Howcast

How to Find Cheap Accommodations during Oktoberfest in Germany

Howcast — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 14:45:46 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Search the Munich Tourist Board database Search the Munich Tourist Board’s hotel database. Search results range from four-star hotels to simple bed and breakfast accommodations.
Step 2: Consider booking private accommodations Consider booking private accommodations (apartments, flats, or houses) through an online service such as Statthotel, or Check In! Munchen.
Step 3: Book a bed and breakfast stay Book bed and breakfasts through The Bed and Breakfast Private Accommodation Agency. Also, see the Tourist Board’s list of hostels and campsites.
Step 4: Book reservations for Wiesn Camp Send e-mail for reservations at Wiesn Camp, popular camping alternative for Oktoberfest visitors.
TIP: Although tents are set up at Wiesn Camp, visitors will need to bring their own sleeping bags.
Step 5: Park your motorhome or camper Park your motorhome or camper at a designated area at the New Munich Trade Fair Center or at Wiesn Camp.
Step 6: Call the Munich Tourist Office Call the Munich Tourist Office’s “comfort reservation” team for last-minute booking. Be aware of their Monday through Friday office hours.
FACT: Even though Bavaria has one of the strictest nonsmoking laws in Europe, as of 2010 smoking was still allowed in the Oktoberfest beer tents.

You Will Need

Google toolbar
Hotel reservations
Private accommodation reservations
Hostel
bed and breakfast
or campsite reservations
Sleeping bag
Motorhome or camper

How to Attend the Oktoberfest in Germany

Howcast — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 15:16:31 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Know what it’s all about Know the history of the Oktoberfest — the festival first took place in Munich in 1810 to celebrate the marriage of Bavaria’s Crown Prince Ludwig I to Princess Therese of Sachsen-Hildburghausen. The original Oktoberfest began on October 12 and lasted 5 days, but the 2-week festival now starts in late September to take advantage of the warmer weather.
Step 2: Book your hotel early Book a hotel in Munich as early as possible. There are many within walking distance of the fairgrounds, but with up to 6 million visitors attending the celebration each year, some sell out more than a year in advance. Consider staying in a hotel just outside Munich if you’re on a budget.
Step 3: Reserve beer tent seating Book seats in a few beer tents, especially if you want to drink during the popular evening hours. Some of the larger tents require reservations; others offer seating on a first-come, first-served basis. Go to “Oktoberfest.de/en”:http://www.oktoberfest.de/en for tent information and phone numbers.
TIP: Be nice to the beer maids in Germany! They can tip you off to reserved seats that won’t be occupied for a few hours.
Step 4: Watch the opening ceremonies Watch the opening ceremonies when the mayor of Munich taps the first keg on the first day of the festival. It’s not easy to get a seat in the beer tents on opening day, but you can still enjoy the carnival rides and food stands.
TIP: Every Tuesday from noon to 6 p.m. is “Family Day,” with discounted rides. Young children aren’t allowed in the tents after 8 p.m.
Step 5: Pace yourself! Pace yourself! The only beer size served in the tents is 1 liter — equivalent to almost 3 bottles of beer. You don’t want to be carted off to the medical tent to recover with the other Bierleichen — which means beer corpses!
FACT: In 2004, the bathroom lines at the Oktoberfest were so long that the police had to be called in to monitor them.

You Will Need

Hotel reservations
Beer tent reservations

How to Celebrate the History of German Oktoberfest

Howcast — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 12:02:08 +0000

Instructions

: Don’t drink unless you’re of legal age. Drink responsibly, and never drink and drive.
Step 1: Get married Get married. Since the original Oktoberfest was a wedding celebration, what better homage to the history of Oktoberfest than by having a wedding?
Step 2: Hit the track Go to the race track. The original Oktoberfest celebration was initially built around a horse race. Although the race has long been eliminated from the annual Oktoberfest celebration in Munich, you can keep the tradition alive — and maybe even win some dough.
TIP: If you can’t get to the track, hit an off-track betting location.
Step 3: Visit an agricultural show Visit your local agricultural show. Oktoberfest has featured an agricultural show since its inception, and still features one today.
Step 4: Eat sausage Cook some pork sausages. Annually, Oktoberfest celebrants consume more than 200,000 pairs of pork sausage, as well as 480,000 spit-roasted chickens over the two-week-long celebration.
Step 5: Drink beer Celebrate Oktoberfest by drinking traditional Oktoberfest beer. The common Oktoberfest beer is a style called Bavarian Maerzenbier. It’s a dark copper-colored amber lager with a mildly hoppy flavor.
Step 6: Try other beers Try other German beers if you can’t find authentic Maerzenbier. There are many widely available imports. Spaten, Paulaner, Ayinger, and Hacker-Pschorr all have comparable flavors to authentic Oktoberfest beer.
TIP: Beware of domestic beers that add the “Oktoberfest” label to any old style of beer just to cash in on the celebration.
Step 7: Don’t overdo it Don’t drink too much. The celebration lasts 16 days, so you’ll want to be in it for the long haul. Tschuss!
FACT: The Schottenhamel Oktoberfest beer tent, which takes 10 weeks to construct and 5 weeks to dismantle, has a seating capacity of 7,500.

You Will Need

Wedding
Racetrack
Agricultural show
Sausage and chicken
Beer
Moderation
Off-track betting location (optional)
Knowledge of traditional Oktoberfest beer (optional)

How to Have an Oktoberfest Beer Tasting

Howcast — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 15:07:16 +0000

Instructions

: Don’t drink unless you’re of legal age. Drink responsibly, and never drink and drive.
Step 1: Find beers Find local or international beer at a liquor store or brewery. The beer you choose doesn’t all have to be German — mix it up to give your guests variety.
TIP: Have each guest bring a different beer and have everyone vote for their favorite.
Step 2: Set up table Set up a table with one bottle or stein of each beer and small tasting glasses to allow your friends to pour themselves a sample of each.
TIP: Provide palate-cleansing snacks, such as crackers, or bread.
Step 3: Study up on tasting technique Find an online guide that explains how to properly taste a beer by swirling, sniffing, and then tasting each brew, and print out a few guides for your guests. Or, invite an expert from a local brewery.
Step 4: Speak German Speak German! Say “prost” — which means “cheers” — when raising your glass, and announce your approval or disapproval of each beer with a “yah” or “nein.”
Step 5: Continue with other beers Continue tasting beer until you find something you love; then pour yourself a pint and enjoy the atmosphere.
FACT: The first Oktoberfest was held on October 12, 1810, as a celebration of the wedding between Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxony.

You Will Need

Beer
Table
Tasting glasses
Decorations
Tasting guide or expert
English to German dictionary
Adventurous spirit
Palate-cleansing snacks (optional)

How to Turn Your Backyard into a Beer Garden

Howcast — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 08:03:19 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Set up picnic tables Set up wooden picnic tables with tablecloths featuring the blue-and-white checkered design of the Bavarian flag. If possible, put the tables under a shaded area.
TIP: It’s better to have one long table rather than a few small ones, because beer gardens are all about mingling.
Step 2: Have plenty of beer Have plenty of German beer on hand, including light beer, lagers, pilsners, and wheat beer. Serve the beer in half-liter or liter mugs, or covered beer steins.
TIP: Have some German wine on hand, like Riesling and Spatburgunder, for non-beer drinkers.
Step 3: Throw wurst on the grill Grill different kinds of sausages, like bratwurst, weisswurst, and knockwurst. Another beer garden staple is “steckerlfisch,” or “fish on a stick.” Stick whole mackerel on skewers and grill them.
Step 4: Prepare the side dishes Put out bowls of sauerkraut, warm German potato salad, and red cabbage. Make sure each picnic table has a big basket of soft pretzels and sweet, coarse mustard.
Step 5: Pipe in some polka Pipe in some oom pah pah polka music.
Step 6: Give a lot of toasts Ask everyone to raise their glass so you can offer a toast. When you’re finished, say “Prost!” which is the German word for “Cheers!” Do this often.
Step 7: Bring on dessert Have apple strudel or black forest cake for dessert, and serve it with ice coffees topped with fresh whipped cream.
FACT: One of the most famous beer gardens is Munich is called the Chinesischer Turm, or Chinese Tower, because of its pagoda-style building.

You Will Need

Picnic tables
Blue-and-white checked tablecloths
German beer
Beer mugs or steins
German sausages
German foods
Polka music
Apple strudel or black forest cake
Iced coffee
Fresh whipped cream
German wine (optional)