What you need to know before heading to a proper German pub night | Germany In A Nutshell

When people get together for an evening out in Germany, they often do it in a 'Kneipe' - a pub. What's typical about German pubs and what sets them apart from bars? Is there a legal closing time? We sent our reporter Hannah Hummel on a pub crawl.
#pub #bar #beer
00:00 A Night in a German Pub
00:17 What is a Kneipe? - The 101
01:30 German Words You Need to Know When You're Going Out
01:57 Inside Stories: Berlin pub Destille
03:17 A Very Brief History of Pubs in Germany
04:02 Deep Dive: Historian explains German Pub Culture
Special thanks to
KINK Bar, Berlin
Uwe Drees, Co-owner of Destille
Dr. Hanno Hochmuth, Historian at Leibniz-Zentrum, Zeithistorische Forschung Potsdam (ZZF)
---------------------------------------------
CREDITS
Report: Hannah Hummel, Shaheen Welling
Camera: Neven Hillebrands
Edit: Neven Hillebrands
---------------------------------------------
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[@Stanley-px3bt]

I barely escaped Germany with my liver intact. What a great country!

[@grahamstubbs4962]

Not only intact, but 25% larger. Cheers to German foie gras!

[@Youtubesubverts1rstamendment]

I toured Brewdog and Lowenbrau breweries (with tastings) when I visited Germany. We drank from the time we got to the airport before the trip until we returned home.

[@askbob]

really nice , friendly people. Almost all the people we met took us out and showed us around. Top class.

[@jensabc8781]

The liver grows with its tasks!

[@grahamstubbs4962]

@@jensabc8781 Moon liver, wider than a mile

[@andreasmetzger7619]

Stammkneipe isn't just your local pub, it's the pub you always (or most of the time) go to

[@Dreyno]

Your “local” doesn’t necessarily mean the pub nearest you. It also means the pub you frequent. You might pass half a dozen other pubs to get to your “local”.

[@jackmclane1826]

@@DreynoI have never heard that in this meaning. I think "favourite pub" would be more fitting.

[@Dreyno]

@@jackmclane1826 It might be more fitting but that’s not what people say. If two next door neighbours go to two different, one is 200m down the street and the other is 600m up the street, they will each call the pub they go to as their local, regardless of one being 3x as far away.

[@user-hn4my4ze2u]

I have been watching Euromaxx for 20+ years, Thank you Meggin Leigh for many years of wonderful presentations. I got to say new hostess Hannah Hummel is lively, delightful & wonderful addition to this very engaging TV program. Hats off to you, Euromaxx

[@dweuromaxx]

Thank you 🥰

[@timsummers870]

Hannah Hummel is such a cutie and always in high spirits. I really like her work and the reporting is always better with her.

[@jdmagicmusic]

in Hamburg,where i live, people can smoke in pubs and bars as long as there is no food served; i found it the same when i visited Stuttgart as well

[@4rmi]

unfortunately true...still unbelievable for me

[@FTfilm]

Seit wann das denn? Das können dann doch nur irgendwelche kleinen Eckkneipen sein, in denen die ich kenne ist es definitiv verboten.

[@arnodobler1096]

@@FTfilm Eintritt ab 18

[@wandilismus8726]

Auf der Reeperbahn, nachts um halb eins *sing*

[@kratzikatz1]

@@4rmi sei froh. Waffengesetze wie in den USA wären schlimmer. Lass doch die Leute. Musst du ja nicht hin gehen.

[@MagnificentGermanywithDarion]

Awesome job Hannah. I love to visit Germany and I visit often. Thanks for sharing the history:).

[@marna_li]

We don't have a pub culture in Sweden - there are few local pubs. Some say that going out to hang out and drink is not in our DNA... but I think it is a result of restrictive drinking policies in the past killing this culture. Now alcohol is expensive due to hight taxes. You might just buy at the state monopoly retailer chain and bring home to drink instead. Or go to Germany to buy loads of cheaper beer, spirits, and wine to drink at home 🙂

[@marna_li]

Some say that the Swedish alcohol policy with a monopoly retailer saves lives by restricting sales and keep people from abusing. But people with problems can still buy at the monopoly retailer and get drunk at a bench or att home. It is all about earning money on taxes and to keep the problems out of people’s view.

[@Isoruku]

You forgot one very important rule for visiting Cologne pubs. If you are finished drinking, put your coaster on your glas. Otherwise the beer won't stop coming.

[@thestonegateroadrunner7305]

In Berlin there is no curfew, in most other federal states pubs close at 1:00 am and longer opening hours require an exception to be applied for. It is true that you can independently order a beer or a wine from the age of 16 on. However, if the parents are present and agree, there is no lower age limit.

[@michaelz.7140]

define most other? it is down to the municipalities to order a curfew. Mostly the curfew is from 5:00 to 6:00 o`clock,... exception is baden-würtemmberg is 3-6 am and bremen 2-6 am...

[@thestonegateroadrunner7305]

@@michaelz.7140 Why should I define that? LOL. There are 15 other states.

[@michaelz.7140]

@@thestonegateroadrunner7305 in most of them there is no us-style ridicoulous curfew at 1 o`clock. the harshest i found was 2 o`clock for some Kurorte in Baden-Würrtemberg. on weekdays in baden-würrtemberg its 3 o`clock in all states there is a Sperrstunde a.k.a. a curfew between 5 and 6 o`clock.

[@AP-lc5ys]

Leipzig don't know a "Polizeistunde" eather.

[@counterfeit1148]

I thought you have to be 14 to drink with the permission of parents

[@robo2606]

Greetings from Belgium and let's have a beer at the local pub 🍻

[@jdmagicmusic]

ooh Belgian beer, my fave along w/good German beer (funny how the 2 countries w/best beer in world are right next to each other), i love Belgium, have spent many times in Antwerp, wonderful city... Belgium has a way of making high alcohol beer (even above 10%!!!) that is absolutely delicious (ooh, Leffe Beer, how do i love you?)

[@grahamstubbs4962]

A litre of Duvel and something for my friend, please.

[@cmc2744]

I am german, but my uncle was belgian. I loved and still love to hang around in Belgian Pubs. Great beer culture, different in style but definitely as good as home! Cheers to our neighbours! 🍻

[@dweuromaxx]

What's pub culture like in Belgium?

[@robo2606]

@@dweuromaxx In a local pub where everybody knows everyone entering feels like coming home, even if you haven't been there for a while.

[@tallmale188]

Beers are very local in Berlin, we brought my father back to Berlin for a visit (We had been stationed there with the British Army during the era of "Die Mauer" when we we told him that we would be staying in Mitte, he said "But they have Berliner Kindle there and I don't like that! I prefer Schulthaus!"

[@Al69BfR]

You can get into a bar at 16 but you only can stay until midnight except for when your parents are with you.

[@dweuromaxx]

Yes, that is correct. Thank you for adding this detail!

[@Pianosphere]

You can drink beer as young as 14 if your parents (or legal blabla, don't know the term) are with you, true story.

[@oscarosullivan4513]

@@dweuromaxx Irish pub times are stricter but they changed that is going to change much to the chagrin of Father Matthew returned Professor Frank Murray. While smaller independent breweries tend to brew a wide array of beers pubs tend to be Lager pubs or Stout and by proxy also Ale pubs. My favourite draught stouts are O’ Hara’s single stout, White Hag black pig and the Porterhouse stouts.

[@ImCerealSuperDuperCereal]

In America bar food is excellent. Best bars in America are the sport and college bars. You can order cheese burgers, pizza, chicken wings, BBQ, submarine sandwiches (subs), seafood, ice cream with brownies, cheesecake, etc and have like 20-30 different versions of each. Bars are kind of like restaurants here in the states.

[@dweuromaxx]

In German pubs some classic snacks are sausages (obviously), Mettbrötchen (bread rolls with raw ground meat) and pretzels 😉

[@dougtheviking6503]

Only in last 30 years ..

[@Dreyno]

The best pubs don’t serve food or if they do, the most simple.

[@Dreyno]

@@edelweiss4353 I’m not saying you can’t get great food in a pub. I’m just saying the best pubs are not gastro pubs or restaurants. They’re primarily for drinking and socialising.

[@hawkinsn31]

"what's it like in your country ? " well , in my country the Pub (Public House) is part of the social fabric and traditional culture. I refer to England the cradle of Pub culture worldwide.

[@joseph40ninjas88]

Germany is awesome!

[@Hansaman58]

Things have changed since I lived in Germany in the 1980s. There was no expectation of tipping, although I tipped, and smoking in kneipen or bars or gasthausen was rampant.

[@hmvollbanane1259]

Tipping is still not expected though most will round up to avoid small change. Smoking highly depends on the state, here in NRW it is banned indoors, in the next village from my town which is is Rhineland Palatinate you can still smoke inside

[@muhammadkhalid5338]

We don't have pubs or bars but instead local tea cafés where we hang out with friends after work and meet people. I hope you can guess the country =P

[@Asgaia]

must be a dry country.

[@muhammadkhalid5338]

@@Asgaia Better dry than drunk

[@Asgaia]

@@muhammadkhalid5338 no

[@checkcommentsfirst3335]

@@muhammadkhalid5338 We have both though

[@masfiqratul7559]

@@muhammadkhalid5338 Your from Pakistan My Best Guess because your name doesn't feel Turkish

[@devdroid9606]

The British pub has a distinctive look (made to look inviting a home, with wood panel, wallpaper and fabrics). It there a traditional decor for this type of Berlin Stammkneipe?

[@henningbartels6245]

A traditional Kneipe also has a certain look with a lot of wood panels. Though a British pub sometimes could resemble a living room with fireplace, a sofa or even carpet, carpet would be considered yucky for a German Kneipe and the furniture like chairs and table would rather remind of a French bistro.

[@MegaBorusse1900]

That would be a old german Eckkneipe. (corner Pub) You find plenty of pictures on the web. But those are the ones that dying out a little bit and are no longer much visited, having not changed much since decades. And they have competition by Pubs, Student Bars, Cocktail Bars, Wine Bars, etc etc.

[@hmvollbanane1259]

Not sure about Berlin but yes, usually they have dark wood paneling, green tinted lead windows and some hunting trophies (or nowadays often also a mock replacement) on the wall. They also usually have dim lighting and feel very sturdy and cozy Also there is usually a ship-bell somewhere around the counter which you can ring to announce that you are buying a round for everyone

[@franciscosusana2292]

I barely understand what was said at the bar :(

[@antonomaseapophasis5142]

5:19 What was the last drink?

[@stansamilia]

Since that was a nick n nora glass + she‘s in a rather fancy bar, i‘d assume (!) it‘s a „Bee‘s Knees“ Or to put it in other words: it‘s nothing typically german

[@392hemi9]

I wonder what would happen if you ordered a brandy Old Fashioned sweet with olives?

[@t.robinson4774]

Maintaining audio quality must’ve been difficult, waking in and out of noisy spaces.

[@dweuromaxx]

Do you mean during the shoot?

[@t.robinson4774]

Erm, not entirely sure@@dweuromaxx - you're much more qualified to identify the sound issues than myself. Good use of an East Coast Scottish accent BTW. Intelligent but clearly good for a laugh.

[@rodjones117]

Several mistakes here - most importantly, it is not neccessary, or even normal to tip 5 or 10% in a Kneipe (as opposed to a fancy cocktail bar). Most people simply round up, so if the bill is 15.60 they pay 16.00. Saying "Gut so" when you hand over the cash is like saying "Keep the change".

[@dweuromaxx]

Yes, that is very individual, you are right. But the recommendation is 5 to 10%, even if that doesn't always apply in reality. So it's not really a wrong fact. Which other parts do you think are incorrect?

[@rodjones117]

@@dweuromaxx "Recommendation"? Whose recommendation? The waiter's! People just round up - nobody tips 10%. Well, this is shot in Berlin, so maybe the Berliner schicky-mickeys do...and all the tourists who don't know how things are done.

[@dweuromaxx]

@@rodjones117 Well, as we said: everyone can choose how much they want to tip. But the recommendation of 5 to 10 % is not wrong. For example, if a beer costs €4.50 and you pay €5 - that's even more than ten percent.

[@rodjones117]

@@dweuromaxx Yes, it is, but that not really the point. My point was, and is, that nobody in Germany calculates 10% and gives the waiter that exact sum of money, they just round up. In your example, if you wanted to tip 10%, that would be .45 cent, and so you would pay the waiter 4.95, expecting .05 cents change. That is not something anybody does. My point was about the German *method* of tipping, not the amount tipped. Also, you keep talking about a "recommendation" - as I asked above, whose recommendation?

[@henningbartels6245]

As a German I would round up to the full Euro - but 10 % max when I'm served by a waiter at my table. Just having a beer across the bar counter I would leave the change but rather 5% or less.

[@mikeoyler2983]

If die Kneipe means bar what does das Lokal mean?

[@TimeDefectGaming]

Means nearly the same. But "Lokal“ often serves food and can have a bar area too. Kneipe often only serves beer and drinks and sometimes a few snacks but no real cooked food.

[@MegaBorusse1900]

Lokal itself comes from the same roots as "local". You can have an Esslokal (other word for restaurant), a Tanzlokal (Dance Bar), a Ladenlokal (a shop)...

[@scottmitchell8273]

And you can buy beer at the service station ! What an advanced culture, unlike Australia .

[@kratzikatz1]

But not at night at the Autobahn. Nicht mal der Beifahrer bekommt was.🙄😡😉🤭

[@derricksmyth]

I remember going to Euro 88 and arrived into Krefield at 6 in the morning. Went to the local McDonalds for breakfast and you could get beer for breakfast with your McMuffin. What a country!!

[@GUTOMOFFICIAL]

🍻

[@poissonpuerile8897]

Don't forget to tip? WHAT!? Have you never been to a Kneipe before? Tipping is NOT the norm, and certainly not a percentage of anything. What passes for tipping in German pubs is to round up the bill to the nearest euro and tell the waiter to give you change for that (e.g. with a €22.15 bill, you may hand them €30.00 and say "23" - that means they give you €7.00 in change, rather than €7.85.

[@Dreyno]

It’s not really a thing anywhere in Europe but some people seem intent on changing that. Makes them feel rich throwing a few coins to the people serving them. Pay your staff properly and they don’t need tips to survive like in America.

[@ABM750]

Also be aware that there are dodgy practices ie serving fizzy coloured drink for champagne , watered down spirits this happens a lot

[@user-uu2uu2fv9c]

Where is rachel?

[@rodjones117]

Yes! Where is she? I bet she's great fun to have a beer with!😃😃

[@user-uu2uu2fv9c]

@@rodjones117 that's right!!

[@rodjones117]

@@user-uu2uu2fv9c have you had a beer with her?

[@dweuromaxx]

Rachel is still with DW. This series is not the same as "Meet The Germans" even though we're exploring further German lifestyle topics. We hope you like it!

[@user-uu2uu2fv9c]

@@dweuromaxx yes i like!

[@frankb1]

Beer gardens!

[@AKAHEIZER]

"Ein großes Pils, bitte." Mehr braucht es am Anfang wahrscheinlich nicht, damit kommt ihr denke ich gut über den Abend.

[@kratzikatz1]

Das Kneipensterben ist real. Wenn ich daran denke das fast jedes Dorf im Baunschweiger Raum mal wenigstens eine hatte. Oder Helmstedt, einst die Stadt mit den meisten Kneipen pro Einwohner. Alles weg. Das ist schon traurig, dieser Kulturwandel.

[@henningbartels6245]

That is the same thing I thought: They just had a Berlin or big city perspective with old pubs closing down and new bars popping up. But the reality in rural areas and small villages looks much different. There has been a pub dying over decades and corona shut downs even added to it. In the good old times every village had one or even several pubs, a bakery, a corner shop, maybe a butcher... Most of it is gone nowadays and these village don't have a place wher people could meet up and gather. Therefore you can notice that many villagres install a village hall aka Dorfgemeinschaftshaus.

[@ElliotShayle]

The landscape is just changing. Trinkhallen sind doch noch sehr häufig. What will remain is the cream of the crop

[@henningbartels6245]

@@ElliotShayle well this only an effect in an urban context.

[@Harzer37520]

Die Leute holen sich ihren Kasten Bier nach Haus. Ich wohne in einem Dorf im Harz, ca. 900 Ew. In den 50zigern gab es 6 Kneipen. Jetzt nur noch eine.

[@noah-xe7pl]

Theres no strict Smoking ban in german Pubs, it absolutely depends on the Bundesland.

[@BLURTHEGHOST]

I WANNA GO😭

[@dweuromaxx]

Have you ever been to Germany? 😊

[@BLURTHEGHOST]

@@dweuromaxx God I wish🤯

[@BLURTHEGHOST]

​@@dweuromaxxcan you's fly me out and hire me🤣 I am an aspiring internet personality, I know I need some improvement, but🙏😇🌠

[@Pressplay_Media_EU]

In Berlin you will find they put something a little extra in their handmade cigarettes, if you catch my drift 😵‍💫. I have a friend from Munich who's the biggest potthead I ever met, he smokes it for his espergers

[@ElliotShayle]

I hope he gets help

[@lawrencekniser8555]

Why don't they call a tavern a. Bierstube?

[@briangilbert3884]

What happened with the audio? I'll come over and work for you, but be warned, I'm not cheap!

[@ElliotShayle]

IDK, I know this series shows the best side of Germany, but I feel like this is too Berlin centric. Most of the pubs/bars/Trinkhallen in my town just look like bland functional rooms where a few people can be seen drinking

[@karl234]

Alko od nas for you

[@honorpatience1301]

I love Germany. But i dont smoke and i barely drink... any advice for my chances of a great social life remain intact? 😅

[@hmvollbanane1259]

Join a club, that's how most Germans build their social circle as adults and there are tons around for pretty much any hobby or interest you can think of

[@honorpatience1301]

@hmvollbanane1259 Thank you. There are websites that promote different clubs? For example in USA there's Meet-up

[@arnolsi]

@@honorpatience1301 Normaly you can find them on the online page from your city or you call the Kulturamt.

[@salentino]

You forgot Altbier!

[@bidiasmarc1394]

Destille kneipe in Berlin. Muss ich überhaupt dort hingehen wenn ich nach Deutschland fliege

[@dino2170]

all pubs in Australia have food served why isn't the same in Germany?????

[@dweuromaxx]

It depends on the particular bar or pub. Some serve proper dishes, others only a few snacks, and still others serve no food at all. It all comes down to concept of each single bar.

[@dino2170]

@@dweuromaxx thanks

[@tuffandco3745]

British pub grub is legendary. Sunday roasts with a big group of friends and family in the local is what it is all about.

[@niltomega2978]

I find that being in any nation where you can't communicate fluently actually sucks.

[@jarrettreckseidler]

A German tipping? Good one 😂

[@MartinAhlman]

No ale, no customer.

[@JJONNYREPP]

What you need to know before heading to a proper German pub night | Germany In A Nutshell 0829am 17.823 i need to go to Germany and have a decent night out drinking. proper night. not rowdy night as drinking to me doesnt mean being rowdy.. just proper drink. as in the good old days. the Germans used to own al the pubs in UK once over...

[@ekesandras1481]

"Kneipe" is not even a proper Standard German word, it is local dialect. The Brothers Grimm wrote: the only supraregional word is "Wirtshaus", whereas Kneipe is slang and should be avoided in the official language.

[@Malte_OJ]

Slang yes, but dialect? Which dialect? Brothers Grimm are dead for over 150 years, if it was dialect back then, it doesn't have to be dialect nowadays.

[@cccwue]

Erster! 😀

[@jimdellavecchia4594]

Don't start a bier hall putsch!!!!

[@teemum.9023]

I don't drink alcohol and want to find a female date

[@dougtheviking6503]

Buy her one ! Then another

[@obigspritztkenobi487]

Dat pepppp nicht vergessen ihr lappen, dann könnt ihr mehr trinken.

[@kratzikatz1]

Ja ja, die Chemiejünger. Bleibt doch bitte einfach zuhause.🙄😉

[@shukrullahghaffar3700]

Isn’t she smiling extra for nothing?

[@dr1311]

Darling, you need a dress designer …

[@paulwarren796]

SEX IS GOOD FOR YOU , YET BOOZE I WOULD NEVER GO NEAR . THIS APPLIES TO GERMAN PEOPLE WHO WERE RAISED ON BE4ER IN THE HOME AS WELL. IT IS JUST AS DANGEROUS .

[@Ye_Olde_Duke_of_Edinburgh]

Germans are like Brits minus the sense of humour.