When my friend Simon, who lives 3-4 hrs east of here in Freising, Bavaria, called and said that we should come visit for Freibierfest (translation: free beerfest), the obvious answer was YES. Not only do I love beer festivals, but Simon and his roommates are all sorts of fun, so the combination was sure to be exceptional.
Freibierfest Weihenstephan, or Sommerfest der Braustudenten, is a yearly celebration organized by the brewing students (yep, real major) at the Weihenstephan Brewing School, which is associated at the world's oldest operating brewery, Weihenstephan. Anyway, an assortment of beer is donated for the public to enjoy. Actually, to enjoy it you will need one of the year's specialized Freibierfest mugs, which must be pre-ordered for 14€. Although the beer is free, you can only be served in your own mug. The beer was tapped just before 6 pm and did not run out until after 2 am.
The festival is not your typical German beer festival, with tents and a band. It is more of a tailgate-style gathering. People set up tents, tables, and grills as a homebase, and then would walk downhill to refill mugs, use the restroom, buy food (if you did not supply yourself a grill), etc.
Because your mug is your only shot at being served a beer, you want to hold onto it. When they fill up the mugs, they are handed several and just toss them back, so in order to keep cootie-free and the beer-flowing, you will want to personalize your beer "krug".
After decorating the mugs and doing some light pregaming (still not sure why we decided drinking before a FREE beer festival was a good idea, but alas...), we were off to the fest.
You just can't get enough drinking-in-a-dirndl photos while living in Germany.
Just before midnight, the group deemed McDonald's necessary, so we stopped for some Happy Meals and then returned for an epic dance party. I apparently thought I was a freshman in college again, because this night just never ended. The train ride the next day was less than enjoyable, but looking back: worth it.
These sort of happenings in Germany remind me why I love it here. I do not need these reminders so often, especially in the summer when I could skip around all day singing the "Deutschlandlied" because life is just so good, but more so in the winter where I want to crawl in a hole and come out 5 months later (I do, in fact, do this, it's called my bed). I'm getting off track... anywhooooo: life in Germany is spectacularly random. Every bit of fun is contributed to by an assortment of new and welcoming people that I hope to meet again.
14 comments
Um this sounds like my perfect festival. Can't wait to suit up in a drindl for Oktoberfest this year!!!!
ReplyDeleteyour dirndl is adorable!
ReplyDeleteYou could pass as a true German with a beer mug in your hand and wearing a dirndl - and I mean that in the best way possible! :) I think I might be the only German that doesn't like beer... but if there was a 'Freiweinfest', I'd be all for it! ;)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea! In my town we have a fest called "Viezfest" and you have to buy a mug too to get the viez (some kind of apple wine) but you still have to pay for every viez too. So this definitely sounds like a great fest. And I love your dirndl.
ReplyDeleteThis Fest sounds amazing! And I love your dirndl. It looks especially stylish with the bright red rain coat ;-)
ReplyDeleteAaand, I agree - life in Germany is definitely spectacularly random!
ok, this is a major?! in school?! that is awesome. and I love the mug!!! it looks awesome- you are so crafty!
ReplyDeletelooks like it was a blast!! I soo wish I could have gone!!! next one, for sure!
ReplyDeleteHaha this is so awesome and random. Sign me up for anywhere with free beerfests!
ReplyDeleteis it common for German women to wear dirndls to events like this? I was trying to see in your pictures, but it looks like mostly guys in the background. to me, the ignorant outsider, dirndls seem like they'd be worn for bigger cultural-type events, whereas this looks like it was pretty casual. I'm just curious.
ReplyDeleteOh you will never want to take it off! Gah so glad you will get to experience Oktoberfest!
ReplyDeleteFreiweinfest, oh I would like that more, too!!
ReplyDeleteThis fest was much more casual than the other traditional-style fests. Many of the girls didn't wear them because they thought it was too cold (and it was a bit cold, but we wear them any excuse we have). However, I'd still say about 25% of people were still dressed in dirndln/lederhosen.
ReplyDelete14Euros is not too bad. Especially as I would maybe be able to do 4 or 5 tops. Any clue how many mugs they sold? The personalized mugs look awesome.
ReplyDeleteThis makes so much more sense knowing it is in Bavaria. I at first thought it was in Karlsruhe, which seemed odd somehow.
Everything about this post was EPIC! The personalized mugs (I'm SO doing that!), the cute boys, the late night happy meals, the wee hours of the morning dance party! EPIC! It's what memories are made of :)
ReplyDelete