13
Aug
2009
Beer Culture (Part II)
A large Get-together at the beer festival
No wonder, the German beer history is also connected with a lot of interesting traditions, among which there are celebrations, festivals and so on. The October Beer Festival has become world famous for many years which I would advice all foreign friends to experience.
The October Festival begins normally since the end of Sep. and will last for a week or so. Some of my German friends have once rejected my invitation for a visit to the feast together with various reasons. Some describe it as primitive and unsafe as drunken people could fight and be tricky to deal with. Others think Munich is too far and the feast itself is also becoming more and more expensive concerning on the beer and food price while finding a place to sleep or park cars prove to be impossible. This do somehow make sense because last year as we telephoned to book the hotel, we only got the “full reservation” answer.
However on the other side, if you do manage to get there, you will not only be able to taste the best beer, but also stand the very best chance to enjoy traditional dances and other exciting performances. Girls from Bavaria are beautiful and sexy in their traditional costumes and you will never want to miss this part too!^_^ If you fail to get there during this sharp season of beer drinking, still, you can go to some of the numerous beer parks in Munich to enjoy beer with local people at any time of the year.
One last tip: don’t get too drunk^_^!!
13
Aug
2009
Beer Culture (Part I)
enjoy beer, enjoy life!
Like cherry blossoms remind you of Japan, porcelain of China and cow boys of America, talking about beer, then you must have thought of Germany.
Germany is the country which consumes the most beer of all the world. As I’ve read, a German guy will finish 65 litre beer every year on the average; and when looking at the champion of beer drinking in Germany-the Bavarian, it’s astonished to know that every person drink up till 230 litre per year, which means they at least drink half a litre every day. Man!
The oldest beer brewery of the world is situated in Bavaria, namely, the Weihenstephan with almost 1000 years’ history (1040). The story of the origin of beer is also interesting, while at that time monks were not allowed to eat flesh during the fast April according to the Catholic doctrines. So they thought out one way to make a special kind of drinks out of brewing the Wheat. Pop tasted it and found it so delicious and then the monks were finally given the permission to drink this very first “Beer”, which has been refined all the time till today.
Still, I just wonder is beer really so tasty enough for one to fall in love with? Cause it did take me like several months to accept the flavor and finally enjoy it. My German friends then once told me too that beer drinking needs to be learned and that doesn’t definitely mean fun and success for every German. Now as I look back, this did prove to be true as I was with several German friends in the South and drank this famous smoke beer, everybody got sick but I liked it so!! Thus you know, that really is a question of personal taste. Basing on the beer quality dated back to 1000 years ago, somehow I feel lucky for the beer to exist, and lucky for beer-drinkers of the world too^_^