The history of beer production in Germany goes back almost 15 centuries, when indigenous eastern European communities began to be organised and Christianised by colonists. Since then, the control of beer production and distribution has been intertwined with social and political struggles; such is the significance of the brew as a part of the national character.
Now of course, those struggles are long since forgotten and the ongoing legacy of beer is worthy of much celebration. Still very much a national institution in Germany, the per capita beer consumption is second only to the Czechs and the Irish.
Berlin’s annual beer festival celebrates beer from all over the world. 300 breweries from 86 countries will be offering up their magnificent malts along the spacious boulevard leading up to the iconic and imposing twin towers at Frankfurter Tor. Over 80,000 visitors will be able to sample more than 2000 speciality beers over the three day festival, which will also include live music, shows and performances from national and international artists.
As this will be the festival’s 15th year, there will be an exciting attempt to break the record for the world’s longest beer garden. On the Sunday from 11am, tables will be joined together along Karl-Marx Allee to make a counter over 2 km long. It is free to join in and participants will receive a festival mug full of beer and the opportunity to be part of the groundbreaking occasion.
The tradition of making eye-contact with everyone at the table whilst saying ‘cheers’ (prost!) is taken very seriously in Germany – maybe that’s why the attempt is scheduled to last for two hours! There’s only one way to find out…
Entry to the festival and world record attempt is free of charge and open to people of all ages (non-alcoholic beer is also provided).
