lifestyle
Apfelwein and Sachsenhausen: Frankfurt's Cider-House Tradition Explained
Frankfurt's tart apple wine, poured from a Bembel jug into a ribbed Gerippptes glass, is best enjoyed in the old taverns of Sachsenhausen. A short guide to the local ritual.
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No drink is more closely tied to Frankfurt than Apfelwein, the tart fermented apple wine known in the local dialect as Ebbelwoi or Appler. It is drier and sharper than the sweet ciders found in some other countries, and for many residents it is the taste of the city.
The way it is served is part of the tradition. Apfelwein is poured from a grey-and-blue stoneware jug called a Bembel and drunk from a glass with a diamond-patterned surface known as a Gerippptes, whose ridges were originally designed to give a firm grip. Regulars often order it sauergespritzt, cut with sparkling mineral water, or sussgespritzt, softened with lemonade, though purists take it straight.
The spiritual home of the drink is Alt-Sachsenhausen, the old quarter on the south side of the Main. Its narrow, cobbled lanes are lined with traditional apple-wine taverns, many of which have been in business for generations and still serve the drink alongside hearty local dishes such as Handkase mit Musik and schnitzel with green sauce.
Sachsenhausen is an easy walk or tram ride from the city centre, crossing one of the bridges over the Main. The area is quiet by day and lively in the evenings, when the taverns fill and long shared tables encourage conversation between strangers.
For visitors, an evening in a Sachsenhausen apple-wine tavern is one of the most authentic experiences Frankfurt offers. It is inexpensive by the standards of a major financial city, and it gives a sense of a local culture that has nothing to do with the banking towers across the river.
Apple wine also has its own rituals beyond the glass. In the warmer months the Ebbelwei-Express, a decorated historic tram, trundles a circular route through the city carrying passengers and, of course, bottles of the local drink. On the food side, apple wine is the natural partner to robust Frankfurt dishes such as Frankfurter Rippchen, cured pork served with sauerkraut, and Handkase mit Musik, a tangy regional cheese marinated with onions. Many taverns still make their own apple wine each autumn from regional fruit, and the new season's cider is a small local event in its own right.