Oktoberfest countdown: only 11 days left until the Munich Oktoberfest
THE “Festival of Munich Beer” - the “Oktoberfestbier” brand - only 11 days left until the opening of the 189th Munich Oktoberfest 2024: The Oktoberfest beer in all tents will only flow when it is tapped in the Schottenhamel festival hall! ... and the fastest flow is probably in the Paulaner pipeline...
The 189th Oktoberfest will take place in Munich from September 21st to October 6th, 2024 on the Theresienwiese
Munich. Only 11 days remain until the Oktoberfest hosts bring the wooden barrels with the festival beer to the Theresienwiese in their horse-drawn carts. The Oktoberfest beer 2024 is already bottled and on store shelves. The “Oktoberfestbier” brand is protected and almost 7 million pints of beer are served on the festival grounds every year. The refreshing, golden barley juice comes to the Oktoberfest every year exclusively from the six large Munich breweries Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbräu, Löwenbräu, Paulaner and Spaten, where only these beers are allowed to be served! Since 1990, the Munich Oktoberfest has also been legally THE “Festival of Munich Beer”. And the whole of Munich was happy when in 2022 the Oktoberfest beer received the “Protected Geographical Indication” seal of origin from the European Union, which is associated with a guarantee that the Oktoberfest beer is traditionally brewed exclusively in the Bavarian capital of Munich and according to its own specifications... (in this blog: With the entry of the Oktoberfest hosts on the morning of September 21st, the festival beer symbolically comes to the Theresienwiese ... in German: Mit dem Einzug der Wiesnwirte am Morgen des 21. September kommt symbolisch das Festbier auf die Theresienwiese ...)
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| The British photographer Peter Hince with the photo "Freddie Mercury - Augustinerbräu" - in the shop window of the Stephen Hoffman gallery in Munich's old town (Hotel Bayerischer Hof, back), photo: Helga Waess (press photo archive) |
The Augustiner Bräu
It is the only brewery in Munich that still stores its beer in traditional, wooden 200-liter barrels, also called "stags".
The brewery, which was founded by the Munich Augustinian Order, has existed since the Middle Ages, more precisely since 1328. To this day, an Augustinian monk can be found on the label of the beers. The popular Augustiner restaurant on Neuhauser Straße has been around since 1817, when the brewery was privatized. So much for the story!
The cult status of the Augustiner Hell with the bulbous monk on the label was already Freddie Mercury's favorite beer when he was in Munich. (In this blog our book tip - music history rock group QUEEN: "Queen intimate. Groupies, Gin and Glitter - On tour with Queen" by Peter Hince with collector's photographs in Munich - in German: (In diesem Blog unser Buchtipp - Musikgeschichte Rockgruppe QUEEN: "Queen intim. Groupies, Gin und Glitter - Auf Tour mit Queen" von Peter Hince mit Sammlerfotografien in München) ) The Oktoberfest edition in 2023 had at least 6.2 percent original wort.
The Augustiner-Bräu Munich serves the large Fischer Vroni festival tents, the Tradition festival tent, the Schützenlisl folk singers' tent and the Boandlkramerei musicians' tent, which is new to the Oidn Wiesn. There will also be two small festival tents to delight your throats: in the chicken and duck roastery Ammer and in the wooden festival tent Zur Bratwurst.
Hacker-Pschorr has been operating together again since 1972
The first documented mention in the archives of the brewery on Sendlinger Straße was in 1417. The “Altes Hackerhaus” restaurant is located here today. This brewery was built by the married couple Joseph Pschorr and Maria Theresia Hacker in the 18th century. Hacker and Pschorr operated separately under the sons and have been one brand again since 1972.
The brewery is still on everyone's lips today with its Hacker-Pschorr beer thanks to the bottles with the swing top and the famous "pop". Here too, the original wort of the 2023 beer contained a full 6.0% alcohol.
The Hacker Festzelt and the Bräurosl, but also the Fisch Bäda, the Heimer Enten- und Hühnerbraterei and Poschner's pour the Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest beer into the beer mugs
There is a Hofbräuhaus in Munich...
Hofbräuhaus am Platzl - the main tourist attraction in Munich
The Hofbräu Munich is probably best known worldwide and not just because of the song...! The world-famous Hofbräuhaus am Platzl in the heart of Munich's old town invites you to enjoy. - By the way, the Hard Rock Cafe Munich is opposite. If you are in Munich, you should plan at least one visit to both houses.
It was founded in 1589 under Duke Wilhelm V of Bavaria as a "ducal brewery". By the way, it has been a state-owned company since 1939.
Today, the Hofbräukeller with what is probably the largest and most beautiful beer garden in Munich can be found on Innere Wiener Straße.
The 6.2% Hofbräu Oktoberfest beer was the strongest of all Oktoberfest beers in 2023 and is only served in the Hofbräu tent.
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Oktoberfest meadow before the start - roaring “Löööö-weeeen-brääääu” - in the Löwenbräu tent! Press photo archive: Helga Waess |
The Löwenbräu Munich comes directly from Nymphenburger Straße
This brewery also dates back to the Middle Ages - late 14th century. The name Löwenbräu can be found in the “Munich Beer Brew Directory” in 1746.
The large Löwenbräukeller with beer garden is located on Nymphenburger Straße. The events there are legendary and always a celebration for Munich. No matter whether it's a strong beer festival or the now legendary "Night of the Tracht", anyone who loves Munich wants to be there.
The Spaten-Franziskaner-Löwenbräu Group has been part of the international brewing group InBev for 21 years now. The lion, which is reminiscent of the Bavarian heraldic animal, characterizes the brand.
Every day at the Oktoberfest you can hear the huge lion at the entrance to the Löwenbräu festival tent roaring “Löööö-weeeen-brääääu” and see him raising his beer mug.
The Löwenbräu Wiesntrunk with 6.1% alcohol from 2023 should also be mentioned here.
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| Back of the crossbow rifle marquee with the stables and St. Paul in the background - press photo archive: Helga Waess |
Paulaner Brewery Munich
Brother Barnabas - a monk again - brewed his own beer in 1634 as a monk of the Pauline Order. So the name said it all: Paulaner! Initially it was served on festival days and otherwise only to monks.
Bock beer was invented by Brother Barnabas and is very popular with Munich's cheerful beer drinkers.
The famous Munich strong beer festival takes place in the Paulaner restaurant at the Giesinger Nockherberg, where the famous politician derblecken (making fun of) takes place.
Paulaner had a whopping 6% alcohol in 2023. (see photo below)
It is served in the Paulaner Festzelt, in the Armbrustschützenzelt, in the beautiful Käferzelt, as a wheat beer also in Kufflers Weinzelt (until 9 p.m.) and also in smaller Oktoberfest houses, such as Heinz' Wurst- und Hühnerbraterei, at the Metzger Stubn, in the Münchner Knödelei and also in the Münchner Stubn tent.
Spatenbräu invented the “Münchner Hell”
The Spaten brewery was founded in Neuhauser Gasse in 1397. Spaten was the first brewery to invent the original “Münchner Hell” in 1894, which is still a bestseller today.
The Spaten-Franziskaner-Löwenbräu Group has been part of Interbrew, now InBev, since 2003.
Spaten and Franziskaner beer are served in the Schottenhamel tent. This is also where the Munich mayor taps the first beer barrel on September 21st, which starts the festival every year.
In addition to the Schottenhamel tent, there is Spatenbier at the Marstall, at the Ochsenbraterei, at the Glöckle Wirt, at the Goldener Hahn as well as in the Kalbsbraterei, the Wildstuben and also in the well-known tavern in the Layerl.
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| Paulaner Tower with beer mug ... There are still 11 days until the original 189th Munich Oktoberfest, then it will look like this again on the Theresienwiese below the Bavaria! Press photo archive: Helga Waess |
