4.19.21 – Emma on Spezi
4.19.21 - Emma on Spezi Heading link
With the weather getting warmer and the summer just right around the corner, it’s hard not to think about what plans we’re all going to start making. Maybe it’s enjoying a picnic in the park, hiking outdoors with family, or maybe it’s the staple beach visit. But everyone knows that there’s nothing like having a refreshing cold drink after enjoying the outdoors all day, right? One drink that I’ve come to know and love from Germany is Spezi. I originally learned about this drink through one of my German friends and man does it hit the spot! Spezi is a cola-based drink that has a hint of orange, it sounds simple I know but something about it is just so good! Unfortunately there aren’t many articles on the history of Spezi but one thing for sure is that the drink was originally trademarked in 1956 in Augsburg, Germany. Since then, it has also been made into countless variants, such as the Mezzo Mix from Coca Cola and Paulaner Spezi, which is brewed in Munich.
Fanta is a well known brand in the US that is renowned for having a bunch of fun and unique flavors such as grape, pineapple, and strawberry. But the original orange flavored Fanta was the main ingredient for Spezi, which was created by Max Keith at the Coca Cola Deutschland plant during the 1940s. Because there was no trade between the United States and Germany during World War II and the plant was short on the cola syrup, Max Keith was inspired to create this flavor. Considering Max Keith needed to keep the plant up and running, he began making Fanta from left over apple fiber and whey. During the war, because the war affected the ingredients available to the manufacturing plant, the color and the flavor of Fanta ranged.
For Germans, Fanta is the staple ingredient to creating that perfect Spezi taste and a renowned invention from their country. Other countries across Europe also have their own versions of “Fanta” and use different ingredients in order to make that orange taste such as Shokata from Romania which uses Elderflower. Since, then Fanta has gone global and although it has countless flavors, orange reigns supreme!
You can create a mock Spezi just about anywhere by mixing orange Fanta and Cola together, but nothing truly matches up to the distinct flavor of the real Spezi! (I’ve only had the off brand Spezi by mixing it at the soda fountain but the idea is there!)
If you want to have some idea as to what the true Spezi tastes like, you can buy Paulaner Spezi in some supermarkets, such as World Market. There are also countless articles on the internet about what the best ratio of Cola to Fanta should be, but honestly, drink it with whatever ratio you find best!
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/fanta-soda-origins-nazi-germany
https://www.spezi.com/spezi-original
https://www.fanta.com/products
–Emma