Starkbirfest - another "beer" holiday - not too famous, but beloved by the Munich team. This is a strong beer festival. The custom to brew such a drink came from medieval monastic cloisters - beer helped the brethren survive the difficult time of fasting.
2014 Starkbierfest Beer Festival in Munich. (Photo by Lederon)
Munich Oktoberfest known to everyone. However, other festivals are held in the capital - less well-known in the world, but no less popular in the country. Two "tent" festival of arts and culture Tollwood More than one million spectators and participants gather annually on Munich land. The Tolwoods are held in winter and summer. Winter Tollwood starts from the end of November, the holiday continues until the New Year. Summer Tolwood (also called Frühlingfest) takes place in May.
Starkbierfest - Another “beer” holiday - not too famous, but beloved by the Munich team. This is a festival strong beer. In 2014, it runs from March 13 - April 12.
The custom to brew such a drink came from medieval monastic cloisters - beer helped the brethren survive the difficult time of fasting. Beer was brewed then special - dark, strong, dense. Over time, the requirements for the drink changed (it became stronger and less dense), but the tradition remained. It transformed into the Starkbierfest festival - a popular holiday for lovers of strong beer.
Munich Strong Beer Festival (Starkbierfest), photo by Haico76
Clear dates for this event are not set - because they depend on the date of Easter. Corrections to the festival are made by the pubs - participants in the events. Six famous Munich beer houses participate in Starkbirfest. Each institution has its own dates, and a separate festival hall is allocated for guests. Check out Munich's beer card.
Consider the main beer halls of Munich - participants of the Starkbierfest 2014:
Paulaner am nockerberg
The most popular among these six pubs is considered Paulaner (Paulaner am Nockerberg). One of Bavaria's oldest breweries survived the fire not so long ago, but was quickly rebuilt and again became the most spacious and successful in Munich. Paulaner Halls can accommodate several thousand guests. It has a great interior, amazing atmosphere and there are practically no tourists. A beer festival will last for seventeen days, daily. On weekdays, Paulaner am Nockerberg welcomes guests from 14:00; on weekends - from 11:00.
The atmosphere here is laid-back, bright, colorful. The audience is in lederhosen, and many ladies are in dirndls. However, without knowing the language at first, you may be a little uncomfortable. Tables in Paulaner are reserved in advance during the festival days; most likely, you will have to sit down at a German-speaking company. However, the atmosphere of general fun quickly eliminates the language barrier. Everything will be here, as in the days of Oktoberfest - music, singing, and even dancing on benches. In Paulaner, beer is served in liters, in ceramic mugs, with special snacks. The drink is not lightweight, strong - Paulaner Salvator double side, with an alcohol content of 7.9% and a density of 18.3%. Beer is quite expensive - 9.10 euros per liter. Until five in the evening the entrance is cheap - only 2 euros, after 17:00 - the entrance is 11 € (the “bonus” includes the liter of “Salvator”).
Munich Strong Beer Festival (Starkbierfest), photo by Haico76
Other pubs are also preparing for the festival. The second and third position in popularity among Munich Augustiner and Lowenbroy (Lion's beer). These places are known to many tourists. Banquet rooms there are smaller than in Paulaner, but with a high probability there you will hear English speech. Festival days run from Thursday to Saturday. In the evenings at Starkbirfest, these pubs are not bored: live music is played for guests, dancing on benches is not forbidden.
Augustinet bräukeller
Augustinet bräukeller(Arnulfstraße 52) - The oldest brewery in the city - offers the Lagerkeller Hall for celebration. Here beer "Maximator" is bottled (18.2% density, strength 7.5%).
Löwenbraukeller
AT Löwenbraukeller (Nymphenburger Straße 2) serves Triumph (18.2% and 7.6%). Entrance to Lowenbroikeller costs 16.50 euros, and to Augustiner you can go for 9 €. Free beer is not included. Drinks in both pubs are poured into glass mugs; the price of a liter is 7.50 euros.
Unionsbrau haidhausen
In fourth place you can put a beer restaurant Unionsbrau haidhausen at Einsteinstraße 42. In this colorful venue, festival guests are received in one of the basements. The atmosphere at Unionsbrau is respectable, and the public in the “Lederhosen” is not to be found here. The atmosphere is cozy, almost homely. He plays jazz, moves Unimator with a strength of 7.5%. The dishes are traditional, the portions are large.
Forschungsbräuerei
Fifth in the ranking - beer Forschungsbräuerei (Unterhachinger Straße 78) in Perlach. The small hall of the beer house seats only 250 people. The festival here will be held only on Fridays and Saturdays, in the evening. The strongest beer is served - St. Jacobus, with an alcohol content of 8%.
Airbräu Restaurant at the Airport
Munich Airport also has its own beer garden. Unique restaurant Airbräu arranges festival events not every day, and only in the evenings. However, you can become an Airbräu guest during the days of Starkbirfest right after arrival - this is very convenient. The Aviator beer is served at the airport beer hall.
Famous varieties "Maximator", "Triumphator" and "Salvator" in Munich breweries are served in the usual, "non-festival" time. The names of brands of strong beer contain the ending "-ator": Salvator, Delicator, Maximator Animator and others (with the exception of St. Jacobus). The "Animator" from Hacker-Pshorr has a density of 19.3%, strength - 8.1%. The "Delicator" is produced by Hofbräu.
Festival in other cities
Several brands of strong beer are also offered by small Bavarian cities. Bamberg - Double sided Bambergator with pronounced sweetness of caramel and a touch of citrus from the brewery Fässla. Ryön - Rhönator beer from the Rother-Bräu family brewery. Bad Reichenhall - Suffikator by Bürgerbräu. Ingolstadt - Honobrator brand from Ingobräu. Aying - Celebrator Doppelbock beer, with a strength of 6.7% from Aying Franz Inselkammer.
Strong Beer Festival (Starkbierfest) in Munich, photo rcowin
If you're a fan of Bavarian beer, you don't have to go to Munich for Oktoberfest. You can enjoy it outside the high season. Crowds of ubiquitous tourists will not annoy you. Housing prices at this time are much lower. Of course, strong beer requires careful use. However, the fun, amazing color of Starkbirfest, a friendly and relaxed atmosphere will be guaranteed. Dates, as you already understood, depend on Easter time.
Check out Munich's beer card.
2014 Starkbierfest Festival Days
Starkbirfest in Paulanere take place in days 21.03 - 06.04. On weekdays, Paulaner am Nockerberg awaits guests from 14:00 to 23:00, on weekends earlier - 11:00 - 23:00. Festival events will take place in the Festsaal Hall. Approximate price of tickets until 17 pm: 2 - 2.5 euros, after 17 hours - 10 euros more, but the “Salvator” liter is a “bonus”.
Löwenbraukeller will host festival guests from March 14 to April 12, only on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays. The Starkbierfest will open at the Lion's Brasserie on March 13, in the Festsaal Hall. Tickets for the festival can be purchased online: on the opening day - from 18.50 to 28.50 euros, the rest of the time - 16.50 €.
Augustinet bräukeller holds a festival from March 8 to April 12. The celebration will take place in the cozy Lagerkeller cellar. In addition, on March 22 and 29, as well as on April 5 and 12, also in the Festsaal hall. Entrance to the cellar will be free, a ticket to the banquet hall - about 10 euros.
Forschungsbräuerei and the airport beer hall have not yet announced their dates, while Unionsbräu Haidhausen is currently closed.
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