Literally: “counter beer” / meaning: a beer you drink with the intent to make your hangover more tolerable
Germany is known as the land of great scientists. It is also known as the land of wild and rampant alcohol consumption. So it’s not surprising that many smart people in Germany have come up with great life hacks to keep the next day’s hangover in check. Scientifically accurate, that is.
First of all, you need to know something about the Kater, as we Germans like to call the unpleasant after-effects of alcohol consumption. First and foremost, it is caused by dehydration. This is exactly why many Germans rely on traditional German fish specialties such as rollmops or Bismark herring for their hangover breakfast. Not only do the fat and protein help break down the alcohol—the sour and salty fish also stimulates the feeling of thirst. So you automatically drink more, and literally wash the hangover out of your body.
On the other hand, the Konterbier, which is also often hailed as an absolute hangover killer, is less recommendable from a medical point of view, as it only contributes further to dehydration. It’s possible that the alcohol relieves the sensation of pain for the moment—but this only postpones the hangover symptoms to a later point in time. But what do we care about science when it comes to fun. So cheers my friends, and happy hangover!
