Get a healthy dose of history, culture and drink at Frankfurt’s Apple Wine Festival

When a preternaturally cold winter in the 16th century caused the vineyards of Germany’s Hessen Region to lose a significant portion of their crop, growers turned to Apfelwein, or apple wine, to help them turn the tides. Nearly 500 years later, the beverage has become a regional staple and defining force of the industry that bears its celebratory fruit this month at the Apple Wine Festival from August 12 to 21.

All around the city, cider taverns brew house-made blends of the drink, which varies from traditional hard cider, both in the type of apples used and the fermentation process. Apfelwein is made with varieties of apples that are more tart, and would never be eaten; it’s also brewed in a way that makes it flat and smooth, in contrast to traditional ciders. The beverage is served in a traditional diamond-cut glass, a holdover from when meals were eaten by hand and greasy fingers needed extra grip. It is served from a white or gray stoneware mug with blue designs called a Bembe, and it’s often mixed with lemonade or tonic water to make a spritzer. Served alongside a traditional cheese marinated in vinegar and onion with an excessively regional sauce made from seven local herbs, these staples will bring visitors into a key part of Frankfurt culture.

The festival, in addition to the abundantly flowing taps of the amber tonic, will feature a concert stage with comedy sets and musical stylings from various bands around the country. Frankfurt’s local culture is also spotlighted by performers invited to share folktales and recite poetry written in the local dialect. For wine- and beer-lovers with a hankering for a new libationary experience, the Apple Wine Festival is an event that will never disappoint.