Frankfurt Apfelwein Taverns

Apfelwein, called Ebbelwoi locally, is fermented apple juice, dry and sour, around five to seven per cent, and Frankfurt has drunk it for centuries. It is served from a Bembel, a grey salt-glazed stoneware jug with a blue pattern, into a Geripptes, a glass cut with a diamond pattern that gives grip to hands greasy from food and refracts light so cloudiness shows. Taverns hang a pine wreath, a Kranz, over the door to signal that new wine is being served. Handkäse mit Musik, a sour milk cheese with onions and vinegar, is the standard accompaniment. Sachsenhausen holds the greatest concentration of taverns.

What you actually see

• The Bembel - a grey stoneware jug with blue pattern for serving.
• The Geripptes - ribbed glasses cut for grip and to show cloudiness.
• The pine wreath - a sign over the door marking a serving tavern.
• Handkäse mit Musik - sour milk cheese with onions as the standard dish.

When to go

Year-round; some taverns close in summer or on set days, and traditional houses often shut one or two days a week. Autumn brings the new season's pressing.

Honest expectations

The taste is genuinely sour and divides opinion sharply. Traditional taverns keep irregular closing days. Sachsenhausen's main streets are heavily touristed.

Nearby

Sachsenhausen lies across the Main from the old town.