Mmm Beer

When I think of Germany, I think pretzels and beer. For a good reason: Germans really do love their beer. From morning to night, there's always beer available and there's probably always going to be someone drinking it.

I stopped by some beer gardens when I was in Germany this past summer. The first time I went was during the early evening, so it didn't really surprise me to see so many people sitting at the picnic tables, sipping away at their beer and chatting with their friends. However, when I went a second time during the middle of the day, I was surprised to see so many people out drinking. There were old people, young people, businessmen, all with a liter of beer sitting right in front of them. I guess in Germany, beer is pretty much equivalent to water. Like the article, "An Obsession Explained" said, beer is simply a way for the Germans to quench their thirst. As for the quality of the beer, I wouldn't be able to comment. I had both the Radler (half lemonade/half beer) and the Weizenbier and they both kind of tasted the same to me. Hm.

On that note, I think any sort of attempt to ban public drinking will fall short. It's like banning an athlete from drinking a sports drinking during a game! (or something of that sort...)


Ah, the articles about humor and the pessimism that's prevalent among Germans was pretty interesting. Having the humor broken down into cases based upon location reflects the distinct areas of Germany. I personally find the hearty Bavarian humor most appealing; I'm not a big fan of sarcasm or deadpan delivery.

Also, I don't think I like the negativity of the Germans! It's such a stark contrast to the American optimism.