Beer as the ultimate stag party fuel
Oktoberfest is over, but the Germans continue to drink beer all year round! If you plan a Hamburg Stag Do with your friends, you’ll need to drink a lot of beer. Why not try some local beers? Germans make some of Europe’s finest beers. We’re not exaggerating. Beers that taste good, and not like the Dungeon’s & Dragon’s ye-olde ale-p—s we serve here in Britain. UK Ale is pretty decent. German lagers are crisp, refreshing, and delicious. While we are all familiar with generic brands such as Becks, the variety of German beers goes far beyond those. There is no better way of learning about beer than by drinking it. A German beer festival will help you to develop your palate.
All German cities have great beer. You can also find significant beer-based events. Check out our favorite German beer festivals for the inside scoop on where to go, what to expect, and more. Also, some fun trivia and ideas for beer-related activities. These activities can be done even when no beer festival exists in our destinations.
German beer has a long history and is delicious for many reasons
It is incredible that those crisp lagers, for which Germans are famous, have only existed for 150 years. It is a relatively short period, considering the country has been brewing beer for over 1000 years. Up until the 16th century, the Germans brewed only ale! Then again, we only had Christmas trees in Britain in the 19th century, so…who gives a damn? One more crucial historical fact tells us a lot about the quality of German beer today.
The oldest food and drink regulation is the Purity Law. ( Reinheitsgebot). In 1516, the Bavarian Duke enacted a law that stated beer could only ever be made with ‘barley,’ ‘hops,’ and ‘water.’ Due to this, Bavarian beer became unsurpassed in German beers. Other cities and principalities soon followed suit. The quality of German beer has been assured since that time!
What about the German beer festival? There are many to choose from. All offer tasty lagers and a traditional feel.
Munich Oktoberfest asks, ‘But how about Oktoberfest?’ The ‘OG” of all German beer festivals dates back to 1810. It started in Munich as a festival celebrating the Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. They’re now celebrating their 183rd Oktoberfest. Munich hosts the festival in late September/early October, attracting more than 7 million visitors and 6.9 million liters of beer. You can still enjoy a Munich stag do in the interim, even though Oktoberfest will be one year from now. Come and enjoy an authentic beer-drinking experience by booking our Beer Garden Tour!
Berlin Beer Festival
It may be only in its 20th anniversary and more than 150 years younger than Oktoberfest, but the International Berlin Beer Festival has earned a well-deserved name. The festival reflects that Berlin is a cosmopolitan metropolis, with breweries representing 87 countries serving their products to thirsty festival-goers. The festival occurs in Friedrichshain, on Karl-Marx-Allee, between Strausberger Platz & Frankfurter Tor. The festival is open to all visitors and offers live music on 20 stages. Admission is free. What about beer-based events if you are coming to Berlin for the stag? Check out Berlin’s growing craft-beer culture on a microbrewery pub tour. Discover how beer is made…then taste it! ).
Hamburger Dom
The Hamburger Dom, while not a beer festival per se, is one of Germany’s largest fairs. It’s three times a year, so that you can visit in the Spring, Summer, and Winter. It is older than Oktoberfest and was founded 1337 by performers, merchants, and musicians. The fair is held at the Heiligengeistfeld in central Hamburg. This fair allows you to drink beer while enjoying fun rides. Come on our tour if you want a more traditional beer-drinking experience in Hamburg. After learning about the history, enjoy a few cold beers!
Stuttgart Cannstatter Volksfest
The Cannstatter Volksfest is known to locals as “Wasan.” It’s a mix of the Oktoberfest and the Hamburger Dom Fair. The festival is the second biggest German beer fest, attracting more than 4 million visitors annually. The Stuttgart Volksfest’s origins are not as romantic as Oktoberfest. William, I founded it in Wurttemberg to celebrate a bumper harvest after a long period of famine.
The festival runs from September 23rd to October 9th. There are many fairground attractions at this festival, including the Ferris wheel. This festival is less touristy than Oktoberfest and more traditional. If you can’t make it to Wasan, there is a Spring Beer Festival between April 16th and 18th. Even if you don’t attend both festivals, we offer the German Meal with Beers and a Stuttgart Beer Hall Tour. These two activities will give you that authentic German beer experience you want!
