July 31, 2022

Beer Gardens in Bavaria, Or, How to “Beer Garden” Like a Local

~Travel has picked up again, and beer gardens in Bavaria are in full swing. If you’re traveling to Germany in the near future, chances are you’ll end up in a beer garden at some point. Here are some tips on how to make the most of your beer garden adventures.~

Beer gardens are so important to Bavarian identity that the Bavarian Beer Garden Ordinance of 1999 gives statutory expression to the fact: “As a result of their long history and deep-rooted tradition, beer gardens have become a part of the Bavarian cultural heritage.” In short, they are “an expression of the Bavarian way of life.” And it’s a way of life so appealing that drinking establishments throughout Germany and beyond go to great lengths to create that special sylvan atmosphere.

With all traditions and ways of life come certain customs, unwritten rules of etiquette that make a day or evening in the beer garden that much more enjoyable for everyone. Though beer garden etiquette (known as Biergarten Knigge in German) is not a hard-and-fast set of rules, observing these customs will have you drinking like a local in no time.

Augustiner Dunkel at Insel Mühle beer garden, Munich — *Inselmühle, Munich*

Finding Your Place in the Shade

On warm days it’s as if the whole of Bavaria has come together under the chestnut, oak, and linden trees of the nearest beer garden. Do as they do. If you arrive and find all the seats seemingly taken, just find a friendly-looking group and ask if you can join in. The answer will invariably be hearty “ja, freilich!” (of course!).

Conviviality among Strangers

For beer drinkers the world over, German beer gardens are the epitome of Gemütlichkeit. Shared tables and music reinforce this sense of fellowship among strangers, and nothing breaks down social barriers quicker than joining together with new friends in belting out famous beer garden songs like “Ein Prosit der Gemütlichkeit.” Goodwill among neighbourhood acquaintances and total strangers is so integral to beer garden culture that the Bavarian Beer Garden Ordinance has this to say: “Beer gardens fulfil important social and communicative functions, enabling a casual coexistence that transcends social differences. Conviviality and being together outdoors counteract feelings of loneliness and isolation in everyday life.”

Long story short: There’s a reason why you won’t find a table for two in the beer garden. Don’t hesitate to sit down at tables that are already occupied, and don’t be surprised if strangers ask if they can sit at your table. If you’re reserving some spots for friends who are on their way, it’s fine to say so. In all other cases, “dazuhocken” — squeezing together and making room for others — is the order of the day. To not do so is borderline sacrilegious.

King Max and Hungry Beer Drinkers

Indulging in a refreshing beer and a meal in a beer garden is a beloved pastime that dates back to early nineteenth-century Bavaria. On 4 January 1812, King Maximillian diffused mounting tensions between Munich’s brewers and innkeepers by decreeing that brewers could sell their fresh beer in their leafy gardens. In a goodwill gesture to the innkeepers, he limited beer gardens to the sale of beer and bread. Hungry patrons were henceforth free to bring their own food with them to eat with their beer. Nowadays, not every beer garden lets you bring your own food for a picnic, though most do. And the tradition is something that sets Bavarian beer gardens apart from those in other German regions and Central European countries.

Michaeligarten beer garden, Munich — *Michaeligarten, Munich*

Beer Garden Delectables

You can partake of this venerable beer garden picnic tradition by packing your own Brotzeitkorb (snack basket) with some Bavarian classics: a selection of sausages, cheese, Wurstsalat (sausage salad), potato salad, tomatoes, radishes, cucumbers, and bread or pretzels.

Even if you don’t show up sporting a picnic basket stocked with provisions, you won’t go hungry. You have two choices of seating: tables set with table cloths and cutlery are for ordering à la carte from a server; bare tables are for those who want to put together their own meals at the food stands that ring most beer gardens. If you don’t speak German, simply point to what you want.

The following is my shortlist of favourite beer garden food items that I can’t do without.

Brezn: A soft and doughy pretzel.
Obatzda: A spread that consists of camembert cheese, butter, onions, paprika, and caraway seeds. Be sure to order a pretzel to go along with it.
Radi: Billowing mounds of thinly shaved white radish sprinkled with salt.
Weißwurst: Veal bratwurst served in a broth with a soft pretzel and sweet mustard.
Leberkäs: A kind of meat loaf served with sweet or hot mustard and a slice of bread.

When in Bavaria … The Majestic Maß

Picnic baskets are all fine and good, but let’s not forget the star of the show: the beer! In the beer garden, self-service is the rule (except at the tables set with a table cloth and cutlery).

Note that if you just want a small glass of beer after a certain time of the day, you’re usually out of luck. Signs in larger beer gardens announce variations of the following: “No half-liter orders after 4 p.m.” It’s just too busy for the beer garden staff to keep up with all that beer. Unless you opt for a Weissbier, which is served in a 500 mL glass, there’s one size, and one size only: the majestic Maß, a hefty one-liter mug of frothy beer.

*Cow bells and goat bells at the Menterschwaige beer garden in Munich*

Assuming that you and your friends have warmly embraced the idea of a cold Maß, it’s probably not the best idea for one of you to rush off and bring the entire group a round of beer. Those mugs are massive, and a full Maß weighs a good two kilos (roughly 4.5 lbs.). Don’t overestimate your strength lest you end up appearing in one of those YouTube videos depicting beer steins crashing to the ground while the erstwhile carrier looks helplessly on.

*NB: Expect to pay a deposit of about two euros for your mug. If you really want a souvenir Maß, don’t swipe one. Doing so only pushes up the price of beer for everyone else. You can find glassware for purchase easily enough.

Letting Go of that Last Sip: The Noagerl

You’ve been engaged in animated conversation for the past half hour and haven’t quite finished your beer. Don’t be surprised if the server comes along and takes away your Maß, even though there is still a sip or two left. There was a time when I used to look at the server indignantly and wonder why he or she had taken away my unfinished beer. Little did I know in those youthful days of drink-life-to-the-dregs exuberance that the server was just trying to do me a favour.

As every seasoned Bavarian beer drinker knows, that last bit of beer — known as the Noagerl in Bavarian German — is warm and flat. So in this case, don’t drink up. Much better to just go get a fresh Maß of cool, effervescent beer and be done with it.

Tapping beer at the Hirschgarten beer garden — *Hirschgarten, Munich*

Prost! Toasting and Clinking Glasses

How can you keep your beer from going flat? Simple. Toast, and toast often. Beer garden experts claim you should clink glasses with your friends or table neighbours at least ten times per Maß. Who’s to argue with that logic? After all, the act of raising a glass to those around you invites conversation, conversation that can beget meaningful cultural exchange. When toasting, always look the other person in the eye, otherwise — so the saying goes — you risk ten years of bad sex.

Schankschluss … Last Call and Closing Time

It’s a balmy summer night around 10:30 p.m., light breeze rustling through the leaves overhead. The beer garden’s in in full swing and you have the perfect, dreamy buzz going. Suddenly a small bell rings out, interrupting the buzz of conversation and signaling that the end of the evening is imminent. Time to drink up.

When it’s over, it’s over, and there’s no use complaining. The Bavarian Beer Garden Ordinance mandates that the gates of the beer garden need to be shut tight by 11:00 p.m. The closing time regulations are in place to keep the peace with residents who, though they may also be beer garden fans, have to get up early for work the next morning. But tomorrow’s another day, and some beer gardens may well be open by 9:00 a.m. Because it’s noon somewhere in the world.

Sunset at St. Georgen-Bräu Keller beer garden, Buttenheim. — *St. Georgen-Bräu Keller, Buttenheim*

And In Case You’re Wondering Where the Best Beer Gardens Are …

“Munich’s Beer Gardens East and West of the Isar” tours some of Munich’s iconic beer gardens that everyone should visit at some point, including the Augustiner-Keller, the Hofbräukeller, the Salvator-Keller, and the Hirschgarten.

If you want to stick to Munich’s green spaces, “A Beer in the Park: Beer Gardens in Munich’s English Garden” is as advertised: the Chinesischer Turm (Chinese Pagoda), the Seehaus along one of the lakes in the sprawling English Garden, and the Aumeister way up north.

My recent article for VinePair, “6 Bavarian Beer Gardens Worth Visiting This Summer” highlights al fresco spots from across the region, including beer gardens in Regensburg, Augsburg, and Traunstein in Upper Bavaria.

Last but not least, “Bamberg’s Beer Gardens: A Bierkeller for All Seasons” introduces several Bierkeller in this city of Rauchbier, including the classics Wilde Rose and Spezial-Keller.