular drink during winter, it only takes one sip of this beverage to warm your heart, body, and soul.

It takes just a little over 30 minutes to make, but the comfort it gives you will last for hours.