10 hints for Oktoberfest Survival in 2007

Munich Airport has published 10 hints for a successful Oktoberfest survival

1. Get there early so you can pick your seat! Seriously, even though there´s available seating for up to 100,000 people at the Oktoberfest, with many tables reserved months in advance, the earlier you arrive, the better your chances are of getting a place to sit. Together, with your friends, and not by yourself near the toilets. Some people start lining up at 7 in the morning, well before opening time (10 a.m.), then stay all day in order to hold their place in the evening.

2. Secure your hotel accomodations early, too: Getting a hotel room during the Oktoberfest makes getting a seat in one of the tents look easy. If you haven´t already booked a hotel room in advance of arriving in Munich for Oktoberfest, check Survival Tip #1 for information on last-minute hotel accomodations.

3. Learn a few key phrases in Bavarian: Being able to toast a round of fresh-"zapft" (tapped) bier with a hearty, Bavarian-accented "Prost" just makes the whole thing more fun. And if you´re travelling on to OTHER German cities after your visit to the Oktoberfest, it´s a great way to show Hamburgers and Berliners that your heart "beats Bavarian"—just like Pope Benedict the 16th´s!

4. Don´t limit your Munich visit to the Oktoberfest grounds! While partying hard with other inebriated Americans, Japanese, English, Italians and Australians at the Oktoberfest does have its cachet, a safari to one of Munich´s numerous biergartens around town is the best way to sight the native Bavarian in his / her authentic habitat. Our favorite biergartens include: the Hirschgarten, the Chinese Tower in the English Garden and the Augustiner biergarten near the Central Station.

5. Do dress up for Oktoberfest: You might not be a native Bavarian, but donning the traditional "Tracht" dress (lederhosen for men, a dirndl for women) is a great way to fake it. And once you´ve invested in the whole get-up, you can recycle it for Halloween or your hometown´s own mini Oktoberfest once you´ve returned home.

6. Don´t try to keep up with the locals: With Oktoberfest beer packing a walloping around 5% alcohol content, it´s no wonder Bavarians often complain that beer from other countries tastes like water! In short: they grew up with this potent form of barley pop, you didn´t, so if you want to avoid becoming a "bierleiche", which is German for "beer corpse", then pace yourself.

7. Go on the rides BEFORE you drink: This one´s pretty obvious: a belly full of beer and rollercoasters DON`T mix!

8. Crime doesn´t pay (shameless Munich Airport plug, part 1): Although thousands of the traditional, heavy glass beer mugs used at the Oktoberfest get successfully stolen every year, if the police catch you, they can fine you up to 50 euros. It´s easier—and cheaper—to buy a souvenir mug from one of Munich Airport´s Bavarian boutiques upon departure.

9. Pre-Wiesn warm-up drinking is not mandatory, but is recommended! (shameless Munich Airport plug, part 2): Showing up at Oktoberfest can be a shock to the system for many newcomers—the noise, the crowds, the wanton revelry. One of the best antidotes for this is to imbibe BEFORE you set foot on the Wiesn, or even before you leave the airport—the friendly staff at Munich Airport´s Airbräu is waiting to get you into the mood!

10. DO check out the Oktoberfest web sites.

Links to Oktoberfest web sites in english:

- oktoberfest-tv.com
- German News Oktoberfest WEB
- Oktoberfest Shop

source: Munich Airport

German Beer Facts

Beer is among the most popular and important part of the culture of Germany. Fact is, its popularity is well known all throughout the world. The beer in Germany is highly diverse. There are more than a thousand breweries all over Germany. The popularity of the German beer is the outcome of the strict process it undergoes before it is sold to the public. That is because beer manufacturers in Germany are required to follow the purity law. The purity law enables the beer manufacturers in Germany to differentiate which ingredient they must and must not use. The basic ingredients that the beer manufacturers Germany are allowed to use are water, hops, and barley malt.

It is the reason why German beers, by far, taste much more luscious from other beers. German beers have distinctive taste (of which has either little or no aftertaste). Presently, German beer has a diverse beer styles. The ales that are manufactured by beer breweries in Germany also have a wide variety of beer styles. These German ale styles are Koelsch, Weizen, and Altbier. The beer lager styles of Germany also have a wide variety of styles. The most common are Bock, Pilsener, Dunkel, Helles, and Maerzen. Bear in mind that the taste, aroma, and color of the German beers vary. The ones that are mentioned are identified as being true German beers.

The beer lagers of Germany are very popular not just throughout the country, they are known all throughout the world. Pilsener is also one of the most well known and most recognizable German beers. These types of German beers provide you with more hops and less malt and are available all over the world. They are also very popular in North America and are considered as one of the most popular dark lagers worldwide.

The German beer Altbier is a common dark ale in Germany. It is top fermented in the lower regions of the country. These types of German beers have yellowish color, and have a taste that is rich in hops. Another well known variety of German beer that is well-known for its smoky color and flavor is the Rauchbier. They have excellent tastes and are very popular among beer drinkers all throughout Germany.

There are more than 4,000 brands of beers in Germany. Some of the well known and larger manufacturers in the northern region of Germany are Beck, St. Pauli, Warsteiner, and Krombach. However, there are more breweries in the southern part of Germany; although these breweries are somewhat smaller, and are owned and operated by the locals. One of the oldest beer breweries in the world - The Benedictine Abbey - is located in this region in Germany. The Benedictine Abbey started manufacturing beer since the year 1040.

For those who do not know, Germany is home of the world renowned "Oktoberfest". This world renowned beer festivity in Germany is held annually in Munich. Oktoberfest is usually held in late part of September. The beer festivity lasts for two weeks, ending in early days of October. The world renowned beer festivity in Germany is mostly visited by beer drinkers from all over the world. The distinctive and savory taste of German beers makes them want travel to Germany and celebrate and experience the luscious and distinctive taste of German beers. Oktoberfest is visited by more than 5 million people yearly, making it one of the biggest and largest beer celebrations in the whole world.

The local breweries in Munich are the only breweries allowed to serve beer in the larger tents and there are a total of six breweries that produce a variety of different German beers during the beer festivity. If you attend this world renowned beer festivity, you will learn, taste and most of all enjoy the rich bold flavor that has made the German beer popular worldwide. Because of the success Oktoberfest gets each year, numerous countries worldwide try copy the said event. Some of them are successful; however, the levels of success of these events are nowhere near the original beer festivity held in Germany.

German beers are very popular all over the world, with Oktoberfest proving the claim. If you are fond of drinking beer but have never tasted the beers from Germany, you really should try one. As soon as you have tasted and experienced the German beer, you will know the reason why German beers are very popular.

About the Author

Dirk Blurd, a wine lover and aficionado, writes for The-Wine-Site.com.