Munich’s beerhalls and the Oktoberfest Museum

On this tour, your guide will lead you in exploring the history of beer in Munich, the beer capital of Europe. Far more than just a thirst-quencher, beer in Germany has a long history, uniting farmers, monks and kings through the simple action of yeast on grain.

You’ll see several places linked to the foamy beverage’s importance in the region, and then visit two beer halls. There, you’re likely to see traditional Bavarian dress, taste some samples from the barrels and share in a drinking song or two.

The tour finishes at the Beer and Oktoberfest Museum, housed in Munich’s oldest townhouse. From the earliest writing about beer in ancient Sumer through the Reinheitsgebot purity law of the 16th century, the museum traces the historical and cultural importance of beer through to the modern day. Afterwards, you can enjoy a flight in the downstairs bar.

Bavaria, the southeastern region of Germany, is widely considered the German beer capital — 40% of the EU’s breweries are located here. Though several types of German beer may only be brewed in other specific regions of the country, Bavaria is the home of Oktoberfest, traditional beerhalls and the 500-year-old Reinheitsgebot, the world’s oldest food purity law.

Munich, the capital of Bavaria, is home to a particularly rich beer culture. On your walking tour, your guide will point out several monuments with links to beer history and production, and give you an education on its importance in the city and the region.

As part of your tour, you’ll visit two of the city’s best-known beer halls. Hofbräuhaus, one of Munich’s oldest, was established in 1589 and was the official Royal Brewery for the Kingdom of Bavaria. Other beer halls have names that might be familiar, like Paulaner Brauhäus and Löwenbräukeller, whose beers are served around the world.

Depending on where you visit, you might see servers in traditional dirndls and lederhosen, oom-pah bands entertaining the crowds and beer served in a glass tankard called a Masskrug or simply Mass, named for the one-liter volume it holds.

The last stop on the tour is the Beer and Oktoberfest Museum, housed in Munich’s oldest townhouse, which was built in 1340. You’ll learn about the significance of beer and Oktoberfest in Bavarian history and culture, see an exhibit of historic beer mugs and find out why German beer is only made with four ingredients.

After the museum tour, you’ll have a chance to indulge in a tasting flight at the museum’s ground floor pub, from a crisp pale Hell to a rich malty Dunkel.