Top 10 biergartens around the world
Oktoberfest celebrated with tasty suds from Munich to Tokyo
LONDON – Bavaria’s King Max Joseph I decreed in 1812 that beer could be drunk where it was brewed and food could be served there too, giving birth to the Biergarten (Beer garden) 200 years ago.
Oktoberfest began in Munich last Saturday and runs until Oct. 7. So to mark the bicentennial of the Biergarten and the start of Bavaria’s most famous festival, online travel consultants Cheapflights.com (www.cheapflights.com) have created a list of the top 10 beer gardens around the world. 1. Hirschgarten, Munich, Germany: The historic — and family friendly — Hirschgarten is Germany’s largest biergarten, with benches seating up to 8,000 revellers stretching almost as far as the eye can see. The shady 200-year-old chestnut trees and deer (Hirschgarten translates to “deer garden”) that roam around the game reserve next to the beer garden add a bucolic touch to an evening’s drinking. The majestic Nymphenburg Palace is close by, too. Augustiner beer is served, directly from the cask. 2. Taxisgarten, Munich, Germany: Not quite as old as Hirschgarten, Taxisgarten biergarten has been serving up to 1,500 guests at a time since 1924. It used to be a sanatorium for First World War veterans and gradually opened up to the public. Its proximity to the Taxisklinik, Bavaria’s largest maternity clinic, means that many a baby’s birth has been celebrated here. There’s a small children’s play area to keep the kiddies occupied. Hofbrau is a favoured brew. 3. Airbrau, Munich Airport, Germany: Now, here’s a brilliant idea. A beer garden — and brewery — at Munich Airport. The Airbrau is to be found in the central courtyard between terminals 1 and 2. Airbrau is the world’s only airport brewery that crafts its beers in compliance with 16th century purity laws. If you didn’t catch the aviation theme, the beers’ names will give you a clue. Seasonal brews include Aviator and Mayday, a word that recalls emergency but gets its name from May 1, when the first barrel is tapped. 4. Estabrook Park Beer Garden, Milwaukee, Wis., U.S.A.: It’s little wonder that Milwaukee is featured in our top 10. This brewing city learned the trade from the German immigrants who settled here in the 19th century. The Old German Beer Hall on Old World Third Street represents the spirit and tradition of the Hofbrauhaus in Munich, which is perhaps the most famous beer hall of all. 5. Radegast Hall & Biergarten, Brooklyn, N.Y., U.S.A.: German expats had a convivial home away from home in the beer gardens of New York for many years since the 18th century. Prohibition in the 1920s and later ill feelings toward Germans spelled the end of many of them. But the beer garden has made a comeback over the past few years. Undoubtedly, The Bohemian Hall in Queens is part of New York City history. It is said to be the last original remaining beer garden in New York, dedicated to preserving the Czech and Slovak communities. Our pick of the bunch is Radegast Hall & Biergarten in Brooklyn which, with its rustic decor, hearty fare and great brews, captures the ambience of Oktoberfest in all its glory. 6. Yaletown Brewing Company, Vancouver: A western Canadian twist on the beer garden, the Yaletown Brewing Company has won many awards such as Best Brewpub in Canada and Readers’ Choice awards for Best in Vancouver. It’s in a renovated warehouse in one of Vancouver’s trendiest districts. And the glassedin brewery produces top-class beers. The best thing about it might be the long, narrow seats outside where Yaletowners and visitors pitch up to enjoy a pitcher or two. 7. Praca Hercilio Luz, Blumenau, Brazil: This German settlement in the state of Santa Catarina is world famous for the crowd-pulling Oktoberfest it puts on each year (in 2011, more than 550,000 showed up and more than 626,000 litres of beer were downed; it’s on Oct. 10-28 this year) but it honours its Germanic heritage year round. There’s no better place to soak this up than Praca Hercilio Luz, among the beer museum, Second World War monument and beer garden. German brews might be the most popular, but Blumenau has plenty of micro-breweries. 8. Forest Beer Garden, Tokyo, Japan: There was a beer garden at Midtown shopping complex this summer that served only Suntory All-Free and soda, orange juice and tea. But for a beer garden that serves something with more than 0.000 per cent alcohol, visit Forest Beer Garden inside Meiji Shrine’s Outer Gardens. The trees are shady, the sausages German and the beer is Kirin Ichiban Shibori, Kirin Ichiban Shibori Stout or Budweiser. It’s one of Tokyo’s largest beer gardens, with space for 1,000. The garden gets busy over the weekend and booking in advance is recommended! 9. Braustubl Tavern, Salzburg, Austria: The Braustubl Tavern in Molln has been brewing beer since 1621. Not only is it Austria’s largest beer tavern, but the beer garden seats 1,500 drinkers. It’s self-service with the beer drawn from wooden barrels. Augustiner beer is, as you’d expect by now, brewed in accordance with the 1516 Purity Law with just four ingredients: malt, water, hops and yeast. 10. Lowenbrau Keller, Sydney, Australia: There’s a little bit of Bavaria at the corner of Playfair and Argyle streets in Sydney, Australia’s tourist-friendly Rocks district. Of course, they celebrate Oktoberfest, but the tablecloths are blue-andwhite checked and the staff are rigged out in their Dirndls and lederhosen year round. Australia might be a long way from Germany, but the beers are brewed in accordance with the Purity Law and drinkers can sample the Stiegl Goldbrau, Paulaner Premium Pils and Spaten Munchen, which has the distinction of being the first keg tapped at each Oktoberfest.