Gruss’ Gott! Make the most of Oktoberfest

By Karin Wolfe

updated 6:55 p.m. ET Sept. 10, 2007

If you think your travel guide's phonetic tips for ordering a liter of beer are enough to get you through Oktoberfest without being labeled a Saupreusse (for genteel readers, a dumb tourist), maybe you should stay home.

That's because mastering a little Oktoberfest etiquette — such as learning where, when and how to eat and drink what — is key to experiencing Munich's two-week celebration of beer and Bavarian culture.

Consider wheat beers, for example. Clink the wrong end of the tall, fluted half-liter glasses they are served in and you may end up with a lap full of glass shards and beer. (Hint — toast with the bottom of the glass, which is thicker.)

Or the beer halls (Festhallen) themselves, each of which has its own vibe. If it's omp-pah you're after, you may want to skip the youthful crowd at the Schottenhamel tent (remember, beer is on tap at age 16 in Germany).

As a Munich native and veteran of numerous Oktoberfests, I've had plenty of opportunities to witness Americans' cultural stumblings (and plenty of them just stumbling drunk). So here's my survival guide to keep you from looking like a tourist.

The history
Despite its name, Oktoberfest begins in late September. This year — which marks the 174th anniversary of the annual festival — it runs from Sept. 22 to Oct. 7.

Beer guide Pale ales, radlers and bock: A guide to the beers of Oktoberfest Each of Munich's six breweries offers a special Oktoberfest pale ale, in addition to their usual offerings, which include: — Helles (pale ale) — Dunkles (dark ale or stout) — Weissbier (wheat beer) — Lagerbier (lager) — Bockbier (bock beer) There also are several common "mixed" drinks, including: — Radler (a blend of pale ale and lemon-lime soda) — Russ'n (a mix of wheat beer and lemon-lime soda) — Diesel (a mixture of pale ale and cola) Source: The Associated Press

The event began in the early 1800s as a celebration to honor Bavaria and its royal family. Booths selling beer eventually were added, and by 1896 they had morphed into the now iconic beer tents.

Today, Oktoberfest is the largest folk festival in the world, and according to the Munich Tourist Office last year it saw more than 6.5 million visitors and served up nearly 7 million Mass, or liters, of beer.

The beer
The only beer on tap is that produced by Munich's six breweries — Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbraeu Muenchen, Loewenbraeu, Paulaner and Spaten-Franziskaner — each of which offers regular and special festival brews.

Everything is on draft, of course. The Oktoberfest brews, which are pale ales, tend to be light and sweet with low carbonation. But beware, these special brews also are about 6 percent alcohol.

And be prepared to drink up. With the exception of wheat beers, the beer is served just one way — in 1-liter steins costing about $11. But don't ask for a liter. Ask for a Mass, German for measure.

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Other brews include traditional pale ales (Helles), dark ales or stouts (Dunkles) and wheat beers (Weissbier). For those who prefer their beer adulterated, there also are mixed drinks, such as a Radler, a mix of pale ale and lemon-lime soda.

Don't be surprised if you are asked to pay more than the menu price. To discourage people from taking off with the steins, you'll pay a deposit that will be refunded when you return the glass.

Speaking of steins, don't call them that. In Germany, it is a Krug.

As a rule, everyone at the table drinks together, and all glasses are "clinked" before drinking. Not making eye contact during this exchange is considered rude. The word for cheers is "Prost!"

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