Oktoberfest Blues!

Now we're into the season of harvest festivals and beer festivals in Germany but this year will be happening without them and even the most famous of all, the Oktoberfest has fallen victim to COVID-19 for only the 25th time since 1810. So all the traditional clothing; lederhosen and dirndls are lying around unworn. Never mind let’s pop into the Beer garden of earthly delights! 

The Germans have a word for ''hygge'', feeling relaxed, comfortable  ....... ‘’Gemütlichkeit'',  beer gardens have to be relaxed and comfortable. Brimming with a variety of delicious beers (German beer is strictly regulated and is chemical free ...... hops, malt and water) and local savoury dishes. 

Although we refer to the stoneware beer mugs as ''steins'', here they are called krüge or seidla, the stoneware keeps the beer cool and the lids keep insects from swimming in your brew and they come in all shapes and sizes.

 Different areas have different traditions for example in Munich in some beer gardens you can take your own food as long as you drink the beer, usually a ''mass'' beer, 1Litre! You'd be surprised how easily a litre of beer goes down when sitting under the chestnut trees, chatting and enjoying the savouries (usually salty to encourage beer sales! 

In Bamberg you don't go to a Biergarten you go ''auf'm keller'', you are on the cellar ..... why? The beer barrels were kept in cellars below the beer gardens to keep them cool. 

A cautionary tale to finish, we took friends from Scotland to our local beer garden in Munich, they were roasting suckling pig and my Scottish friend was first in the queue; his mouth was watering at the fabulous smell! When it was finished the host shouted ''the sow is ready'', hacked the head in half and put the pigs head on my friend's plate ........ he turned deathly pale and nearly fainted! Getting the pig's head is an honour, unfortunately my friend was less than thrilled; it took a couple of beers to bring him back to life. 

Prost!