What People Drink in Austria: 7 Traditional Beverages That Define the Table

Austria’s drinks reflect its landscapes: terraced Danube vineyards, orchard belts in Lower Austria, hop fields in the north, and alpine pastures stretching toward Tyrol. Climate swings—from Pannonian warmth to cool mountain nights—shape what’s poured, from crisp wines to hearty schnaps.

Social life clusters around the Wirtshaus and Heuriger, farm and wine taverns where seasons dictate the glass. Harvests bring young wines and fermenting must; winter ushers in steaming mugs on market squares; and year‑round, clean lagers and fruit brandies punctuate meals and mountain days.

Grüner Veltliner is Austria’s defining white wine, grown mainly along the Danube in regions like Wachau, Kamptal, Kremstal, and the Weinviertel. Made from the Grüner Veltliner grape and typically vinified dry in stainless steel (sometimes with brief skin contact or time on fine lees), it emphasizes freshness and texture. Alcohol usually sits between 12% and 13.5% (Smaragd-level Wachau bottlings can be higher). Expect aromas of green apple, citrus, and white pepper, with a palate ranging from light and zesty to concentrated, often shaped by loess soils and sunny south-facing terraces.

Historically a tavern staple, Grüner thrives in Vienna’s kitchens and wine bars, pairing famously with Wiener Schnitzel thanks to its lively acidity and peppery snap. You’ll find classic pours in Vienna’s wine taverns and in Wachau villages like Krems. Order it by the glass in a Wirtshaus at lunch, or explore single-vineyard bottlings with dinner; in both settings, its clarity and spice define the Austrian table.

Sturm is partially fermented grape must—cloudy, sweet, gently prickly with CO₂—poured only in early autumn when fermentation is underway. It is made from freshly pressed grapes (white or red), started in tank or cask and sold as the yeast converts sugars to alcohol. Because it continues fermenting, bottles are never fully sealed. Alcohol varies widely with progress, typically 4–10% ABV. Flavors shift from grape-juice sweetness to lightly yeasty apple and pear notes as it dries.

Culturally, Sturm announces harvest in wine towns and city taverns alike. Look for handwritten signs in Vienna and in Lower Austria’s villages, where it is served with roasted chestnuts or onion tarts. It’s an afternoon drink, best enjoyed fresh and cold, and a snapshot of the vintage in motion—fleeting, festive, and unmistakably seasonal.

Most is Austria’s traditional cider, made from apples and especially pears in Lower Austria’s Mostviertel and parts of Upper Austria. Fruit is washed, crushed, pressed, and fermented dry in stainless steel or neutral casks, sometimes with malolactic conversion for roundness. Depending on blend and residual sugar, Most ranges from bone-dry and tannic to gently off-dry; typical strength is 4–8% ABV. Pear-led cuvées often show structure and subtle bitterness; apple-forward versions lean bright and crisp.

Historically a farmer’s drink and calorie source during fieldwork, Most remains central to rural hospitality. Seek it at a Mostheuriger—a farm tavern pairing glasses with a Brettljause of smoked meats, cheese, and pickles. You’ll encounter it near Vienna but most authentically in the rolling hills southwest toward the Alps, where orchards shape the landscape and the menu.

Marillenschnaps is a clear fruit brandy distilled from ripe apricots—“Marillen”—most famously those of the Wachau, where the “Wachauer Marille” enjoys protected status. Producers ferment destoned fruit (some include a portion of pits for subtle almond notes), then double-distill in copper pot stills. The heart cut is bottled typically at 38–45% ABV. Expect pure aromas of ripe apricot, blossom, and a whisper of kernel, with a silky, warming finish free of added sugar when labeled as brandy (likör versions are sweetened and lower in alcohol).

Culturally, Marillenschnaps punctuates meals as a digestif and stars during the Marillenkirtag festival in Spitz an der Donau. The Wachau’s steep terraces and warm Danube breezes concentrate fruit flavor, and distillers near Krems showcase terroir through precise cuts and slow distillation. Order a small glass after dinner or at a Heuriger; it’s a distilled postcard of the valley.

Despite its name, Austrian Märzen is a pale, balanced lager—the country’s default beer style—rather than the amber festival Märzen of Bavaria. Brewed with pale barley malt and noble hops (notably from the Mühlviertel), it is bottom-fermented and cold-lagered for clarity. The result is a clean, slightly malty beer with gentle bitterness and soft bread-crust notes, usually 4.8–5.2% ABV. The bright gold color and tight foam reflect meticulous lagering and naturally soft water in many regions.

You’ll encounter Märzen in steins and Krügerl (0.5 L) across Wirtshaus tables from Salzburg to Vienna. Major breweries like Stiegl (Salzburg) and Ottakringer (Vienna) have refined the style for everyday drinking, serving it with schnitzel, sausages, and alpine cheeses. It’s a year-round staple—refreshing after a hike, social over lunch, and a reliable companion to the country’s hearty cuisine.

The Spritzer—locally G’spritzter—is a mix of dry white wine and carbonated water, most often at a 1:1 ratio (Sommerspritzer is lighter; 1:2 wine to water). It showcases acidity and minerality rather than masking them, keeping alcohol moderate at roughly 4–8% ABV depending on blend. Served in a stemmed glass with steady bubbles, it should be cold, brisk, and bone-dry; variants like the Kaiserspritzer add a touch of elderflower syrup for floral lift.

Born of tavern pragmatism and a culture of daytime drinking without drowsiness, the Spritzer is Austria’s social lubricant from Vienna’s courtyards to Graz’s café terraces. Order it at a Heuriger with cold cuts and salads in summer, or as an early-evening aperitif before dinner. It’s the country’s clearest expression of refreshment—simple, precise, and endlessly drinkable.

Zirbenschnaps (often a liqueur) distills or macerates young stone pine cones—Pinus cembra, the alpine “Zirbe”—in neutral spirit before sweetening and resting. The infusion yields a ruby to amber spirit with resinous aromas of pine, alpine herbs, vanilla, and cranberry-like fruit; typical ABV runs 30–38% for liqueurs, sometimes higher for unsweetened schnaps. Producers in Tyrol and Salzburg harvest cones in early summer when they are soft and aromatic, ensuring a vivid, forest-driven profile.

Culturally tied to mountain huts and ski towns, Zirbenschnaps is the toast after a summit or a day on the slopes. In Innsbruck and Salzburg, it appears as a digestif alongside hearty Tyrolean fare—dumplings, game, and mountain cheese. Served cool in small glasses, it’s both a souvenir and a ritual: a resin-scented link between alpine woodlands and the table.