If you want to improve your German language skills check out www.survivalgermanbasics.com and the “Survival German with Nadja” course! Get a 20% discount by using our code “AGDW”!
It's so much fun to watch you young Americans being so impressed and amazed by something so normal to us here. Love it how you guys appreciate being able to drink on the street and having the option of cheap beer.
I have been to Germany before. I was in Munich for several days, and I have been to other German cities in Bavaria, also I have been to Baden-Würtenburg, and Rhineland, briefly. I would like to go back to Germany, but I have never wanted to go to Berlin. Videos like this make me want to visit even for a short time. I would only drink at a Späti if there was a toilet available. Another video that made me interested in thinking about going to Berlin was a video showcasing a traditional Berlin eatery, and they were talking about, and showing Eisbein. I do not know for sure, but maybe I will make it to Berlin one day. I know I would like to return to Munich. The smaller towns I have been to are also nice, but there is a lot less options or things to do. I did love Rothenburg, and Schonau am Königsee, and Berchtesgaden. I would also definitely return to Bamberg, or Füssen, Nürnburg, etc. There is just so much in Germany it would be hard to see all the regions, when you also want to return to places you have been before. I mean Schwarzwald is another place I would like to visit, etc, or East-Frisia (Ostfreiland). I have a feeling I will need to return to Germany many times to see the things I would like to see, and experience the things I want to experience, as well as re-experiencing things that I enjoy.
East Germany shared the same strict opening times for shops as West Germany. That was inconvenient for shift workers. And since most of the women were working themselves the option that the women would do the groceries wasn't there. So the GDR installed these Spätkauf-Shops which would open from Wednesday to Sunday only after all the other shops had closed. And you could buy all the basic groceries there not only beverages. They even sold Bockwurst, Bouletten, and potato salad as a small takeaway or fast food there. For years based on the reunification contract the Spätkauf shops in East Berlin would hold the right to continue operations like before while the Kisoke in West Berlin had to open and close according to West German law. But more and more Kioske in West Berlin started to ignore the law and stay open. Public authorities would try to reverse this development for a long time, but the Kioske in West Berlin always found a loophole in the law to keep their shops open even after closing hours. So I guess, the authorities just gave up and accepted the status quo in West Berlin as well.
Was in Berlin about 2 weeks ago and on a tour group where we stopped at a Spati and bought beers while we were walking around. Love it. Already miss Berlin!!!
@@adreOnScreen Wandering around Prenzlaur Berg, loved Volkspark Prenzlaur Berg. Especially enjoyed going through RAW and enjoying murals in Friedrichschain. I guess also the murals around Kreuzberg and getting food and drinks at Markthalle Neun. Was only in Berlin with my wife for about 4 days. Hope to go back again in next couple of years.
Oh, wow! That was so interesting! While every Berliner has their own story about spätis, you all did an excellent job capturing the essence! Jut jemacht♥
Opening a beer with a light is not a Berlin thing, it’s Volkssport to open a beer with anything if it is with some keys another bottle or a screwdriver
Berlin is filled to the brim with "Third Places" to hang out at. I am very grateful for that. Doesn't make you feel like some robot that only should commute to work and then home, YOU are part of the city too.
That’s really well said! Exactly. It’s so important especially now because in general “third places” are getting less and less (which is a problem in the USA).
We hit a späti in Berlin this summer, the vibes were amazing in Berlin. We Americans are moving to Spain early next year because how the visas worked out but plan to try to immigrate to Germany and hopefully Berlin in a few years! Thanks for all the Berlin content with these and the old pod cast episodes! 🙏
@@val-schaeffer1117 yes, there's a video on my channel leaving our horrible trailer park to go grocery shopping. Except our rent is $4,200 USD/mo .. so not exactly. Thanks for the kind comment though!
@@agdwchannel some get around this by selling baked goods or flowers, but most are just chancing it. also, if the ordnungsamt is around, you can see spätis suddenly close for the day after one gets caught. it's like the jungle gets quiet when the tiger is afoot.
That's not right. In Berlin, the rules for Spätis (late-night convenience stores) are governed by the Berlin Shop Opening Hours Act (Berliner Ladenöffnungsgesetz, BerlLadÖffG). This law regulates shop opening times and includes specific provisions for Sundays and public holidays. Here’s an overview of the key regulations: 1. Opening Hours on Weekdays On weekdays (Monday to Saturday), Spätis and other shops are generally allowed to open 24/7. There are no legally mandated closing hours. 2. Regulations for Sundays and Public Holidays On Sundays and public holidays, shops in Berlin are generally required to remain closed. For Spätis, this means: General Prohibition of Sales: The sale of goods on Sundays and public holidays is generally prohibited, including for Spätis. Exceptions for Specific Products: The sale of the following is allowed: Fresh groceries like milk, bread, butter, and eggs, Flowers and newspapers, Tobacco products and beverages. These exceptions are limited to specific hours, namely 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM. No Special Exceptions for Spätis Spätis are not legally classified as "sales outlets for daily necessities" (like bakeries or gas stations). Therefore, they are not permitted to sell products outside the allowed categories on Sundays and public holidays, often leading to legal disputes about their operation on these days. 3. Regulations for Certain Holidays On specific public holidays, stricter regulations apply, such as: Good Friday Sunday of the Dead (Totensonntag) National Day of Mourning (Volkstrauertag) Christmas Eve (from 2:00 PM, if it falls on a Sunday) On these days, sales are further restricted, particularly for alcoholic beverages and other non-essential items. 4. Penalties for Violations Violations of shop opening hours or holiday regulations can result in fines of up to €2,500. In recent years, there have been increasing inspections and disputes between Späti owners and regulatory authorities. Summary for Spätis Spätis are only allowed to sell a limited range of goods on Sundays and public holidays, and their general operation on these days often falls into a legal grey area. Items like alcoholic beverages or snacks, which are not explicitly covered by the exceptions, cannot be sold during these times.
There are still so-called "Trinkhallen" in West-Germany, in cities like Hannover and Hamburg, and it's still a places where you can buy a beer and drink it. But it's a dying breed.
Ah that's too bad, we're curious which area do you live? In the areas we're usually hanging out, most tend to stay open all night. Also, near my apartment all the Späti are open on Sunday as well. Which of course, is not technically legal, but they do it anyways and just keep an eye out for the Ordungsamt, etc ;)
If you want the real Berlin drinking culture, you need to go to an Eckkneipe. Drinking beer at a Späti is a very recent phenomenon. This is one of the reasons regular "Kneipen" are going out of business.
Der Spaeth hieß vor der Wiedervereinigung Internetseite und hatte auch 24 Stunden geöffnet von Montag -Freitag. Und zum Bier was wir Unterwegs trinken haben wir schon immer Wegbier gesagt..
Ja genau 😁 “Wegbier” has been around for a long time. We’re introducing it to people from other countries that haven’t heard of it before. First example, you can’t legally have a Wegbier in the USA :(
@@agdwchannel At least it feels really badass carrying it around a bottle of malt liquor in a paper bag. ;) Having to drink it at the hotel's a bit sad, though.
So funny how you both pronounce "Nadja", like "Nadia". It's pronounced like "Nad" and then the German word "Ja". Nad-ja. Besides that, you can find Spätis all over Germany. The word Späti is just exclusive to Berlin. Elsewhere they are called Kiosk or Trinkhalle.
"Not very common in other cities"????? DUDE!!!! This is our culture in EVERY German city! Spreading false information.... Everyone in Cologne meets up at the KIOSKs (or Büdchen) and the same goes for all other cities aswell...
It's important to know we did not say that late-night shops don't exist in other cities (we even mention in the video that Kiosks exist in Cologne). What we're refering to is the specific Berlin Späti culture/drinking culture, which is unique, just as late night drinking culture in Cologne is unique :)
Are you aware of the wordgame? If not: 'Fußpils' in it's common meaning is written Fußpilz 😮 not so delicious 😅 and... typical Berlin to call it Fußpils - the rest says Wegbier: a beer on the way 😂
Not all European countries allow complete freedom when it comes to drinking in public, such as is the situation with Germany. France and Netherlands, for example, it is technically legal, however there are restrictions in certain cities on where you can drink in public, what time of day you can drink in public, or even where alchocol can be sold. Even in Czech Republic, you have some cities that don't allow drinking in public, eventhough nationally it's allowed. Countries such as Poland/Romania drinking in public is completely illegal everywhere. The lack of restrictions in Germany allow such a Späti culture to thrive :)
If you want to improve your German language skills check out www.survivalgermanbasics.com and the “Survival German with Nadja” course! Get a 20% discount by using our code “AGDW”!
berlin is a f q n shithole!
It's so much fun to watch you young Americans being so impressed and amazed by something so normal to us here. Love it how you guys appreciate being able to drink on the street and having the option of cheap beer.
Absolutely. We’ve both been in Germany a long time, but still appreciate these things :)
I have been to Germany before. I was in Munich for several days, and I have been to other German cities in Bavaria, also I have been to Baden-Würtenburg, and Rhineland, briefly.
I would like to go back to Germany, but I have never wanted to go to Berlin. Videos like this make me want to visit even for a short time. I would only drink at a Späti if there was a toilet available. Another video that made me interested in thinking about going to Berlin was a video showcasing a traditional Berlin eatery, and they were talking about, and showing Eisbein.
I do not know for sure, but maybe I will make it to Berlin one day. I know I would like to return to Munich. The smaller towns I have been to are also nice, but there is a lot less options or things to do. I did love Rothenburg, and Schonau am Königsee, and Berchtesgaden. I would also definitely return to Bamberg, or Füssen, Nürnburg, etc.
There is just so much in Germany it would be hard to see all the regions, when you also want to return to places you have been before. I mean Schwarzwald is another place I would like to visit, etc, or East-Frisia (Ostfreiland).
I have a feeling I will need to return to Germany many times to see the things I would like to see, and experience the things I want to experience, as well as re-experiencing things that I enjoy.
@@leviturner3265It sounds like you’ve seen a lot of great locations in Germany! We definitely recommend spending a few days in Berlin (at least once).
East Germany shared the same strict opening times for shops as West Germany. That was inconvenient for shift workers. And since most of the women were working themselves the option that the women would do the groceries wasn't there. So the GDR installed these Spätkauf-Shops which would open from Wednesday to Sunday only after all the other shops had closed. And you could buy all the basic groceries there not only beverages. They even sold Bockwurst, Bouletten, and potato salad as a small takeaway or fast food there.
For years based on the reunification contract the Spätkauf shops in East Berlin would hold the right to continue operations like before while the Kisoke in West Berlin had to open and close according to West German law. But more and more Kioske in West Berlin started to ignore the law and stay open. Public authorities would try to reverse this development for a long time, but the Kioske in West Berlin always found a loophole in the law to keep their shops open even after closing hours. So I guess, the authorities just gave up and accepted the status quo in West Berlin as well.
Was in Berlin about 2 weeks ago and on a tour group where we stopped at a Spati and bought beers while we were walking around. Love it. Already miss Berlin!!!
Sounds fun!
where are you from?
@@adreOnScreen I live in Alexandria VA in Washington DC metro area.
@@rodwhyte751 cool, what was your fave thing to do here? (besides späti)
@@adreOnScreen Wandering around Prenzlaur Berg, loved Volkspark Prenzlaur Berg. Especially enjoyed going through RAW and enjoying murals in Friedrichschain. I guess also the murals around Kreuzberg and getting food and drinks at Markthalle Neun. Was only in Berlin with my wife for about 4 days. Hope to go back again in next couple of years.
Oh, wow! That was so interesting! While every Berliner has their own story about spätis, you all did an excellent job capturing the essence! Jut jemacht♥
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed. We truly love Spätis, so it made sense we finally showed them off a bit.
Opening a beer with a light is not a Berlin thing, it’s Volkssport to open a beer with anything if it is with some keys another bottle or a screwdriver
Oh definitely, most Germans are gifted with beer bottle opening!
@@agdwchannel you can even do it with the Newspaper :D
You can open a bottle of beer with another bottle of beer! *beerception*
:-Þ
@@elgatoloco727That’s my wife’s favorite way of opening a beer :)
Berlin is filled to the brim with "Third Places" to hang out at. I am very grateful for that. Doesn't make you feel like some robot that only should commute to work and then home, YOU are part of the city too.
That’s really well said! Exactly. It’s so important especially now because in general “third places” are getting less and less (which is a problem in the USA).
Spaeti, Kiosk...in Western parts of GER it's often 'Büdchen' 😉
Ah right I think I heard that once. In Frankfurt maybe?
@@agdwchannel it's more around Colonia and D'dorf
@@agdwchannelFrankfurt has “Wasserhäuschen”
@@agdwchannel some parts of Hannover also have a lot of Kiosks
@@RRRBYT_DixYNice :)
We had no idea about the difference between Späti and Kiosks! Awesome video and can't wait to get back to Berlin!
Thanks!
Wow, rally fun and fast paced video!
Thanks! 😃
Love and Peace from Germany ✌️😊
A message from Ripely?! You’re one of my heroes 😁
Nice, Rothaus... I like the Weizenzäpfle!
4:25 If you're a real German, you can open it with anything! 🙂
We’re both big Rothaus fans. Germans learn how to open with anything. I just keep a bottle opener on my keychain 👍🏼
Lmao that beer slap and catch at the end. Amazing
German here. ❤ your video😅
Thanks!
We hit a späti in Berlin this summer, the vibes were amazing in Berlin.
We Americans are moving to Spain early next year because how the visas worked out but plan to try to immigrate to Germany and hopefully Berlin in a few years!
Thanks for all the Berlin content with these and the old pod cast episodes! 🙏
Good luck with the move to Spain!
I bet you are Nordic Caucasian underclass in USA, trading your trailer park with Berlin Sozialwohnung.
@@val-schaeffer1117 yes, there's a video on my channel leaving our horrible trailer park to go grocery shopping. Except our rent is $4,200 USD/mo .. so not exactly. Thanks for the kind comment though!
Don't hit the Späti, what did it do to you? :(
But in other cities in germany it is the Kiosk. There you get beer or other alcohol. Or in the Gas stations. It is very normal for us.
Exactly, in West Germany they are called Kiosks and a couple different names as well :)
Spätis are actually not allowed to open outside business hours, they just don't care and it's not very strictly enforced.
Exactly, many near me are open on Sundays, even though it’s technically not allowed
@@agdwchannel some get around this by selling baked goods or flowers, but most are just chancing it. also, if the ordnungsamt is around, you can see spätis suddenly close for the day after one gets caught. it's like the jungle gets quiet when the tiger is afoot.
That's not right.
In Berlin, the rules for Spätis (late-night convenience stores) are governed by the Berlin Shop Opening Hours Act (Berliner Ladenöffnungsgesetz, BerlLadÖffG). This law regulates shop opening times and includes specific provisions for Sundays and public holidays. Here’s an overview of the key regulations:
1. Opening Hours on Weekdays
On weekdays (Monday to Saturday), Spätis and other shops are generally allowed to open 24/7. There are no legally mandated closing hours.
2. Regulations for Sundays and Public Holidays
On Sundays and public holidays, shops in Berlin are generally required to remain closed. For Spätis, this means:
General Prohibition of Sales: The sale of goods on Sundays and public holidays is generally prohibited, including for Spätis.
Exceptions for Specific Products: The sale of the following is allowed:
Fresh groceries like milk, bread, butter, and eggs,
Flowers and newspapers,
Tobacco products and beverages.
These exceptions are limited to specific hours, namely 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
No Special Exceptions for Spätis
Spätis are not legally classified as "sales outlets for daily necessities" (like bakeries or gas stations). Therefore, they are not permitted to sell products outside the allowed categories on Sundays and public holidays, often leading to legal disputes about their operation on these days.
3. Regulations for Certain Holidays
On specific public holidays, stricter regulations apply, such as:
Good Friday
Sunday of the Dead (Totensonntag)
National Day of Mourning (Volkstrauertag)
Christmas Eve (from 2:00 PM, if it falls on a Sunday)
On these days, sales are further restricted, particularly for alcoholic beverages and other non-essential items.
4. Penalties for Violations
Violations of shop opening hours or holiday regulations can result in fines of up to €2,500.
In recent years, there have been increasing inspections and disputes between Späti owners and regulatory authorities.
Summary for Spätis
Spätis are only allowed to sell a limited range of goods on Sundays and public holidays, and their general operation on these days often falls into a legal grey area. Items like alcoholic beverages or snacks, which are not explicitly covered by the exceptions, cannot be sold during these times.
For a moment I thought the random guy said "don't beer pressure him". Either way very considerate of him.
“Beer pressure” is even more accurate 😅
There are still so-called "Trinkhallen" in West-Germany, in cities like Hannover and Hamburg, and it's still a places where you can buy a beer and drink it. But it's a dying breed.
Good to know. When I think of the phrase “drinking hall” it usually makes me think of an old school German pub/brewery (the main large room) 😁
Bis späti ❤
schönes video schönes getränk
Dankeschön
Sadly there is not a lot of spätis left that are open 24/7, berlin does enforces the working laws more lately
Ah that's too bad, we're curious which area do you live? In the areas we're usually hanging out, most tend to stay open all night. Also, near my apartment all the Späti are open on Sunday as well. Which of course, is not technically legal, but they do it anyways and just keep an eye out for the Ordungsamt, etc ;)
Fußpilz also means "athletes-foot". Who says we Germans have no sense of humour?
Haha right?
Fuß-Pils is also called Weg-Bier (beer to go).
For sure! We mention that in the video ;)
If you want the real Berlin drinking culture, you need to go to an Eckkneipe. Drinking beer at a Späti is a very recent phenomenon. This is one of the reasons regular "Kneipen" are going out of business.
Eckkneipes are also great :)
I used to work in one of the Späties you visited
Nice. Which one?
Der Spaeth hieß vor der Wiedervereinigung Internetseite und hatte auch 24 Stunden geöffnet von Montag -Freitag. Und zum Bier was wir Unterwegs trinken haben wir schon immer Wegbier gesagt..
Ja genau 😁 “Wegbier” has been around for a long time. We’re introducing it to people from other countries that haven’t heard of it before. First example, you can’t legally have a Wegbier in the USA :(
@@agdwchannel At least it feels really badass carrying it around a bottle of malt liquor in a paper bag. ;) Having to drink it at the hotel's a bit sad, though.
Neh Intershop war was anderes, zumindest in DD gab es einen Spätkauf (hieß genau so).
So funny how you both pronounce "Nadja", like "Nadia". It's pronounced like "Nad" and then the German word "Ja". Nad-ja.
Besides that, you can find Spätis all over Germany. The word Späti is just exclusive to Berlin. Elsewhere they are called Kiosk or Trinkhalle.
In the video we describe how Spatis exist all of Germany and that in the West they are called Kiosks ;)
"Not very common in other cities"????? DUDE!!!! This is our culture in EVERY German city! Spreading false information.... Everyone in Cologne meets up at the KIOSKs (or Büdchen) and the same goes for all other cities aswell...
It's important to know we did not say that late-night shops don't exist in other cities (we even mention in the video that Kiosks exist in Cologne). What we're refering to is the specific Berlin Späti culture/drinking culture, which is unique, just as late night drinking culture in Cologne is unique :)
@@agdwchannel The video was suggested with the "Only in Berlin" title so........
@@agdwchannel Kölsch is no Beer :) just kidding
Are you aware of the wordgame? If not: 'Fußpils' in it's common meaning is written Fußpilz 😮 not so delicious 😅 and... typical Berlin to call it Fußpils - the rest says Wegbier: a beer on the way 😂
Haha yeah, the “foot mushroom” 🍄
@@agdwchannel Fußpilz is an infection, in Englisch "Athlete's foot". So the "Fußpils" beer plays with it, because both has the same pronunciation.
''most of them are open 24/7'' = absolutely not true
"Only in Berlin"???? There's a street in Hanover with the highest kiosk density in the entire world!
We mention that Spätis/kiosks are in a lot of German cities 😁
Like in every other european city 🤷♂️
Not all European countries allow complete freedom when it comes to drinking in public, such as is the situation with Germany. France and Netherlands, for example, it is technically legal, however there are restrictions in certain cities on where you can drink in public, what time of day you can drink in public, or even where alchocol can be sold. Even in Czech Republic, you have some cities that don't allow drinking in public, eventhough nationally it's allowed. Countries such as Poland/Romania drinking in public is completely illegal everywhere. The lack of restrictions in Germany allow such a Späti culture to thrive :)
Yes but not like in Berlin.
„Cornern“ you can do that in Hamburg aswell.
Kulturloses Verhalten.
so muss das sein
Bro… Fußpils / Wegbier is literally everywhere in Germany.
Yes of course. Drinking in public is legal everywhere in Germany 😀
Berlin is lost
Berlin is arm aber sexy
bitte bleibt da unter euresgleichen, als hipster in kalkutta an der spree. woanders in deutschland seid ihr nicht erwünscht.
Sadly for you and your narrow thinking, we travel all around Germany often. Please try and open your mind someday.
Warum rennt ihr nicht-berliner uns dann hier die bude ein?
Average AfD wähler.