Every year, locals and tourists come together to celebrate one of the city’s most famous beverages during the 10-day Frankfurt Apple Wine Festival (Apfelweinfestival). Apple wine - known locally as "Ebbelwoi" - has played a significant part in the social life of Frankfurt for generations.

Taste the apple wine

Large-scale apple winemaking has been in progress in Frankfurt am Main since the 16th century. It’s produced by pressing apples and then fermenting the juice with yeast. Sometimes a small amount of juice from the fruit of the Speierling tree is also added. There are many famous restaurants in the region that specialise in apple wine and the traditional food that complements it.

At the Roßmarkt there are many kinds of superb Ebbelwoi to taste during the Apple Wine Festival. The stalls vary from vintage to trendy, and as well as the famous apple wine there are many more related products on offer, from cocktails to merchandise. The event is also an ideal opportunity to get acquainted with German cuisine.

If you’d like to take some lasting memories home with you, why not buy yourself a souvenir ceramic pitcher (known as a Bembel) and a glass etched with a diamond pattern, as is traditional in Frankfurt. There’s even a chance to purchase apple winemaking utensils for those who’d like to start their own brewing at home.

Photo credit: Holger Ullmann

Entertainment steeped in local tradition at the Apple Wine Festival

There will be festival stages and visitors will have the chance to hear Frankfurt folklore and poetry in the local dialect. Expect to dance to the sound of local folk bands and, if your German is good enough, maybe you can even manage to sing along.

Opening hours during Apple Wine Festival

• Sunday to Thursday: 11am-11pm
• Friday to Saturday: 11am-12am

Plan your trip to the Apple Wine Festival

Getting to Roßmarkt in central Frankfurt is easy with public transportation: take S-Bahn, U-Bahn or bus to stop Hauptwache.

You can find out more about the programme for the day on the Frankfurt Apple Wine event page.

Thumb photo credit: Isabela Pacini