An Oktoberfest primer from the Chief Angry Troll
Oktoberfest, the world’s biggest and most famous beer festival, kicks off today in Munich and runs through Oct. 3. If you’re heading there for the first time, this story should give you plenty of background information about the event. If you want to know everything about the festival, its history, the beers that are served there and which ones are available in the U.S.,
click here to see our Oktoberfest history and brewery profile.
In the meantime, here are 11 things you absolutely need to know about attending Oktoberfest:
1) Get there early! If you want to make sure you get a seat at one of the Oktoberfest tables inside
the beer tents, especially if you’re with a big group, you’ll have to arrive soon after they open (10 a.m. weekdays; 9 a.m. weekends). Some people who go in big groups rotate a few people out to the hotel for a nap during the afternoon while the rest of the crew stays grounded and holds space at the table. If you’re flying solo, you can pretty much squeeze your way into a table and make new friends.
2) The tents close at 11:30 p.m. However, two tents are open to 1 a.m. and have last call at 12:15. These are called the “
Kafer Wiesn-Shanke” and the “
Kuffler's Weinzelt” (it serves wine).
Oktoberfest maps are given out all over town and show where the tents are located.
3) Bavarians don’t say “guten Tag” (good day) or “guten Morgen” (good morning) like other Germans. They say “gruss (rhymes with loose) Gott.” Loosely translated, it’s “God’s greeting.” You’ll sound like a local. Kinda.
4) If you dig those dark, malty Oktoberfest beers we get in America this time of year, you’re in for a bit of disappointment. Germans have rapidly moved toward favoring lighter-colored lagers. Therefore, the beers served at Oktoberfest today are very light colored, though beautifully made, lagers. The original dark, maltier fest beers are now brewed almost exclusively for the American export market. American beer drinkers, in other words, get the original fest beers. Fest goers get a modern version.
5) Brush up on your American rock ‘n roll standards. In the center of each tent is an Oom-Pah band for your entertainment pleasure. Sure, they break out the German classic from time to time (Viva Colonia, a tribute to the northwestern German city of Cologne, is probably the most common). But for the most part Americans will feel right out at home with the stable of English-language pop and rock standards played over and again. Believe it or not, “Country Roads,” the John Denver song about West Virginia, is probably the most often played song at Oktoberfest. People go absolutely nuts when it comes on. Get ready to stand on your table and sing.
6) Don’t rent a car. First, you obviously don’t want to be driving after drinking beer all day (Germans are pretty strict about this). Second, there’s virtually no parking at the festival. Everyone takes the subway (the stop is called Thereseinwiese). Munich is also a great cycling town with bike paths on the sidewalks along most major roads. You can rent bikes in Munich's main strain station,
the Hauptbahnhof. There are plenty of places to lock up your bike around the festival.
7) The festival is held in a field called Theresienwiese and Bavarians typically refer to the festival simply as “Wies’n” (pronounced VEE-sin). So if you hop into a cab, just say “VEE-sin” and you’ll get there no problem.
8) The tents can get pretty rowdy late at night but remember, Oktoberfest is a family event. The midway is filled with carnival rides and food stands and outside of the tents it basically resembles a big American state fair.
9) There’s much more to Munich than Oktoberfest. Take some time to stroll around the beautiful Englischer Garten, the
Marienplatz (that’s where you’ll find the famous Glockenspiel) and the BMW Museum. Have breakfast one morning at the
Viktualienmarkt (the outdoor “victuals market”). It’s filled with butchers, food stands and sandwich shops serving Bavarian specialties and a must-see for any budding member of
the 225 Club. A typical Bavarian breakfast is weisse wurst (white sausage) served with mustard, a pretzel and, yes, beer. You can get this breakfast all over Munich. On Saturdays, the Viktualianmarkt is filled with Bavarians who wear their traditional lederhosen as they meet friends for morning weisse wurst and beer.
11) The Bavarian countryside is beautiful and – of course – it has plenty of great breweries. From downtown Munich, take the subway (the S1 line) to Freising north of the city. There you’ll find the
Weihenstephan Brewery and pub. Founded in 1040 (yes, 1040), it’s the world’s oldest brewery. For a truly religious beer experience, take the subway (S5 line) to Herrsching south of the city. There, you can catch a cab or bus to the
Andechs monastery and brewery, which makes some of Bavaria’s most beautiful beers. It also has a large restaurant and pub set on a stunning countryside location.
