Demystified » Beer » Festivals / Trails / Famous Regions

Several beer festivals happen all over the world, from the famed Oktoberfest in Munich to the Great British beer festival and closer home, the Arlem beer festival in Goa. Below are details of a few of the important festivals. Write in, if you want to add your comments.

Octoberfest in Munich Did you know that the Munich beer festival, popularly called the Oktoberfest is the world's largest public festival (or so at least the organisers claim) and that it began as the royal wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese in October, 1810. Nowadays the Octoberfestival is often begun in September, due to inclement weather later on. Earlier on, no beer was allowed to be sold during the festival days and it was only later that beer was allowed to be sold. The festival is officially started with the mayor broaching the first barrel of beer and the first mug is passed to the Bavarian prime minister. A great procession of people in traditional Bavarian costumes also takes place.

Closer home in India, we have the Arlem beer festival sponsored by Arlem breweries. The festival is held over a period of 5 days in large grounds and beer drinking is accompanied by music and ofcourse Goan food.

Great British Beer festival This is the biggest festival in the UK and claims to have more beers on sale here than in the Munich beer festival. The festival begain in North London, from where it moved to Leeds and then on to Brighton and then back to London. The festival is organised by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) whose commitment to ensuring the preservation of British ale is legendary.