When you find yourself at a bar, do you usually opt for a mixed drink consisting of beer and liquor or a strawberry daiquiri?
If you go for the beer cocktail, then you are ordering a so-called Herrengedeck.
The German word Herrengedeck means “gentlemen’s menu”. And no, we’re not talking about steaks or other “manly” foods. A Herrengedeck is a “manly” drink consisting of two types of alcohol. Stereotypically, men order beer, schnapps and whiskey, while women order sweeter mixed drinks.
Of course, this is merely a stereotype, but Germans have a word for everything – including manly mixed drinks. So if you’re a man and you’re trying to impress the other guys, make sure you order a Herrengedeck. If you’re in eastern Germany, you’ll probably receive a cocktail containing beer and sparkling wine. If you’re in northern or west Germany, you’ll probably get a mixture of beer and Korn (a German hard liquor made from fermented rye). A Herrengedeck varies based on the region but one thing is for sure: it’s manly. You don’t want to be caught dead with a pina colada in your hand, do you?
