Our Least Favorite Popular German Candy Is One We'd Still Repurchase

Did you know that Germany exports the most candy in the world? "Das ist viel Süßigkeiten," as they might say, which translates to "that's a lot of candy." To help you make some informed treat decisions when you're shopping at candy stores or specialty food shops, we ranked nine popular German candies from best to worst. But there really was no "worst." The ranking ended up being a best-to-least-best sort of list, and the surprise is that we can even confidently endorse our last pick: Brause Stäbchen.

Ahoj-Brause Stäbchen are delightfully strange little candies. From the company Ahoj-Brause, "brause" translates as "soda" and "stäbchen" as "little rod." They look like rectangular chalk pieces in pastel hues — in each box is a mix of cherry, orange, lemon, and "tropical" flavors. They might seem like fake blocks of sugar and chemicals, but lo and behold, they contain natural fruit flavorings and indeed actually taste like their fruits. The twist is that they're effervescent: take a bite and it fizzes just the right amount for a fun kick of tingle.

This just speaks to the beauty of German candy. The country boasts so many scrumptious sweets, from modern varieties to those with centuries of tradition behind them, all made with high-quality ingredients. It's hard to find a bad one in the batch, so it's worth pointing out that even our least favorite German candy is one we'd happily snack on again.

Ahoj-Brause has been around since 1925 and first debuted with an "effervescent powder." This comes in woodruff, orange, lemon, and raspberry flavors, which you simply mix into your water to create a fruity, fizzy drink. That effervescence proved popular and unique, and the brand made this the foundation of its fruity stick candies, too. Brause Stäbchen is a sweet yet tart candy and a textural experience all in one. It's only because it faced such stiff competition from iconic candies like Ritter, Kinder, and Haribo that it placed last in our ranking.

You can find a box of Brause Stäbchen on Amazon, where reviewers there say this candy is so good, they buy it in limited quantities so as not to eat too much at once. Some say they are obsessed with and love the fizz, plus that perfect level of tartness. Those who are new to them seem excited by that effervescence you won't get from other candies, while those who grew up enjoying Brause Stäbchen as children appreciate the nostalgic fix.

Similarly, on Euro Food Mart, where you can also order these tingly little rods, one California-based reviewer fondly recalls enjoying them as a kid. "Loved them as a child in Germany in the 60's," the reviewer exclaimed. "Ate the whole box in a few days!!!" While Brause Stäbchen are definitely among the international candies we wish were more available in American stores, it's good to know they're a click away.