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STRONG BEER FESTIVAL IN BAVARIA
Best Beer Halls for Munich's Fifth Season

Sometimes referred to as the “Fifth Season” in Bavaria and especially popular in Munich is “Starkbierzeit” (strong beer time) which comes to Munich after Fasching (see also COLOGNE'S CRAZY DAYS). The tradition of beer brewing came to Germany mostly from monks, whose images and orders often adorn the bottles and names of the brews like Franzikaners for the Franciscans. Since the middle ages, the monks of Bavaria brewed a “strong beer” with more of the “wort” (malt) which provided nutritional value for the recovery from the Lenten fasting, and more alcohol content, making for a full-blooded, malty taste, fermented from the bottom of the barrel called “ Doppelbock”. In March, after lent passes partying Munchners celebrate the strong beer season festival, which is a mini-version of Oktoberfest (see Munich's Big Beer Party), only in spring and with less crowds. The original and best known strong beer is the Salvator, brewed by Paulaner and served at the brewery’s Paulaner am Nockerberg wirtshaus (restaurant) and beer garden in Haidhausen, just to the east of the Isar River and outside the Isartor gate of Munich. The festival time is sometimes referred to as “going on top of the hill”. (Nockerberg means Nocker Hill). Stone-lifting competitions and music also accompany the beer drinking.

To go along with their strong beer the Munich beer halls serve special popular dishes "O'batzter" (Camembert cheese crumbled with onion, paprika and butter), "Steckerlfisch" (a grilled fish on a stick), "Leberkäs" (a typical Bavarian meat) or broiled chicken "Brathendl".

The drinking of much high alcohol content beer has given rise to the long time custom of performance artists in cabaret style shows called the "Derblecken" or "Tratzen" making fun of politicians and the prominent social figures who often are in the audience and endure the slings and arrows to show they’re good old sports.

The Paulaner am Nockerberg which recovered from a devastating fire a few years ago covers three floors including the original Salvatorkeller lower level. It’s usually necessary to make reservations for festivities as they sell out during the strong beer season Starkbier München.

Paulaner am Nockerberg
77 Hochstraße in Haidhausen
Tel +49 89 (0) 45 99 130
By subway U2 or U5 to Kolumbusplatz

Web Info
Paulaner am Nockerberg

Other Parties to Celebrate Strong Beer Season Festivals

Lowenbräu Keller

The Lowenbrau Brewery and beer garden to the west of the old city toward the Nymphenberger Palace first opened in 1883 as a country inn in an old manor house. The beer hall has been host to music bands since the days of John Phillip Sousa and it’s beer garden is one of Munich's best traditions as the Lowen (Lion) is Munich's symbol. Lowenbrau is the Bavarian beer probably most familiar internationally. The strong beer celebrations here start as early as February 28th.

The LowenbrauKeller
Nymphenburger Strasse 2 at Stiegelmeierplatz
+49 (0) 89 52 60 21

Web Info:
LoewenbrauKeller

The Augustiner Keller

Within walking distance from the main train station the hauptbahnhof the AugustinerKeller has been around since the 1830’s. A special attraction of the Augustiner beer hall in the early days was the “beer ox” which was needed to haul the summer beer from deep in the cellars. The ox hasn’t been around since 1891, but you can still get a good bite of meat with your stark beer. Augustiner Keller performance hall can hold almost 5,000 people, but maybe you can get a spot in the "Bierstüberl" (Beer snuggery) one of the cozy corners.

AugustinerKeller
Arnulfstrasse 52
Tel. +49 (0) 89 59 43 93
Walk west from the northside of the Hauptbahnhof
Or S-Bahn / Tram to Hackerbrücke stop

Web Info:
AugustinerKeller

Unions-Bräu

Also In Haidhausen if the Nockerberg is full the Unions-Bräu-Haidhausen is also having strong beer season events.
Einsteinstrasse 42 near Max Weber Platz
+49 (0) 89 47 76 77

Web Info (German)
Unionsbraeu

Of course you don't have to wait for strong beer season to go party at these famous beer palaces, the halls and beer gardens are very popular year round. May Pole festivals are soon to follow and it's always beer drinking season in Munich. © Bargain Travel Europe

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SEE ALSO:

A TOUR WALK AROUND MUNICH
From Beer for Breakfast to the Brauhaus After Dark

ART AND AUGUSTINER
Castle Art Museum and Restaurant in the Bavarian Alps

ORVAL ABBEY BELGIAN TRAPPIST BEER

POLYNESIAN MUNICH
Trader Vic's

MUNICH WALKING TOURS
Hitler’s Bavaria

GOLDEN LÖWEN HOTEL
Löwenbrau and Romance in Baden-Baden

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