scorecard
  1. Home
  2. finance
  3. This German entrepreneur just patented the word 'Grexit' for a vodka drink

This German entrepreneur just patented the word 'Grexit' for a vodka drink

Oscar Williams-Grut   

This German entrepreneur just patented the word 'Grexit' for a vodka drink
Finance3 min read

German entrepeneur Uwe Dahlhoff displays a can of the new

REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay

German entrepreneur Uwe Dahlhoff displays a can of the new "Grexit" drink.

German entrepreneur Uwe Dahlhoff has trademarked the term "Grexit" - used to refer to the possible Greek exit from the eurozone - and plans to use it to market a new vodka drink.

The 47-year-old from Hamm, western Germany, has mocked up labels for the new Grexit drink featuring a sad looking Angela Merkel in the background and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras toasting Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis in the foreground.

The drink itself is sour - vodka mixed with lemons. A label on the bottle reads: "Sauer macht lustig," which translates as "Even sour fruit is good." Greek website The Pappas Post says the closest English equivalent is "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade."

Samples of a sour vodka schnapps called

REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay

Samples of a sour vodka schnapps called "Grexit", labelled with the caricatures of Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, right, and Finance Minister Yannis Varoufakis happily raising their glasses under a miserable-looking German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

It isn't on sale yet - Dahlhoff is hoping to launch it as soon as this week - but when it hits the market it will be available in 2cl and 100ml bottles, according to Reuters, and will cost as little €0.59.

Samples of sour vodka schnapps, an energy drink and a vodka called

REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay

The "Grexit" range of vodka drinks.

This might all seem like a massive wind-up on the part of Dahlhoff - the Greek's after all have a particularly difficult relationship with the Germans, given Germany's dominant role in Europe.

But Dahlhoff insists that while the product is satirical it isn't meant to be offensive. He told Ukraine Today: "The discussion around the Grexit is obviously very serious. But I would like to keep out of it politically, I can't say anything much about it.

"All I can say is that bringing the product out as a satire is supposed to make people think twice about it all, or to think about it all at all, and to look at how serious the situation really is."

READ MORE ARTICLES ON


Advertisement

Advertisement