Relax - Beery good times

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Beery good times

By Debbie Yong, Her World | Mon, Sep 7 2009

16 days, 1.8 million gallons of beer. Nothing says sheer relvery more than Oktoberfest, touted as the world's largest public event.

Keywords

beer

oktoberfest

munich

It's a sunny afternoon in Munich, the birthplace of the world-famous beer festival, and my girlfriend and I are at a good – if somewhat giggly – place. To be drunk on a Tuesday afternoon may seem like shameful hedonism, but not when you know you’re with at least 9,000 others squeezing shoulder to shoulder in a large tent with you.

Some are dancing on tables to the lively beats of the Oompah bands, others are tucking into hearty Bavarian fare such as schweinsbraten (roast pork) or haxn (pork knuckle). Guilt is a burden for another day – or another fortnight, really, as the raucous party goes on for 16 days.

Actually, Oktoberfest is a slight misnomer: It starts on the third Saturday of September and runs till the ﬁrst Sunday in October. (The 176th festival this year runs from Sept 19 to Oct 4.)

Referred to as die Wiesn (dee vee-zen) by the Bavarians, it began in 1810 as a harvest festival to mark the wedding of Princess Therese and Crown Prince Ludwig. Every year, six million tourists visit Munich just to drink up and 100,000 people pack into the 14 large tents that sprout in two neat rows on the fairground of Theresienwiesen, named after the princess.

Choosing the right tent

One thing has not changed: Only the six local breweries Spaten, Augustiner, Paulaner, Hacker- Pschorr, Hofbrau, and Lowenbrau are allowed to sell beer on the 31ha grounds. When it comes to picking a party spot, the size and reputation of the tents matter. The Hippodrom is a favourite among the "see and be seen" set (Paris Hilton was rumoured to have visited last year) while the Hackerbrau Festzelt attracts a young, trendy crowd with its rock 'n' roll band that plays nightly.

Hofbrau is the wildest, most tourist-ﬁlled of the lot while mature drinkers who want a calmer, family-oriented atmosphere head to Augustiner-Festhalle. If you tire of beer and large crowds, the 1,300-capacity Weinzelt serves wine and stays open until 1am.

Schottenhamel, however, is the tent to be in on the opening Saturday, when the festival begins with a literal bang. At 12pm, the mayor taps the ﬁrst barrel of beer in the middle of the tent with the traditional cry "O'zapft is!" ("It is tapped!").

This is followed by a 12-gun salute, after which all Oktoberfest beer halls are allowed to tap their beer kegs. Do start queuing as early as 8am to make it into the tent for the opening.

Homebrew heaven

For the annual festival, breweries like Hofbrau and Spaten specially produce Marzen, which is slightly darker and stronger in taste than the regular brews while most tents substitute it with a paler, less robust Oktoberfestbier to suit broader international tastes.

A mass, or a 1-litre mug, costs 7.8 to 8.3 euros (S$15.90-$16.90) in most tents (not including tips, which are expected). Light drinkers may want to opt for a radler, or a shandy made from lemonade and beer, which is popular among German girls.

Sober up by chomping on greasy Bavarian fare like roasted hendl, or grilled leg of chicken, served with a side of sauerkraut, a pretzel or weisswurst, a white sausage sold in Bavarian butcher shops only till noon. For the sweet-toothed, there are honey-roasted nuts and the ubiquitous dampfnudel (a steamed sweet bun drenched in vanilla sauce).

Costume-shop

If you are game, don a dirndl, a traditional South German dress. Expect to fork out about 60-400 euros. You can buy them at department stores like Wies'n Tracht & Mehr and Skandaltracht. Most stores sell lederhosen, or tight leather overalls, for men as well.

Don't get them made too tight though. You don’t want to have them split open as you sing your heart out while dancing on tables.

Lufthansa ﬂies from Singapore to Munich daily from about $1,400.