German Beer Festivals
The Top 8
German Beer Festivals are a beautiful thing. Those three words are an acceptable excuse beyond Bavaria around the world. They bring people together with song, dance and litres of beer. The charm of Germanys traditional beer festivals ensured that they are celebrated around the world from New Zealand to Brazil and all across the USA.
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Most German festivals, often called Volkfests, feature a fair including rides, roller coasters and sometimes a strong man competition.
These traditional beer festivals usually originate from religion or from town markets and many can trace their roots backs hundreds of years to the pious monks who created these tasty brews. Oh, if you would like to add a beer festival or just a drunk story to this page do it here Behold the best 8 reasons in Germany to get a hangover. No. 8 Canstatter WasenSeptember 24th - October 10th 2010
Canstatter Wasen, also known as the Stuttgart Volkfest, is a tradition dating back to the year 1818 to commemorate the opening of the University of Hohenheim. Today it is the second largest festival of its kind in Germany, this is an excellent alternative to Oktoberfest for those seeking a big party.More on the Canstatter Wasen here
No. 7 StarkbierzeitMarch 19th 2010
During a month long celebration of strong beers in Munich you got to get to the Paulaner Keller on St. Josephs day (19th March) in the Haidhausen and Au neighbourhood of Munich.  The Paulenerkeller has a capacity of 5,000, also try and get to rival beer brewer tent Löwenbräukeller who serve large strong Lowenbraus.The brews, known as doppelbocks (literally double beers) start at around 7.5% alcohol and contain a lot of malt. Local entertainment include strong man competitions as well as the usual brass band bravado. This Bavarian tradition dates back hundreds of years to the techniques used by Paulaner monks. They figured a stronger beer would help them get drunk quicker. The festival gathered popularity after Napoleon sold the local monasteries More on the Starkbierzeit here No.6 Berlin Beer Festival
August 6th - 8th 2010
For one weekend a year the most diverse city in Europe boasts the longest beer garden in the world at 2.2kms long: between Straus Platz and Frankfurter. This festival usually brings an excess of 1 million visitors to Berlin. It is unusual as it is a Summer beer festival, which complements a great festival itinerary. In 2010 there will be 300 breweries from 86 countries with about 2000 beers, many of which will be from micro-breweries- Privatbrauereien. The theme for the 2010 festival is Vietnam.
No.5 Barthelmarkt August 27th - 30th 2010
 This beer festival literally means Bartholomew's (as in the saint)Market. This German festival occurs in Manching near Ingolstadt, Germany on the last weekend of August. The market is first mentioned in 1354 but its roots can be traced back to a Roman cattle market in the first century BC. A cattle market is often re-enacted late in the night as passions run high :) Late nights are encouraged by the organisers.
No.4 OktoberfestSeptember 18th - October 3rd 2010
 Munichs Beer festival needs no introduction. It is world renowned and has serviced bachelor parties, hen nights, Australian nomads doing the European camper-van thing. Did we mention that there is also a movie? So there's 14 different beer tents, from the Hoffbrau and Lowenbrau with a capacity in excess of 9,000 people to the exclusive Hippodrome where you can find 1000 people, mostly celebs, being papped and looking trendy. Oktoberfest in Munich is often considered a good introduction to German beerfests however with such a variety of German beer festivals on offer it's tough to justify more than one visit. Beware of 'Das Boot'.
No.3 Hamburger Dom
September 18th - October 3rd 2010
The Hamburger Dom hosts three fairs throughout the year: spring, summer and winter. It is the biggest in Northern Germany with combined numbers of nine million visitors three fairs (spring, summer and winter) per year it is the biggest in Northern Germany and the longest fair throughout Germany.
It attracts approximately nine million visitors annually. Contrary to popular belief, the three different festivals did arise out of alcoholism.According to Hans Wilhelm Eckardt there has been a market near Hamburg's cathedral since the year 1329. The origins of the Dom are unknown but popular theories point to Protestant Reformation in the 16th century which allowed people to celebrate the seasons and I guess they don't celebrate the change of Autumn into Winter! Spring dates for Hamburger Dom
Spring Festival 03/19/2010 to 04/18/2010
Summer Festival 07/30/2010 to 08/29/2010
Winter Festival 11/05/2010 to 12/05/2010
No.2 Kulmbacher BeerfestJuly 31st – August 8th 2010
Set in Kulmbach near the Thuringian Forest this beer festival is a 'cosy' affair. Whilst you will not see crowds to rival that of Oktoberfest or Canstatter Wasen you will find a brilliant atmosphere as well as choice and quality beer such as Festwirtin, Sandler-Bräu and the hangover inducing strong Kulminator 28.
No.1 Annafest ForchheimJuly 25th – August 3rd 2010
Each year 500,000+ beer guzzlers populate the beer gardens. Despite having no tents there are 20 different beer gardens at Forcheim on the 'cellar-hill' which is one of the most scenic locations for a beer festival in Germany.
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