Munich Starkbierzeit 2023

Discussion in 'Germany' started by grantcty, Feb 22, 2023.

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  1. grantcty

    grantcty Savant (1,016) Feb 17, 2008 Minnesota
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    I'll be in Munich the last week of March and it is Starkbierzeit. I see that several places have ticketed events, usually involving booking a table. This may sound like a silly question (given my previous sentence), but is that the only way to 'attend' one of these--by purchasing a ticket or booking a table?

    Does anyone have any experience going to one of these events? Apart from tracht, any suggestions for clothes? Any other general tips?

    It's been 10+ years since I've been to Munich and I'm looking forward to returning (although it's with kids this time :grimacing:)

    Thanks for your input!
     
    #1 grantcty, Feb 22, 2023
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  2. steveh

    steveh Grand Pooh-Bah (4,174) Oct 8, 2003 Illinois
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Allow me to be the first. Bastard.

    :wink:
    Personally, I'd just dress business casual and not call attention to myself -- but that's just me.

    Have you been practicing your German? I've forgotten more than I remember. :grin:
     
    #2 steveh, Feb 22, 2023
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  3. einhorn

    einhorn Savant (1,175) Nov 3, 2005 California

    I have been to both Loewenbraeu and Paulaner for Starkbierfest. It was while I lived in Munich from 96-98 so I'm not sure if everything is still the same, but I do remember that we needed tickets to get in. We had to book an entire table, that I remember too.

    As I recall, it is a big "Munich-only" crowd - very few tourists. It was a much younger crowd at Loewenbraeu, but Nockherberg is the OG place, much smaller venue and not as cool. Pretty sure there's one at Augustiner too, but I don't much about it.

    The vaudeville-style shows with political humor are spoken in the dialect of the respective politician - of course everything about Munich and it's politics is in heavy Oberbayerisch. The whole thing had a very "clique-y" feel to it, in some respects the higher society folks, many (most) folks in Tracht. There was also a lot of dancing - Germans love to dance as you know! Nonetheless, I would highly recommend going even if you don't understand the shows. Gave me real interesting insight into the Muenchener way of life.
     
    #3 einhorn, Feb 23, 2023
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  4. grantcty

    grantcty Savant (1,016) Feb 17, 2008 Minnesota
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    Thanks for your insights! Everything I've seen indicates that the only way to attend is to purchase tickets (tables at Nockherberg and Loewenbraeu Keller and individual tickets for the Augustiner keller events) so thanks for confirming that!
     
    #4 grantcty, Feb 23, 2023
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  5. Kurt12123

    Kurt12123 Initiate (35) Jan 13, 2023 New York

    My Starkbierfest story is arriving in Germany/Munich, finding an ad for the Lowenbraukeller in the newspaper, taking a taxi to the place, paying an admission fee and having a great time - all on the same day I arrived. Maybe it was just good/dumb luck. But yes, it was more of a local thing - and not to be confused with the big "first night" formal presentation with lots of local politicians and inside jokes.
     
    #5 Kurt12123, Feb 24, 2023
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  6. ianp5a

    ianp5a Initiate (123) Dec 5, 2020 Germany

    You should be able book individual seats at most places. Although Löwenbraukeller looked like booking by table only on the website. In the past I've seen long queues of people without tickets waiting to get in. So be sure to book. Avoid Fridays and Saturday at least.

    Dress code     is super relaxed. Wear what you think is comfortable. Tidy jeans and t-shirt are fine. You'll be surrounded by evening dress and Tracht though. So some people feel better with something classical to make the night special.

    Drinking tip.     You don't have to drink Starkbier (~8% alc.) but if you do, have a strategy for coping. Every year people tell me they guzzled 2 beers and staggered home before the show started, thinking that was unique! Enjoy the whole night by drinking water in between, and eating well. Many plan that, then forget on the night. I carry a flexi bottle in a pocket, so I can fill up from a tap to re-hydrate without buying expensive mineral water.

    Nockherberg 10 March - 2 April. Entrance €14.90
    Augustinerkeller 23.2 - 1.4. Entrance 9,80 €
    Löwenbraukeller is 10-25 March. 16,50€ (incl 1 Beer) (Full tables only??)
     
    #6 ianp5a, Mar 7, 2023
    Last edited: Mar 7, 2023
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  7. grantcty

    grantcty Savant (1,016) Feb 17, 2008 Minnesota
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    Thanks for the information!
     
    #7 grantcty, Mar 7, 2023
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  8. rob2654

    rob2654 Crusader (457) May 20, 2004 Colorado

    I will be headed to Nockherberg on 3/23 without a reservation of any kind, I will pass along my results.
     
    #8 rob2654, Mar 16, 2023
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  9. cu29

    cu29 Zealot (570) Sep 26, 2005 Wisconsin

    #9 cu29, Mar 18, 2023
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  10. biermark

    biermark Zealot (519) Sep 9, 2008 South Carolina

    I also went to Starkbier with BayernTrips, Scott Stephens. We had tickets for Augusteiner Keller and For Lowenbrau. AK is very tight for space. We were at LB on Saturday which had the Drindl and strength contests. Try direct as lanp5a suggests or try Scott thru his website for tix.

    For clothes, I would find a nice Tracht shirt as you can wear it at home too. Spend a little more for a linen version if you can find one.

    I didn't go to Nockerberg but one night is for the political crowd (several Youtube vids). My understanding is the "politican" night is invite. Have also heard the the place has a younger, more rowdy crowd the other nights.

    The 'Tor biers are good but IMO, not on par with Belgians, a bit thin for my taste. For strong bier, i like Aventinus....
     
    #10 biermark, Mar 20, 2023
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  11. spartan1979

    spartan1979 Pundit (970) Dec 29, 2005 Missouri

    Any pics from the Drindl contest? Asking for a friend.
     
    #11 spartan1979, Mar 21, 2023
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  12. steveh

    steveh Grand Pooh-Bah (4,174) Oct 8, 2003 Illinois
    Society Pooh-Bah

    @grantcty -- can you monitor BA in Munich?

    More to the point... can you update your experiences for vicarious purposes? :grin:
     
    #12 steveh, Mar 21, 2023
  13. grantcty

    grantcty Savant (1,016) Feb 17, 2008 Minnesota
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    I think I should be able to log on a couple of times and will try and give an update or two.
     
    #13 grantcty, Mar 21, 2023
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  14. rob2654

    rob2654 Crusader (457) May 20, 2004 Colorado

    No problem gettin in without a reservation on Thursday night. €15.50 entrance fee which included a beer. Pretty crowded but no trouble finding space for 3. Service terrible but eventually were served. Lively, youngish crowd, at least 90% in trachten. Lights on and table cleaning promptly at 10:30pm.
     
    #14 rob2654, Mar 23, 2023
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  15. biermark

    biermark Zealot (519) Sep 9, 2008 South Carolina

    #15 biermark, Mar 31, 2023
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  16. grantcty

    grantcty Savant (1,016) Feb 17, 2008 Minnesota
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    So I booked a table at the Löwenbräu Keller for Friday, the 24th. Event started at six, but didn't get there until a little before seven. The place was packed and I think my table was the only empty one when we arrived.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Interestingly, according to our waitress, Triumphator wouldn't be available until 7.

    This was the reason why:

    [​IMG]

    Had to wait for the ceremonial keg to be tapped :slight_smile:

    Well, it was worth the very brief wait:

    [​IMG]

    I'd never had Triumphator before. I assumed that it would be very similar to Spaten Optimator given that there's a difference of 0.1 ABV between the two and they're both brewed at the same brewery by AB-InBev. Plus, I don't recall seeing Optimator advertised anywhere. In fact, the only Spaten product I saw was Original (Helles) in Munich.

    To my surprise, the Triumphator seemed to a have deeper toasted malted character and a bit less malty sweetness, which gave it more complexity than Optimator. It simply was delicious and very easy to drink.

    The first hour of the event (6-7) was for the traditional brass band (blasmusik) and also had a performance of men cracking their whips to some accordion music. It was a fun treat.

    After that the band played mostly covers of American songs. It wasn't long before people were on dancing on their chairs.

    [​IMG]

    It was such a great time.
     
    #16 grantcty, Apr 4, 2023
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  17. steveh

    steveh Grand Pooh-Bah (4,174) Oct 8, 2003 Illinois
    Society Pooh-Bah

    @grantcty -- did you talk with anyone about being an Ami at a rather obscure festival?
     
    #17 steveh, Apr 4, 2023
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  18. grantcty

    grantcty Savant (1,016) Feb 17, 2008 Minnesota
    Trader

    No--the music started almost right away and the tables largely kept to themselves. Not even when I gave one of my drink tickets to the table next to me did they try to engage in discussion.
     
    #18 grantcty, Apr 4, 2023
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  19. steveh

    steveh Grand Pooh-Bah (4,174) Oct 8, 2003 Illinois
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Wow. I wonder if things in Munich have changed over the years, or if the Fest is just more tight-knit than the Oktoberfest?

    I gave away drink tickets at Okto and got a "free" Maß in exchange. :grin:
     
    #19 steveh, Apr 4, 2023
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  20. grantcty

    grantcty Savant (1,016) Feb 17, 2008 Minnesota
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    While not a formal Starkbierzeit' event, The Donisl restaurant on the Marienplatz was having Starkbierzeit nights on Fridays/Saturdays with live, traditional music and Hacker Pschorr Animator on tap.

    Enjoyed a mass of Animator and a half of a pork knuckle:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    The band was a big hit with the crowd, with many clapping along. Every so often they'd do a rendition of 'ein prosit der gemuetlichkeit'

    [​IMG]

    It was a fun time and nice that it wasn't a ticketed event, even though there was entertainment.
     
    #20 grantcty, Apr 4, 2023
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