Oktoberfest: A Canadian living in Munich's perspective

No surprises! Showing up on the first day we knew there was no way we'd get in a tent and had to limit ourselves to strolling around. It's basically like walking through a mosh pit, but sober.

Beer Prices

If you go to Oktoberfest and you don't drink... "you're gonna have a bad time" but the beer prices keep increasing, now at 9,80€ for a maß (liter) of Augustiner. In some tents you'll pay up to 10,15€ which basically means you're paying 11,00€ if you're generous with your waiter. Just to give you an idea, I can buy 20 bottles (10 liters) of Spaten, Löwenbräu or Augustiner for 13,00€ at the store.

A half chicken will soak up some of that alcohol but will also set you back another 10,95€. You should probably skip that looping roller coaster ride if you want to keep the rest in you and 8,50€ in your wallet.

There's also this app you can buy for 99¢ call Bier Inspektor, in which you insert the price of a liter and then measure how much beer is in your maß by taking a picture of it. The app tells you how much you're getting robbed if your beer head is taking over on the golden stuff.

Beer facts

Apparently Augustiner is the only brewery who will still serve their Oktoberfest beer from wooden barrels.

More facts: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e42da600-44cc-11e4-9a5a-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3Eu6nRtS5

I was watching the extensive coverage of Oktoberfest and an interview with the organizers of HB (Hofbräu) revealed that HB is the most popular of the Munich Breweries around the world. The HB tent is also known to the locals as the "Tourist Tent" filled with Aussies, Brits and Americans. The organizer denied that this is true and insisted on the authenticity of the brand and the strong presence of the local crowd. He seemed to be the only one with that opinion.

The Parade

There's a parade on the opening Sunday consisting of different marching bands and the breweries' carriages. Fun for the whole family, there was only one drunk holding a huge flag pole but his buddy helped him out.

Quick tips

To fully enjoy this still very traditional event be respectful of others at all times, we're all there for the same reason celebrate and enjoy some tasty beers. 

Don't bring anything you wouldn't want to lose or get stolen.

Don't go on drinking on an empty stomach, there's a lot of tasty treats and those big pretzels are life savers!

Remember dilution, is the solution!

Prost!

This ain't no mecca man, this place is FULL!

The year is 2013 and by now the earth's population reached too many billions already. Six million of them make their way from the four corners of the globe to participate in what the Germans call, "die Wiesn". Commonly known to foreigners as Oktoberfest or the biggest shit show on earth, the 16 day festival held from the end of September to the first week of October is often said to be overcrowded and  overpriced. This shouldn't stop you from enjoying the atmosphere and the beer tents with a few tips and a bit of luck.

Accommodations

source: neatorama

Probably the biggest challenge during the Oktoberfest will be to find a place to crash. Hotels and regular tourist accommodations in Munich will double in price during the season. You may have better luck couch surfing or crashing at a friend's place if you're so lucky. Make your reservations in advance. I found that no matter when you're looking to book a flight to Munich between mid-September and early October, the price will be higher than usual. Maybe it's time to use those air miles you've been saving for a rainy day!

Getting in a tent

source: insideamashtun.blogspot.de

Fact is, the safest way to guaranty your place at a table is making a reservation (one year in advance, almost). You can drop a hefty 300 euros which means that this is the amount of money the guests at your table will be spending (half a chicken and two litres of beer).  If you go as a large group such as five or more good luck getting a table together, one or two can easily squeeze in on the same table but getting there early is key. Obvious factors such as dinner time, Friday and Saturday evenings or statutory holidays will make it even harder to get a good seat. To get organized you can visit the Oktoberfest website showing all the information on reservations, opening and closing times and tips to have a safe and enjoyable time.

DOs and DON'Ts

source: gadling.com

Clearly the rules about alcohol apply, for some reason Oktoberfest seems to be a place to show off how much you can drink, hell yeah! It's the aftermath that can be quite unpleasant, hopefully you're not scheduled to take an early flight or a 6 hour bus ride the next day.

Don't take a nap on that hill... you know the one where all the people puke and piss!
Don't throw your mug, these things weight a ton.
Don't stand up on a table and raise your glass unless you're certain to down every single drop of beer.
Don't go on an empty stomach, buying beer and food can get quite expensive.

Do "Prost" your neighbours and table mates, getting to know the people at your table. They're likely there for the same reason and won't refuse a casual chat.
Do check your stuff (phones, jackets, sunglasses, etc.) Sucks to say but people steal shit!

To the point

With this information you should be able to profit from this amazing conglomerate of drunks who made a point to get together and enjoy some of the world's best brews.

Got pics from this years Oktoberfest? A video of your buddy chugging 5 beers in 3 hours? Or perhaps you wrote a blog post similar to this, in any case I'd be glad to hear about your experience.

Prost!