Sharp tongues from foreign regions claim that Apfelwein is a beverage that only starts to taste of anything after the seventh glass. This is possibly the reason for the more or less common cocktails with Apfelwein:
The most common is the Sauergespritzer, which is Apfelwein blended with 10% mineral water. The Tiefgespritzter or Batschnasser are varieties which use more mineral water.
Also common is the Süssgespritzer, which is Apfelwein blended with lemonade, orange-lemonade or fresh-pressed apple juice (lemonade being the most common).
Less commonly the Apfelwein is blended with cola. This concoction is referred to as a KE (for Kola-Eppler); in Frankfurt am Main it is known as a Korea, while east of Frankfurt the names Panzer ("tank") or Panzersprit ("tank fuel") are used.
Rarer still, the Apfelwein can be mixed with beer. This combination is named "Bembelschlabber".
Mixing (in particular with cola) is considered a faux pas by most Apfelwein connesseurs, though this is nevertheless quite common outside of Frankfurt am Main (usually mixed 80:20 with cola).
Some innkeepers and locales refuse to serve Süssgespritzter. If a Süssgespritzter is ordered at one of these locales, the customer will be given the Apfelwein and lemonade separately (for a similar phenomenon, see ketchup on hotdogs), which allows the customer to mix the two without forcing this distasteful task upon the staff of the establishment.
Apfelwein is often made with the addition of the unprocessed juice from the fruit of a small, indigenous apple tree known as Speierling (Sorbus domestica) or Speyerling, an endangered species that is easily confused with the wild apple. Although it is difficult for the non-initiate to detect any difference in the end product, for many Hessians this rare supplement contributes much to the lore and mystique of the beverage. |
