Drinking Culture

German pubs follow a clear rule: vodka is drunk neat and ice-cold, often straight from the freezer. Small, narrow glasses, affectionately called Stamperl or Pinnchen by some, are filled to the brim and downed in one go. Diluting it or serving it on ice is considered a waste by many.

Before drinking, glasses are raised, usually with a brief “Prost” or “Zum Wohl.” Anyone buying a round “schmeißt eine Lage” - a fixed expression from pub culture that shows just how much drinking here is about community. Ordering a shot alone in company is considered almost impolite.

When brands like Gorbatschow or Puschkin became party drinks in the seventies and eighties, vodka also carried a touch of exoticism. It sounded Russian, but was actually distilled in Berlin or Westphalia. Since then, a midnight shot before the first fireworks has become part of New Year's Eve tradition in many families.

Part of the social ritual is that vodka usually accompanies a pub meal, not a fine dinner. A cold snack is enough, paired with a cool beer as the second glass. Straight vodka remains the exception in an otherwise beer-dominated everyday life. This mix of hearty food and high-proof spirit still shapes pub culture today.

Anyone who experiences a genuine pub round in Berlin quickly notices: there are many rules, both written and unwritten. You don't drink faster than the group, you don't leave anyone standing alone at the bar, and the shot is only raised once every glass is filled. This turns a simple spirit into a small communal ritual.