Goethe-inspired Cocktail Menu

In Lili’s Bar at the Sofitel Frankfurt Opera, guests can now literally let Goethe’s works melt in their mouths: To mark the 190th anniversary of the poet’s death and the anniversary of Faust II, as well as the already 225th anniversary of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Bar Manager Yenifer “Jay” Jureit is serving up an ensemble of nine cocktails at Lili’s Bar inspired by the works of the city’s most famous son and his liaison with the bar’s namesake, Lili Schönemann.

The idea for a Goethe-inspired cocktail menu came from the love affair between Goethe and Lili Schönemann, a banker’s daughter from Offenbach, which is omnipresent in the Sofitel Frankfurt Opera: she was the only woman Goethe was ever engaged to. The new creations make reference to selected works by the poet prince and their protagonists – for a literary Frankfurt flair in the glass.

The menu brings together the two thematic worlds typical of the poet: On the one hand, there are five cocktails under the motto Goethe’s & Lili’s Liaison, which focus on the love story of the poet prince with his beautiful fiancée. On the other hand, four other drinks celebrate well-known works by the Frankfurt-born poet, including the two anniversary cocktails The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and Faust II. Inspired by the career of a team member in Lili’s Bar from apprentice to permanent member of the mixologist ensemble, Der Zauberlehrling was created. This is characterised by an intense citrus aroma that is refined by nuances of cinnamon and ginger. Faust II contrasts with the first part, which is also found as a cocktail on the menu, in its powerful fruitiness. Its blue colour, created by the use of Gin Butterfly Pea Flower Infusion, embodies Faust’s detachment from his devilish companion. The white tea cordial enhances the fruity taste of the creation, while the white vermouth and lime juice contribute to its freshness.

Goethe’s Frankfurt: sip by sip and at every turn
If you want to experience more than just Goethe in a glass and would like to delve deeper into Goethe’s world, there are many ways to do so within walking distance of the Sofitel Frankfurt Opera: Goethe’s birthplace, where he created impressive early works, is just ten minutes away from the Sofitel Frankfurt Opera. Right next door is the German Romanticism Museum, which since this September has been showing original hand drawings from Goethe’s age from the depot of the Freies Deutsches Hochstift in a new exhibition. The central theme of the exhibition is Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s biography and the individual stages of his life. With another short walk to the Städel, visitors can not only stroll along the Main, but also admire Johann Heinrich Wilhelm Tischbein’s famous painting Goethe in the Campagna in the city’s largest art museum, which shows the poet during his formative trip to Italy in 1786. The inspiration for Goethe’s Easter walk in Faust I was the path to the tanner’s mill outside Frankfurt. Along the banks of the Main, the Gerbermühle can be easily reached on foot or by bicycle. There, a very pretty beer garden with a view of Frankfurt’s east awaits the walker. Goethe and his great love Lili Schönemann were frequent guests at the Gerbermühle.