Think of Munich, and what comes to mind? Oktoberfest! Complete with dirndls, lederhosen, and giant pretzels of course! Sadly, because of Coronavirus, this year they cancelled Oktoberfest. This cancellation ranks up there with calling off Eurovision, the Olympics, and the entire American football season. Only something like a pandemic would force the Bavarians to give up this annual drinking festival.
But I digress.
In my opinion, the good German beer is in Bavaria. And down in Bavaria beer is not just a drink, but the culture. So when in Rome … (or ahem Munich), follow the locals. Find a good beer hall or beer garden and get to tasting.
A Little “Biergarten” History
Beer gardens and beer halls have been around for centuries. Monks made the beer so it’s always been locally sourced and then shared. Seems like a good marketing campaign to be a monk, too. The infamous Hofbräuhaus has been around since 1589 as the Royal Brewery for the Duke of Bavaria. But not until the 1800s was it was opened up to the public for the ‘common folk.’ But they still maintain the logo with the crown over the ‘HB’ initials.
In normal times, more than 35,000 people visit the Hofbräuhaus brewery every day. This particular beer hall has been frequented by tons of celebrities, politicians, and artists including Mozart, who lived around the corner. And as Hitler came to rise in Germany, the National Socialists held its first meeting on the third floor of the Hofbräuhaus. Our tour guide told us swastikas used to be on the ceiling of the beer hall. After the building was restored after WWII, Bavarian flags were painted over them, but still resemble the shape. Various beer halls around the city served as venues for gathering support for the Third Reich. So lots of history to discuss while drinking a stein of beer. Who may have sat at your table?
The Hofbräuhaus, while a huge tourist attraction, is also frequented by locals. Including locals who have regular “stammtisch” meetings. Walk around the perimeter and you’ll see beer mugs stored in nearby “lockers.” Some of these look like family relics passed down from generation to generation. You can almost imagine inheriting “opa’s” mug locker and paying the 200 euros a year just to keep the legend going.
Related: Top 8 Things to Do in Munich [Video]
Drinking with Your Teens?
This famous beer institution isn’t the only place to drink, there are beer gardens everywhere in Munich, especially along the Isar River. During our four days in Bavaria, we tried out our fair share of beer halls and Bavarian beer.
What does that mean when traveling with teens, especially when the drinking age is 14 with adults and 16 without? Yes, our kids drank the beer.
But it can certainly be a tricky situation, depending on where you’re coming from. The Germans view drinking beer very differently than Americans. You will find high school kids congregating in parks and enjoying a beer. It’s totally acceptable to drink in public or even carry a bottle down the street if you are 16.
If you’re not European, in which case your kids are already probably drinking beer/wine by age 16, or you haven’t lived/traveled in Europe, just realize your teens may be begging for their own mug of beer. Our first beer stop was the Hofbrauhaus. My kids took one look at the 1 liter mug and quickly decided they had been bit too overzealous to try it out. So, all four of us shared the giant pour.
Related: Visiting Dachau Concentration Camp with Teens
Biergarten 101
Unless you’re visiting during Corona times, like we did, biergartens are simple in Germany. Find an available seat, which likely involves sharing a bench with another group, and sit down. You’re not required to visit with those around you unless you want to. Go up to the central location to order the type of beer you prefer (helles=light; weizen=wheat; dunkel=dark) carry your glasses back to the table and prost (or cheers)! Food is most likely available but at a different window or area than the food. You may be charged a pfand (deposit) for the glass which will be returned when you bring the glass back. That just helps to ensure people clear the table for the next person.
Tip: When you prost/cheers, remember to look directly at who you are clinking your mug with. It’s important for you to look that person the eye when you say “Prost!” Or, as the legend goes, you will have 7 years of bad sex.
For us, the Corona biergarten experience just meant they limited the amount of people in the area and how many people could sit at a table. It was nice to not squeeze at a table with a bunch of strangers.
You are welcome to sit as long as you like and no one will come to tell you to leave. So if the day is beautiful and you’re thirsty or hungry, bring along some cards and enjoy the people watching and the company of your teenagers.
