Starkbierzeit - Strong Beer Festival

Festival Location: Munich, Germany

Festival Type: Beer Festivals

Starkbierzeit: Strong Beer and Bavarian Heritage

by © Paul Ruschmann 2009

Have you heard of Starkbierzeit? It's German for "strong beer festival", an event held every March in Munich. For two weeks, Münchners take a break from Lenten self-denial, breweries bring out their most potent beverages, and beer halls throw noisy parties with Bavarian food and entertainment. Locals call it their "fifth season."

The festival's roots go back to the Paulaner monks who, according to legend, began making an extra-strength beer to sustain themselves during their Lenten fast. The beer, first brewed in the 1630's, went by a number of colorful names, including "liquid bread," "holy father oil," and "gentleman's beer," and gained a word-of-mouth following in town. It eventually became known as Salvator.

Salvator received a big boost from Napoleon Bonaparte, who, after conquering Bavaria, sold church-owned property to local businessmen. The Paulaner monastery ended up in the hands of Franz Xavier Zacherl, who turned it into a beer hall and mass-produced the monks' beer. In 1861, Zacherl offered Salvator to the public, shrewdly promoting it as a cure for the wintertime blues. Münchners answered the call, descending on his beer hall in droves.

Salvator is classified as a doppelbock, which means an extra-strength version of the Bock style. "Bock," in Bavaria, is a generic term meaning strong beer. Just how strong are doppelbocks? They start at 7.5 percent alcohol by volume. And because their strength is hidden by a strong malty flavor, they're capable of sneaking up on the most experienced drinkers.

It didn't take long for Munich's other breweries to follow Paulaner's lead and bring out their own doppelbocks. But as a tribute to the original Salvator, they gave their beers names ending in "-ator." This tradition is still followed in Germany, and has spread to America.

The first day of Starkbierzeit is Bavaria's answer to baseball's Opening Day. The keg-tapping ceremonies are attended by a star-studded audience, which drinks fresh Salvator while laughing along with comedians who skewer German politicians. Local television carries the festivities, and most of Bavaria tunes in.

Starkbierzeit's official venue is the Paulaner Keller, which was built on the site of Zackerl's beer hall. Unfortunately, a serious fire toward the end of 2000 seriously damaged the sprawling Paulaner complex, forcing the festivities to move to Mariahilfplatz, the site of Munich's centuries-old Auer Dult market. Organizers hope Paulaner Keller will be restored in time for this year's celebration.

Nockenberg Hill, where Paulaner is located, is the highest point in the city; locals call it "the mountain." The best time to yield to its call is St. Joseph's Day, March 19, when Starkbierzeit festivities are at their liveliest. There's everything you expect to see at a Munich beer hall: sturdy beermaids; bands blaring out drinking songs; grilled chicken and pig knuckles; and lots of malty, amber-colored Salvator.

Paulaner isn't the only beer hall that celebrates Starkbierzeit. Across town, the enormous Löwenbräukeller stations a huge, roaring mechanical lion outside the entrance (Löwenbräu means "lion's beer" in English), and offers revelers sweetish--but lethal--Triumphator doppelbock. In addition to traditional food and music, Löwenbräukeller holds a stone-lifting competition, with the grand champion crowned on the festival's final night. Other beer halls join in the fun as well: Unions-Bräu Haidhausen serves a doppelbock by the name of Unimator, and Augustiner Keller plies its guests with one called Maximator.

Doppelbock isn't the only seasonal beer served during Starkbierzeit. Weisses Bräuhaus, a popular destination for those who like starting their evening with a good meal, specializes in wheat beers, which Germans often call weiss or weizen. In March, the brewery brings out Aventinus Weizen Starkbier, a dark-colored beer whose pronounced wheat flavor balances its big alcoholic punch.

Munich's most intriguing Starkbierzeit venue is Forschungbrauerei, which means "research brewery" in English. By tradition, it's allowed to serve its doppelbock, called St. Jakobus, a week before the festival officially opens. This is a small, family-run establishment whose entire production is consumed on the premises. It's also one of the few remaining places where beer is served in ceramic mugs, which do a better job of keeping beer cold.

Starkbierzeit isn't widely publicized, which is just fine with Münchners. It's their time of year to revel in Bavaria's distinctive culture and traditions. The festivities are a mini-Oktoberfest without the crowds--a chance to enjoy the local color without scrambling to find a hotel room or make a dinner reservation. All you need to bring is a smile, a hearty appetite, and a taste for strong Bavarian beer.

Paulaner Keller, Hochstrasse 77; take U-Bahn line 1 or 2 to Sendlinger Tor, then tram number 27 to Ostfriedhof.
Löwenbräukeller, Nymphenburgerstrasse 2; take U-Bahn line 1 to the Stiglmaierplatz station.
Unions-Bräu Haidhausen, Einsteinstrasse 42; take U-Bahn line 4 or 5 to Max-Weber-Platz.
Augustiner Keller, Arnulfstrasse 52; take tram number 17 from the main rail station.
Weisses Bräuhaus, Talstrasse 7, is in the heart of the downtown pedestrian zone.
Forschungbrauerei, Unterhachingerstrasse 76; take S-Bahn line 1 to Perlach, and walk 10 minutes along the footpath.

Check out Paul's great Beer Festival site at www.beerfestivals.org and more of his writing at www.paulruschmann.com.

by Paul Ruschmann