Beer

One of the first things I noticed when I arrived in Berlin was that the beer is cheaper than water!

Yes, in a Spätkauf (off licence) you can get a bottle of beer for just 1.20€, whereas a bottle of water will cost you 1.50€.

And if that is not reason enough to miss Berlin, I don’t know what is.

Even a beer in a bar will only set you back around 3€ compared to an average price of £5 in London. If you’re lucky.

It’s not just the price that I miss. German beers are great. Particularly those from Bavaria. (Sorry Berlin, but this is one area where your Southern neighbours beat you hands down).

I’d have to say Augustiner is my favourite, both the Helles and the Weissbier. But Paulaner comes a close second. A testament to Augustiner’s brilliance is that is does no advertising. It doesn’t need to.

There’s also a local brew in Kreuzberg that’s also very tasty, and cheap.

However, I haven’t really struggled in London when it comes to beer, particularly living down the road from Clapton Craft.

There are now lots of microbreweries surfacing in Berlin also, which is lucky, as I’ve developed quite a taste.

They’re not as cheap as the regular beers, but it’s worth it once in a while. Hopfenreich on Wrangelstrasse is definitely worth a try.

In a country that invented Oktoberfest, with two weeks dedicated to beer drinking, and where it’s customary to drink a Weissbier for breakfast (in Munich), beer is ingrained into the way of life.

The “wegbier” is a customary accessory for any discerning Berliner.

A beer after work is the only proper way to start the evening.

And there is unlikely to ever be a social situation that doesn’t involve beer. (Or is that just me?)