Posted under Germany
10) Oktoberfest began in 1810 as a wedding celebration and horse race; it is now the world’s largest fair with over six million visitors and profits in excess of $1 billion each year.
9) The beer served at Oktoberfest by the “Big Five” German breweries – Paulaner, Spaten, Lowenbrau, Augustiner, Hofbrau, and Hacker-Pschorr – is generally a pale lager with 5-6% alcohol, specially brewed to complement the traditional German foods: pretzels, raw radishes, sausages, roast chicken, roast pork, cheese spaetzel, potato pancakes, sauerkraut, grilled fish on a stick, and Obatzda (a fatty, spiced cheese-butter spread).
8 ) In Germany, beer is a food group and the Germans’ right to consume it – even during business hours – is protected by law.
7) Security guards man the beer tent exits to stop people from stealing the beer glasses; they confiscate upwards of 150,000 glasses/year.
6) Germans believe that stone beer steins keep beer colder and fresher than glass mugs. Whereas Americans display beer steins on shelves, Germans actually use them for drinking beer.
5) Dancing on tables inside the beer tents is not just allowed, it’s encouraged.
4) All German songs sound like drinking songs and most of them are.
3) Pretty young girls at Oktoberfest love to show off their heaving bosoms in the traditional Bavarian dirndl. Men love Oktoberfest for the same reason.
2) Real men wear lederhosen.
1) Three cheers for the half-METER weiner!
One Response to “Top Ten Things We Learned at Oktoberfest”
Jean Nelson on 01 Oct 2008 at 2:42 pm #
I know your Mom will be jealous when she reads about the beer! I’m still loving every post. Enjoy!