It is no surprise that Munich, Germany is home to the world's largest beer festival. Every September, the city welcomes the month of October with the annual celebration known as Oktoberfest. This folk festival lasts 16 to 18 days and is a great opportunity for beer lovers to sample traditional Bavarian beers such as pilsner and weissbier, which were initially brewed in the Czech Republic. However, visitors are not limited to trying local beers; they can also sample international beers from around the world.
Oktoberfest has been celebrated for centuries and is known as Beervana in Australia. The Montreal Beer Festival, or Mondial de la Bière, is another popular beer festival that takes place every year in May. The National Winter Beer Festival, held in Sheridan Suite, is the second largest beer festival in the world and features more than 2000 different American craft beers and 1000 different international beers from 500 different brewers. The Asian counterpart of Oktoberfest is the 24-day celebration held in Qingdao, China every July.
This event specializes in both beer and entertainment and attracts visitors from all over the world. The Cannstatter Volksfest, held every year at the Cannstatter Wasen in Stuttgart (Germany), is another important beer festival that draws more than 4.2 million thirsty guests. The Oregon Brewer's Festival is held in Portland, Oregon on the west bank of the Willamette River and is one of the most important beer festivals in the world. The first CAMRA beer festival was held in Covent Garden in 1975 and featured 40,000 people tasting some of the best British beers.
The Great British Beer Festival, held at the Olympia in London since 1977, is an annual beer exhibition that attracts thousands of beer lovers from around the world. Munichers often refer to Oktoberfest as die Wies'n, short for Theresienwiese where it is held. Visitors are encouraged to dress up in traditional Bavarian costumes such as Dirndl or Lederhosen for a more authentic experience. Security has also increased in recent years due to terrorist attacks around the world; the festival's borders are now lined with fortified concrete barricades to keep Wies'n vehicles away. On the first Sunday of Oktoberfest, 8,000 participants parade from Maximilianeum to the festival site wearing their historic costumes. If the first Sunday of October falls on 1st or 2nd, then the festival will last until October 3rd (German Unity Day).Munich is perhaps one of the best places in the world to experience modern beer production and Oktoberfest is a great opportunity for beer lovers to sample some of these amazing brews.
If you can't make it to Beervana this year, there are some Australian breweries that will participate in the festival and that you can try at home such as One Drop Brewing Co based in Botany, Sydney. Oktoberfest is an incredible event that brings together people from all over the world to celebrate Bavarian culture and enjoy some of the best beers available. Whether you're looking for a traditional Bavarian experience or an international one, Oktoberfest has something for everyone.
