Regular readers might have noticed that I’ve been curiously absent for a while. I’m glad to say rumours of my demise are quite unfounded. I was actually travelling in Europe and learning about their drinking culture, or at least, that’s my excuse for drinking my way through the continent.
The timing of my travels was no random occurrence, but designed to coincide with one of the most famous drinking events in the world, the Oktoberfest in Munich. Nothing really compares to enjoying a beer in one of the beautiful beer tents in Munich, enjoying the whole party atmosphere.
There’s plenty of stuff that surprised me when I was there though. Apparently, plenty is lost in translation!
1. Oktoberfest is not actually in October
Well, not really. It actually starts in the middle of September and ends on the first weekend of October, so if you start drinking beer only in October, you’re late to the party. Not that there’s anything wrong with drinking beer, of course. It’s always a good time to enjoy a nice beer.
The funny thing was that the very first wiesn (the German term for Oktoberfest) was actually held on October 12, 1810, but was eventually moved to September. Legend had it was that it was so that the revellers could enjoy better weather while partying before it gets rainy, muddy and generally miserable. Quite sensible!
2. Oktoberfest is not actually a beer festival
Oktoberfest is the biggest beer festival in the world. Except, of course, it’s not actually a beer festival. The very first Oktoberfest in 1810 was a celebration for the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. The royal couple was exceedingly generous, having invited pretty much everyone in Munich to attend the celebration. The celebration consisted of horse races, live performances, singing and dancing…and no beer tents. Time marched on and 86 years later, the first beer tents started to appear.
Even today, there are plenty of things to do other than drink. A fairground with an amusement park and games is on the Oktoberfest grounds on the Theresienwiese, and there are plenty of families turning up just for that. I recommend you get on the roller coasters before you start drinking.
3. It gets pretty crowded
Yes, it really does. Oktoberfest is not just the biggest beer festival in the world. It’s also the biggest festival in the world, full stop. 6 million people, many of them tourists like me, troop into Munich each year during this time of revelry. Even with about 3 weeks worth of festivities, it’s pretty hard to get entry into the beer tents without reservations, which start a year in advance. I visited it on the very last weekend of the festival, and all the seats were reserved for the evening. Not to fear, though. If your group is small enough, you might be able to get entry into the beer tent if you arrive in the morning and start queueing then, which is exactly what I did.
4. You have options for your experience
Not all beer tents are made equal. There are a combination of large and small tents at the Oktoberfest, each with their own character. The Schottenhamel is the oldest, and very traditional beer tent, where the Oktoberfest is opened by the mayor of Munich. The Ochsenbraterei tent is ox-themed, with all sorts of ox dishes. The Löwenbräu tent plays host to the giant lion statue and is the favourite haunt of the TSV 1860 Munich soccer team, which are not coincidentally called the lions. I went to Hacker-Pschorr tent, said to be most beautiful tent in the grounds. I’d have to agree.
5. You don’t have to turn up in costume
The streets are full of people wearing the traditional Bavarian costumes, and you might get the impression that there’s a dress code to enter the beer tents. The lederhosen, a leather breech-shorts, is a common sight, and so is the dirndl, a traditional Bavarian dress. While they do add a lot to the atmosphere, it’s not necessary to wear them yourself in the windy September weather.
6. Only beer made in Munich can be served
The Oktoberfest is a Bavarian tradition, and in keeping with tradition, only beer from breweries in Munich can be served there. It’s fortunate that the beer is some of the best in the world. A special Märzen beer is brewed for the festival, with a higher alcohol content of 5%-6% that will really get you tipsy by the end of a night of partying. Legend goes that the reason that so much beer is served at the festival is that the brewers needed to empty their kegs to fill it up with the next batch, which was made in the winter!
7. And they all get served in 1 litre mugs
On top of the higher alcohol content, the beer is served in huge 1 litre Maß steins instead of the pint glasses that we’re so fond of. Since a pint is roughly 475 millilitres, each serving of beer is more than double the usual dose. This is just fine with most of the festival participants; from time to time a brave soul will stand on the bench and show the whole tent that he can finish the entire stein worth of beer in one pull. Naturally, all this drinking does lead to some stress on the overworked bladders. With the crowded tents and snaking queues at the toilets, it’s advisable to pace yourself!
8. They don’t only serve beer at Oktoberfest
While the beer is pretty famous, there’s actually a tent that serves only wine. Lots of other drinks, both alcoholic and otherwise, are available to cater for every taste. There’s also food served in the festival area, both in the tents and in stalls within the fairground.
9. The food is pretty good
There’s plenty of tasty treats to munch on while enjoying the copious amounts of beer. Beyond the usual sauerkraut and bratwurst, there’s also juicy roast chicken served with potatoes, delectable egg-cheese noodles called spätzle and my all time favourite, roast pork knuckles. No one does pork knuckle like the Germans, and they will be tender on the inside, but crisp and crunchy on the outside.
10. It’s a good place to make friends
People are at the Oktoberfest to have a good time. While there’s the occasional drunken brawl, it’s a pleasant affair for the most part. It’s a good idea to know the song “Ein Prosit“, which gets about ten encores an hour, and always preludes a collective toast and chugging of beer. With all that lubrication, people are particularly chatty, and my companion and I found ourselves chatting animatedly with our newfound friends at the bench.
The authentic Oktoberfest is a great place to be. While the real one’s over, there’s still time to get into the spirit here in Singapore!
