Relive foreign flavors through taste: 6 classic drinks to try in different countries

Written/Compiled & Reported by Li Xinyi, MOOK Travel Life Network | Source/MOOK Editorial Department

 

The Colosseum represents Italy, the Eiffel Tower evokes France, and the Taj Mahal is India’s most iconic landmark... The beautiful scenery along the way often unconsciously helps record the countries you’ve visited; and your taste buds help you remember the flavors here—whether they’re rich, intense, pure, intoxicating, or unbearably sweet?

 

Every country has its own representative everyday beverage, and these drinks, deeply integrated into daily life, are closely tied to the local culture. When you taste them, you’re experiencing not just the pure flavor of the drink but also the essence of the land. Each comes with its own serving ware and drinking method, and as you sip, the aroma lingers in your memory through your taste buds. Once you remember that scent, even years after your trip, catching a whiff or tasting it again can instantly transport you back to that place. Why not take a moment to sip a drink and reminisce about a foreign land with us?

 

Germany – Beer

In Germany, you might find that beer is often cheaper than mineral water. Especially since most German food tends to be salty, pairing it with a chilled, refreshing beer is an incredibly satisfying experience. There are about five thousand types of German beer, and drinking habits and tastes vary slightly by region. In northern Germany, the beer is mostly slightly bitter Pilsener; in southern Germany, the preference is for light and smooth wheat beer (Weizen). Bamberg’s famous smoked beer (Rauchbier) has a unique smoky flavor and is a type of dark beer; Bavaria’s specialty, black beer (Schwarzbier), has the sweet aroma of roasted malt; and in Cologne, the golden Kölsch beer served in tall, slender glasses has an especially elegant taste.

Since you’re in Germany, the country famous for its beer, don’t settle for canned beer from convenience stores. The freshest and purest taste of German beer comes straight from the tap in taverns and restaurants, and only there can you enjoy it in the appropriate glassware. Because each type of beer has its own distinct characteristics—some are particularly sensitive to temperature, others emphasize aroma diffusion—and factors like foam, taste, and even drinking style can change depending on the shape of the glass. Therefore, each beer has its own special glass, such as Munich beer served in a mug with a handle, wheat beer in a streamlined glass that’s wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, Pilsener in a flute-shaped glass, and Cologne beer in a tall, slender glass. This way, the full sensory characteristics of each beer can be brought out to their fullest.

 

France – Wine

The magic of French cuisine lies in how the wine produced in each region perfectly complements the local specialties. A dish like Alsatian pork with sauerkraut would lose much of its charm without Riesling wine, just as a classic Burgundy beef bourguignon wouldn’t quite be the same without top-quality Pinot Noir.

The French wine classification system is arguably the most comprehensive in the world, divided into four levels: AOC, VDQS, Vin de Pays, and Vin de Table. At the top is AOC, which itself is subdivided into four tiers: from the highest Grand Cru, followed by Premier Cru (1er Cru), Village AOC, and Regional AOC (for example, Bourgogne AOC). Every wine must undergo rigorous annual inspections by national committees, including tastings, reviews of regional production standards, and evaluations of brewing traditions, to qualify as a premium wine representing the local character. The story within a single glass of wine is far more complex than outsiders might imagine—from the variety of grapes, the terroir in which they’re grown, the methods of cultivation and harvesting, the fermentation process, to even the personalities of the winemakers and blenders. It takes all this accumulated history to create a glass of wine with such unforgettable depth.