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In Germany, even the politicians get into the act during Oktoberfest. The official Oktoberfest celebration is held in Munich, Germany, located in Bavaria. Here, Bavaria’s state governor Guenther Beckstein attends the BILD Wiesn event at Hippodrom beer tent September 25, 2008. You can read more about what’s going on at the Hippodrom here.

As those of you who read this blog regularly know, I’ve spent more than my share of time in Germany, most of it in Bavaria. That’s what makes this article all the more painful – it’s a fascinating trip through the Bavarian beer industry, and I wasn’t invited. Check it out.

So, on Saturday the beer moved in to the Oktoberfest, so what more is there to do? Well, on Sunday was the traditional Costume and Marksman’s Parade (Trachten- und Schützenzug), where thousands of individuals in traditional costumes from across the world make their way through the streets of Munich to the fields where the Oktoberfest takes place.
It’s a seven kilometer walk, which may be long for the average walk but isn’t necessarily long for your average parade. This is Munich, however, and Munich during the Oktoberfest, so seven kilometers without beer is asking a lot. The Münchner have an easy …read more

I’ve tried a lot of different beers from a lot of different places, and sometimes it’s easy to get lazy. You order the tried and true, rather than trying something different, and at some point you begin to get a little bored. Thank goodness, then, for those breweries which brew a product which shakes up the old taste buds a bit and gives you a reason to remember why you like beer in the first place.I reported on one of these a little while ago, when I bought a case of Dogfish Head’s 60 Minute IPA on a whim. This …read more