The Bavarian Strong Beer Fest

Just after two weeks of Lent’s start (usually at the middle of March) Bavarians initiate one of the most ancient and traditional customs – the Starkbierfest or Starkbierzeit which can literally be translated as the festival or the season of strong beer. Actually Germans call this event ‘the fifth season’ in Bavaria and this term has indeed makes a sense: the beer drinkers gather in one hall and enjoy dark and heavy beer celebrating the spring while there is still snow and frost outside the hall.

Most people outside Germany exclusively associate beer festival to Oktoberfest – the biggest and most famous beer fest. That is because Oktoberfest has quite commercial purpose where thousands of tourists are invited to take part in the fest. Unlike Oktoberfest the Starkbierfest is purely national Bavarian celebration to be held to rather celebrate Bavarians dignity than attract tourists.

Historically the Strong Beer Fest is held in Munich where the first brewing of the ‘strong beer’ took place. Although Bavarians are so proud of their strong spring beer initially the recipe of this ‘liquid bread’ was made in the North of Germany, far from Bavaria. The recipe was accepted by the Paulaner Monastery monks in Munich and immediately was evolved into the monks’ daily ration during the Lent. The reason of such need was very simple – the beer was so reach in vitamins, minerals and protein that Paulaner monks could easily manage the Lent!

Traditionally the Starkbier should contain at least 16-18% of the dissolved solids such as proteins, minerals, sugar etc. At the same time the alcohol content does not exceed 6-7.5%. Thus the Startkbier is strong in its invigorating effect. The most popular Starkbier is Salvator which is traditionally brewed in Munich. Of course, the Salvator effect is rather strengthened by the alcohol when the fest drinkers rich their forth or fifth one-liter mug…

The ceremony of the Strong Beer Fest is very traditional: the Munich mayor and other officials entered the fest hall and opened the tap of the first strong beer barrel. The so-called ‘Tratzen’ entertaining group of artists and dancers wearing traditional Bavarian Trachtens and dirndl dresses perform the city’s former events and parody the Munich officials, citizens and the city’s historical figures. For example, the popular scene during the Starkbier fest is the monks’ party during the Lent where the Paulaner monks enjoy Bavarian fairy tales and poems while drinking Salvator. Today the tradition to declare the old-Bavarian poems and tell Bavarian fairy tales and legends in their original dialect is still popular. But it takes place only on the first day of the fest as the poems can hardly be declared after the second litre of the Salvator.

Today the most famous Salvator brewery is Paulaner called in the name of former monastery and located at Nockherberg.

The 2006 Starkbierfest – the Strong Beer Fest in Munich, Bavaria is starting on 17 March and will last till 2 April.

Related links:

The festival official website

The festival photo gallery