Traditional European Drinks: A Country-by-Country Guide (2026)

Ordering a drink in Europe isn't as simple as pointing at a beer menu. Every country has its own deeply rooted beverage culture — alcoholic drinks tied to harvests, seasons, and centuries of tradition. I've tried most of these in their home countries: Aperol Spritz on a canal in Venice, Ouzo with grilled octopus in Athens, Czech pilsner pulled at a pub in Prague, Glühwein at a Christmas market in Cologne. The difference between drinking these at home and drinking them where they're from is enormous.

Here's a country-by-country breakdown of traditional European alcoholic beverages worth seeking out.

Germany: Beer, Glühwein, and Jägermeister

Germany's beverage identity is built on beer — specifically regional styles. Hefeweizen (cloudy wheat beer, slightly fruity) in Bavaria, Kölsch (light and crisp, only brewed in Cologne) in the Rhineland, Märzen (malty amber lager) at Oktoberfest. Pilsner is everywhere but the regional styles are the point.

Away from beer, Glühwein is the drink I associate most with Germany. It's spiced red wine — cinnamon, cloves, orange peel — served hot at Christmas markets. Every stand has a slightly different recipe. After three cups at Cologne's Weihnachtsmarkt, you stop caring about the cold.

Jägermeister is a herbal liqueur made from 56 herbs and spices. Locals drink it as a digestif, ice cold. Sekt is Germany's sparkling wine — lighter and cheaper than Champagne but often surprisingly good.

Czech Republic: The Pilsner Standard

The Czech Republic produces some of the finest lagers in the world. Pilsner Urquell from Plzeň is the original golden pilsner — everything else is a descendant of it. Budvar (Budějovický Budvar) is the authentic Czech brewer behind the Budweiser name dispute.

Becherovka is a traditional herbal liqueur from Karlovy Vary, made from a secret blend of herbs and spices. It tastes like cloves, cinnamon, and something unidentifiable. Czechs drink it as an aperitif or digestif, sometimes mixed with tonic water (called "Beton"). It dates back to the 16th century in terms of regional herbal liqueur tradition and remains the most distinctly Czech spirit.

Italy: Aperitivo Culture and Digestivi

Italy has two distinct beverage rituals: aperitivo (pre-dinner drinks) and digestivi (after dinner). Aperol Spritz — Aperol, Prosecco, sparkling water — is the aperitivo standard now. I had my first proper one in Venice and understood why it took over Europe. It's refreshing, slightly bitter, and low enough in alcohol that you can drink two before dinner without wrecking the meal.

Negroni is for people who want something stronger: Campari, sweet vermouth, gin. One of the best-balanced cocktails ever made.

For digestivi: Limoncello from Sorrento is the benchmark — made from lemon zest, typically served ice cold. Grappa is the fiery grape pomace brandy, an acquired taste. Amaro (the general category of bitter herbal liqueurs) includes brands like Averna and Montenegro — aromatic, slightly sweet, and genuinely useful after a heavy Italian meal.

Spain: Wine, Sangria, and Sherry

Spain's wine culture is anchored in Rioja (bold Tempranillo reds) and Albariño (crisp white from Galicia, made for seafood). Cava is the Spanish sparkling wine — much better value than Champagne for a fraction of the price.

Sangria is real, but the tourist version (sugary, watered down) and the homemade version are completely different drinks. Tinto de Verano — red wine mixed with sparkling lemon soda — is what Spaniards actually drink in summer. Sherry (Jerez) ranges from bone-dry Fino to rich Oloroso; Fino served chilled with jamón is one of Europe's underrated food pairings.

Portugal: Port and Ginjinha

Port wine from the Douro Valley is the obvious answer — a fortified wine that ranges from sweet Ruby to complex aged Tawny. Best drunk in Vila Nova de Gaia, Porto, where you can tour the wine cellars and taste properly.

Vinho Verde is Portugal's other wine story: light, slightly sparkling, low alcohol, perfect for summer. Ginjinha is a cherry liqueur served in tiny cups from hole-in-the-wall bars in Lisbon — one of the simplest and most characterful traditional drinks in Europe.

Greece: Ouzo and Tsipouro

Ouzo is an anise-flavored spirit and the national drink of Greece. The key thing to know: add water and ice, and it turns milky white (called the louche effect). Always served with small plates of meze. I had it in Athens at a seafront taverna and it made everything taste better.

Tsipouro is the rougher, often unaged pomace brandy that Greeks drink alongside Ouzo. Metaxa is Greece's spirit export — a brandy blended with Muscat wine, sweeter than cognac. Assyrtiko from Santorini is one of Europe's finest white wines: mineral, volcanic, dry.

Belgium: Trappist Beers and Lambic

Belgium's beer culture is genuinely unmatched. Trappist beers — brewed at monasteries, a protected designation — include Chimay, Rochefort, and the near-mythical Westvleteren 12. Lambic is spontaneously fermented wheat beer; Gueuze is a blend of old and young lambics. Witbier (Hoegaarden being the accessible example) is unfiltered wheat beer with coriander and orange peel. Belgian beer is to beer what French wine is to wine.

Hungary: Pálinka

Pálinka is a fruit brandy with protected geographical indication status — it can only be made from fruit grown in Hungary. Plum pálinka is the most traditional; apricot and cherry versions are also common. Served in small pours, typically room temperature. It's the Hungarian equivalent of a welcoming shot — offered to guests before meals, drunk at special occasions. Tokaji wine (a sweet dessert wine from the Tokaj region) is Hungary's other great contribution to European beverages.

Latvia: Black Balsam

Riga Black Balsam is one of Eastern Europe's most distinctive traditional drinks — a dark, 45% ABV herbal liqueur made from 24 plant ingredients including valerian root and balsam. It tastes medicinal in the best possible way. Latvians mix it with blackcurrant juice to soften it. If you're traveling through the Baltic states, this is the national drink to try.

FAQ

What is a popular European drink? Aperol Spritz is currently the most ordered alcoholic drink across Europe. But country by country, Guinness in Ireland, Ouzo in Greece, Czech pilsner in the Czech Republic, and Pálinka in Hungary are the true traditional drinks people drink locally.

What are European drinks? European drinks span lagers (Czech, German), wines (French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese), spirits and liqueurs (Ouzo, Rakija, Pálinka, Becherovka, Grappa, Limoncello), and cocktails (Aperol Spritz, Negroni, Sangria). Each country has its own distinct beverage culture rooted in local ingredients and climate.

What are traditional European beverages beyond alcohol? Non-alcoholic options include Kvass (fermented bread drink from Eastern Europe, low or zero alcohol), elderflower cordial popular in Britain and Scandinavia, and strong black tea culture in the UK and Ireland.

Planning a trip through multiple countries? See our family holiday destinations in Europe and foodie destinations in Europe guides for where to drink these properly.