The fifth season approaches

If you haven’t looked at airfares recently, travel to Europe in the winter is pretty darn cheap (although the exchange rate will make your stay pretty darn pricey). Nonetheless, if you’re looking for a way to spend some of that money on a beer-related trip, Munich’s Starkbierfest may be the answer. The Starkbierfest, also called the fifth season, is a remnant of the days when the monks, fed up with fasting, tapped kegs of extremely thick, high-alcohol beer to get them through the rest of Lent. Nowadays there’s not much fasting going on, but a trip to Paulaner’s Nockherberg during the Starkbierfest is a must for any beer lover. For pictures of the place and the event, check out this webpage (in German).

A word to the wise, though, Starkbier means strong beer, although it doesn’t necessarily taste like it, so drink in moderation. This year’s Starkbierfest starts on February 21 and goes for 17 days, until March 9.

image from Toytown Germany