this post was submitted on 09 Mar 2025
384 points (96.6% liked)

Buy European

2608 readers
5588 users here now

Overview:

The community to discuss buying European goods and services.

Benefits of buying local:

Local investment, job creation, innovation, increased competition, more redundancy.

Matrix Chat

Related Communities:

Buy Local:

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

Buying and Selling:[email protected]

Boycott:[email protected]


Banner credits: BYTEAlliance


founded 1 month ago
MODERATORS
 
top 45 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] [email protected] 6 points 8 hours ago

Fritz cola is the only decent European cola I see sold in Estonia. It's ridiculously expensive in that you can buy a two liter Coca Cola or Pepsi for the price of a 330ml Fritz. It's OK if you're alone and only want the one small bottle, but when you've gotta share, it's about as much as a home-cooked family meal. For a literocola.

Admittedly, the taste of Fritz Cola has way more nuance than Coca Cola. And I'm more of a Fanta man and yay, Jaffa is pretty much as good and just as cheap as American Fanta.

One of the local grocery stores also has a decent store-brand Sprite alternative so that covers most of the bases, just would sometimes like to have a cheaper good European cola available.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 hours ago

Sorry, I'm buying maghrebian one this. Long vive Selecto.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 hours ago

I smuggle this stuff back to Poland each time I cross the border in Tatra's. Yes, some supermarkets do sell it, but wheres the fun in that.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 hours ago
[–] [email protected] 32 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

https://kofola.cz/en/ nice babushka, btw

For context: kofola is a czecho/slovakian drink. I'm not european but god damn that looks so good...

[–] [email protected] 22 points 23 hours ago (6 children)

It has a very acquired taste: liquorice, anis (main Ouzo ingredient), and some other herbs I'm not sure of. It's sweet, but just the right amount. I like it, but there's many people who dislike the taste. If you have the chance, try it :)

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

Sounds like Moxie, but probably better tasting.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 hours ago

Moxie is significantly sweeter (and more offensive imo). I wish there were options for lightly sweetened sodas elsewhere but Kofola is the only one I know of and it's quite limited in availability outside of Eastern Europe.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

I'm pretty sure it's just about impossible to get your hands on it here (unless you live in turkiye or syria, those are close to europe so should be easier?) but that sounds good honestly. If i ever go to europe i'll 100% try it. Fat chance, but if i ever do. Thanks for describing the taste btw

[–] [email protected] 6 points 23 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago) (3 children)

As far as I know you can only get it in Slovakia and Czech Republic (maaaybe Poland, but not so sure about that one) Source: am from Slovakia, but living in Nordic country now. Edit: I should look for more polish shops..thanks for informing me that Kofola does indeed made it outside EU..I'm proud •́⁠ ⁠ ⁠‿⁠ ⁠,⁠•̀

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 hours ago

Looks like it can be ordered on Amazon in the US at least. $43 USD for 12 bottles ($0.21/fl Oz).

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 hours ago

Polish grocery stores generally have it in the UK.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 22 hours ago* (last edited 22 hours ago) (1 children)

You can get it in small European shops in both UK and Canada, but also in one particular large supermarket in Canada

Not that it helps in your specific case, but just saying...

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 hours ago

Really?! Thats actually really cool that it made it all the way to Canada! I haven't honestly really looked for it here where I live now, it makes it that more precious to me for when I return for home visit once a year.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

Thanks for the recommendation, one more thing to look forward to when I visit Prague in May :)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 12 hours ago

Nice! Do you like cheese? If so, try to find the fried cheese, it's called "smažák" or "smažený syr" - it's deep fried cheese with fries and mayo - sounds simple, but it's the best unhealthy food you can eat!

[–] [email protected] 3 points 23 hours ago

To be honest you got my attention.

By what you described i feel like adding a bit of gentian to it it would make a decent cocktail

[–] [email protected] 3 points 23 hours ago (3 children)

Ugh. I don't know how anyone likes anise/black licorice flavor... It turns my stomach.

Then again there are people who'd wonder how I don't like it...

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 hours ago

It really doesn't taste like black licorice

Not a particularly acquired taste either? A lot of people who I know tried it and just liked it right away.

It's a good drink, a bit less sweet with some sourness and maybe a slight herbal taste to it? Very delicious though.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 hours ago

Don't try Dutch drop then 😄

[–] [email protected] 5 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

That's what makes the world interesting - everyone likes something different :)

[–] [email protected] 3 points 23 hours ago
[–] [email protected] 2 points 23 hours ago

That sounds really good... Wish I could get in the US to try now

[–] [email protected] 24 points 23 hours ago (3 children)

Afri Cola and Fritz Cola are two popular alternatives in Germany. I personally like Fritz Cola. Not sure if they are sold internationally.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 hours ago

What about VitaCola? VitaCola is the best!

[–] [email protected] 5 points 22 hours ago

Fritz Cola is great! Might be my favourite overall.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 23 hours ago
[–] [email protected] 16 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

I appreciate how even the meme template has been European-ized.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

Drake's a pedophile or at the very least a creep who stalks teenagers, anyway.

Though the Pooh variant of the meme is also alright.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 hours ago

The Drake version is for things that pedophiles would like or dislike. It basically has the same meaning as a Jeffrey Epstein version of the meme, but without the transference of meaning of images. History has transferred the meaning for us.

I wonder if pedophiles still use the Drake meme in the old way?

[–] [email protected] 7 points 21 hours ago

Kofola is great. Especially from the tap.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 23 hours ago

Alright, fine! I've given in and ordered some. Thank goodness there are some shops in the UK that stock it.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 15 hours ago

When visiting to czechia used to fill my car to the brim when returning. It's quite the unique drink. The watermelon one is probably my favorite.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 23 hours ago

It tastes great! I always recommend it as a Czech refreshing drink to my friends from abroad who don't know it. But i have learned not to compare it with Cola anymore. Its not a cola alternative. It has its own unique and delicious taste. The only thing that it has similar to coke is the color and fizzyness. Tastewise it is superior to Cola in my opinion because it is not so sweet. And it tastes much more of herbs.

When i advertise it as coke-like to friends from abroad they just seem to think this is shitty coke. When you say look this is a super refreshing drink that tastes a bit of herbs and it is pretty unique in its taste, they tend to be pleasantly surprised.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

I need to taste Cocta before I die

[–] [email protected] 1 points 20 hours ago

Cocta is actually really good. It's fundamentally like any other cola, but with mild herbal aftertaste which is really nice and refreshing. I need to try Kofola tho. I was in Czechia few years ago, if I knew I need to try it I'd look for it back then.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 17 hours ago

But it tastes like shit.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Any alternatives for Pepsi?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 hours ago

DayZ has taught me that it is Pipsi.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 day ago

Lidl cola, it tastes almost as bad as Pepsi

[–] [email protected] 2 points 21 hours ago
[–] [email protected] 1 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

Back in the nineties I was on holiday in the city Mêlník Czech Republic, and I was drinking Citro Cola there and fondly remember the lemony cola.

Coke with a splash of lemon tastes nothing like it, you get closer to the taste of Citro Cola by adding 40ml lemon juice to Coke but then it's too acidic.

Lately I was checking out Czech webshops and found they sold Citro Cola syrup but not anymore.

Does anyone from the Czech Republic know if you still can get Citro Cola?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 hours ago

Does anyone from the Czech Republic know if you still can get Citro Cola?

Tried looking it up.

Seems it hasn't been regularly produced for quite a while. A few years ago it was still sold by one retailer (coop) but they seem to have since stopped selling it.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 23 hours ago

It's nice, but it tastes different to coke.