International Beverage Company

Knots of tipsy tipplers have long been a feature in German city squares and parks. Now, though, municipalities across the country have tired of public drinking and are seeking to ban the practice. Courts though have proven intransigent and critics are concerned about drinkers' civil rights.

Grizzled characters clutching bottles on train station benches; groups of guzzling youth on city squares; loose empties rattling around subways: Signs of Germany's liberal public drinking laws are everywhere. Indeed, for many visitors to the country, sipping a beer while walking down the street is almost as exhilarating as a high-speed drive down the autobahn.

Read this article in full by Eric Kelsey by clicking here.