This is a reprint of our trip report from 2005. Seems like a long time ago. Here's a current Oktoberfest slideshow.
We spent only one day at Oktoberfest. This included 5 one-liter mugs of beer. Guess who had to help who with hers. Take the train like we did, there's no way to drive home. Or to read your notes from later in the night.
Oktoberfest is an annual celebration started to honor some prince's wedding in 1810 (actually Ludwig I, but who cares). 16 days. 6,000,000 people, an equal number of beers (at $8.50 per), an equal number of pretzels, and an almost equal number of chickens and sausages giving their lives to honor the prince and princess. There's lots of history and tradition but Oktoberfest now is a very large carnival with very large rides, hundreds of food stalls, and 9 beer "tents" that hold up to 7,000 people each.
To grasp the experience, think of a typical midwest State Fair with the race track covered with rides and the 4H pavilions replaced by beer tents. It seems about the same size.
Two concepts to grasp about the beer. 1) Only the big 6 brewers in Munich get to sell beer. Hacker and Pschorr both have tents because they got in before they merged. Plus there's two Paulaner and two Spaten tents for some reason. 2) The beer served is not a big Oktoberfest Marzen beer that we're used to in the States. It's a slightly darker and slightly stronger Hell they call a Festbier. So if you're looking for a Oktoberfest-beer-lover's experience, wander the Indiana brewpubs in September. They almost all make an Oktoberfest and are each proud to make the best in the state.
Oktoberfest is first and foremost a party. 3/4 of the area is devoted to rides for those who don't throw up easily. The beer tents may also require a strong stomach since liter sized mugs are the only portion. After dark it's dancing on the tables (or at least on the benches) and chanting soccer cheers - or even chanting "Hang on Sloopy"). Gilley's of Bavaria.
The "tents" are really permanent structures, each with at least 3 pouring stations and at least one huge kitchen. All are flanked by outside seating - a good thing because all of the seating inside is reserved after 5pm by hotels and businesses in Munich for their guests. Oh, opening hours are 11am to 11pm.
Augustiner
At night it gets a little louder.
Augustiner served their Edelstoff Hell exclusively. A couple of others had a choice but if you ordered without specifying you got their lighter beer.
Hacker
Hacker served an Oktoberfest beer. The average age here was 15 years younger than in the Augustiner tent. Our Munchener friend, Oliver, told us in Bamberg that the Augustiner tent is where all the people who are serious about beer go, since it's the best.
Omar, this one's for you.
Hofbrau
The Hofbrau tent was very empty in the afternoon.
Hofbrau made the waitresses stand in a line to buy a ticket to get the beer or
food to serve to the patrons. This slowed down service quite a lot.
Lowenbrau
Getting on toward 5pm the tables get empty waiting for people with reservations.
The Lowenbrau lion roars, drinks his beer, and wags his tail up and down.
Paulaner
Here, three sections out of about 30 were not reserved. By 7 pm they were full. This wasn't the best beer but I'll be darned if I can read my notes - maybe "not a great beer too puppy". I can read "a table w/ 5 guys with sticks all the way up to their eyeballs" but don't know what that means either.
Armbrustschutzenzelt Paulaner
This Paulaner tent was less than half full in the afternoon.
Pschorr
A light colored hell served here.
Spaten
Schottenhamel Spaten
Food
Vendors occupy all the space in front of the tents and a lot of space in front of the rides. You could stay the entire 16 days and never eat the same food twice. Weisswurst, Maultaschen, Leberkase, Sauerkraut, Schweinswurstel, Rahmschwammerl, Jungschweinsbraten, Kalbsbrust, Haxe, Spanferkel, Sauerbraten, Tellerfleisch, Forellenfilet, Kase of all kinds, Gulasch, Hendl, Strudel, Kucherl, Dampfnudel, Fleischpflanzerl, Schlachtschussel, Gemuseeintopf, Zungenfilet, Radis, Ochsenbrust, Kalbsbraten, Roulade, Bofflamott, Schweinsbraten, Bratwurst, Leberkas, Suppes of all kinds. Even spare ribs, corn on the cob, and popcorn. Plus of course pretzels.
Rides
A kid with a future.
The major rides looked to be about 3€ each - at least in the afternoon. Lines at that time weren't long at all. Some were very, very, tall.
Sights
I promised Terry this picture wouldn't be put on the web site.
The U-Bahn terminal at the front gate was great mayhem.
Everybody too tired to fall onto the tracks but there were guards anyway.
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