Munich Airport gears up for Oktoberfest 2006

36,000 liters of fresh-brewed "bier" awaiting thirsty Oktoberfest arrivals at Munich Airport´s microbrewery and biergarten, Airbräu

Munich Airport is the obvious starting point for travellers heading to Munich for the start of Oktoberfest 2006 on Saturday, September 16th (running through to October 3rd). As the gateway to the unoffical beer capital, Munich Airport boasts the only airport microbrewery and traditional Bavarian biergarten in the world, Airbräu, which is open to passengers and the general public alike.

Around six million visitors are expected at this year´s Oktoberfest, which was first held in 1810 in honor of Crown Prince Ludwig´s (later King Ludwig I) marriage to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen.

Locals refer to Oktoberfest as the "Wiesn" (or "meadow") because of its location, the Theresienwiese, named after the princess. Since the late 1800s, Oktoberfest has started in September, and not in October like its name implies, to take advantage of the mild, late summer weather in Bavaria.

In preparation for what is known as the "largest people´s fair in the world," Munich Airport´s Airbräu has brewed up 5400 liters of its very own Wiesn beer,“Jet A1,” in addition to its regular brews. Passengers and visitors are invited to join Airbräu´s very own brewmaster to kick off the festivities on Saturday, September 16th at 10 a.m., for a mini version of the official "O´zapft is" (Bavarian for "it´s tapped!") keg-tapping ceremony by the Mayor of Munich at the Wiesn.

Stick around for the free round of 100 liters of Wiesn beer later in the afternoon. During the two weeks of Oktoberfest, Airbräu will be serving traditional Oktoberfest fare such as fresh "brezn" (pretzels) and obatzda, roast chicken and a selection of other Bavarian specialties at its main location in the Munich Airport Center (MAC) between Terminals 1 and 2, and at its "Closer to Heaven" bar and restaurant airside on level 5 in Terminal 2.

Airbräu also offers a brewery tour (followed by a beer-tasting session of course) for beer lovers curious about how their favorite beverage is made.

Further information here about Airbräu at the Munich Airport