Food & Beer Culture

Hannover's beer culture includes the Lüttje Lage, a beer and a schnapps served in two interlocking glasses held in one hand and downed in a single go. It's a ritual of the city rather than a recipe, and it's traditionally drunk with Pils.

The Schützenfest Hannover dates back to 1529 and is considered one of the largest marksmen's festivals in the world. It has its own festival beer, brewed exclusively for the occasion, and fills the Schützenplatz every summer.

Braunschweig gave us Braunschweiger Mettwurst, a spreadable raw sausage that pairs well with beer and bread. Its saltiness and smokiness hold their own against a dry, bitter Pils.

Conversations at the bar in both cities love to circle around the question of who has the better beer. The standard serving size is usually the 0.3-liter Pils tulip, with larger glasses reserved more for festivals than for the pub.

A bitter Pils handles salty and fatty foods well, since the bitterness refreshes the palate. Sweet foods like cake or mild cheese pair better with a malt-forward dark beer than with a sharp Pils. The Schützenfest kicks off with a grand parade, the Schützenausmarsch, drawing guests from across the region, with the beer there mainly accompanying whatever's being eaten and sung on the festival grounds. With the Lüttje Lage, the beer glass and the schnapps glass are slotted together so the two mix as you drink.