There is a cheap and plentiful supply of wine in the city. German white wines such as riesling, are considered among the world’s best, particularly those produced along the scenic Mosel. Locals still tend to regard liebfraumilch (a blend of white grape varieties) as inferior, so it’s not the wine of choice for a gift or dinner party if you’re looking to impress. If you want something above table wine standard, look for the Qualitätswein (quality wine) label, which is similar to the French Appellation Contrôlée. Supermarkets have a vast range of German, Dutch and Belgian beers available, and generally have decent low-budget wine options (for as little as €4) from Italy, Germany, South Africa and Australia.

Department stores such as KaDeWe, which conveniently categorises wine by the region or country it stems from, and Galeries Lafayette, have impressively large wine cellars, as do supermarket-style chain stores like Vino in Steglitz, but speciality shops are best if you want sound advice. You’ll find them all over the city, often stocking wines from a particular country and sometimes also selling cheese, oil and other produce from the same region.

Fiery spirits, such as Korn, can be snapped up for around €10 at supermarkets, but for something special there are more than 2,000 whiskey varieties and more than 50 types of rum at Wein & Whisky in Schöneberg. De Willis in Charlottenburg (030 3199 7599) has a good range of fruit liquors and Scottish vodka and whisky, but if you’re willing to splash out, Raritäten Cabinet Weinhandlung Hardy has vintages in stock from the 1800s (and guarantees each drop is still drinkable).

The legal age for drinking in public is 16 for wine and beer, and 18 for spirits, although you can do as you please at home. It’s common for children as young as 12 to be given a taste, and Germany tends to have fewer under-age drinking problems than other nations.