Hanoverian specialties

Lüttje Lage

The “Kleine Lage” is Hannover’s iconic drink, which is consumed simultaneously from two glasses—one filled with a special local draft beer and the other with grain brandy. Both glasses are held in one hand and tilted so that the grain brandy slowly flows from the top into the beer glass as you drink. It’s a sometimes tricky but always fun activity that requires a bit of finesse and a steady hand. As is well known, Hanover’s marksmen have both. That’s why, in keeping with tradition, the “Lüttje Lage” is just as much a part of the world’s largest marksmen’s festival in Hanover as the rides, festival tents, and the marksmen’s parade.

The target water of the shooters

The "Lüttje Lage" requires some skill, as the target water of the Hanoverian marksmen is drunk simultaneously from two special glasses. The small and low glass (stamper) contains 5 cl of Broyhan beer (named after the Hanoverian Cord Broyhan, who invented this light, top-fermented and slightly sweet-tasting barley juice in 1526; today, the drinkable Broyhan beer is brewed exclusively by Hanoverian breweries especially for the Lüttje Lage), the other is a shot glass (Uhle) filled with 1 cl of grain. Both glasses are held in one hand (the shot glass above the beer glass) - in such a way that the grain can be drunk together with the beer in one go without spilling a single drop.

Lüttje Lage is great fun when enjoyed with friends—whether in the traditional festival tent at the world’s largest shooting festival in July, by the water at the Maschseefest in August, or on the weekend at a regulars’ table in a rustic pub in Hanover’s Old Town.

Lüttje Lage drink without spilling

To make the "Lüttje Lage" a cheerful and not a soggy pleasure, here is a short guide to drinking fun without napkins or aprons:

- First, hold the beer glass in your right (or left) hand with all five fingers, leaving
a little space at the top of the glass—then extend your middle finger and hold the shot glass between your
index and ring fingers—use your middle finger to clamp the shot glass against the beer glass, with your little finger providing additional support at the
base of the shot glass- Carefully tilt the shot glass against the beer glass, making sure the rim of the beer glass is about half a centimeter lower (otherwise the schnapps won’t flow into the beer glass)
.- Now stand up straight, tilt your head back (if you lean forward, you’re guaranteed to spill), and—as the schnapps flows over the edge into the beer glass—drink it quickly.