This past weekend was the 17th International Berlin Beer Festival. The 3-day beer festival takes place on Karl-Marx-Allee — a wide avenue that leads from Berlin’s Alexanderplatz through what was formerly East Berlin. With international beer brewers representing over 80 countries and over 2,000 beers, there’s plenty of fun to be had. The festival stretches over 2km on Karl-Marx-Allee so bring your walking shoes! I recommend starting at one of the end points (either Strausberger Platz or Frankfurter Tor) which are both easily accessible by u-bahn or bicycle. Then just start walking.
Stages featuring German folk bands, dancing acts and other ridiculousness are scattered throughout the 2km. Like any other German beer festival you’ll find plenty of people dressed up whether in silly outfits or traditional Bavarian clothing. Think of drindls and lederhosen. But please bear in mind: this isn’t Oktoberfest so don’t expect quite the same level of debauchery.
Affectionately called “Beer Mile” or Biermeile, the festival takes place annually on the first weekend of August. While German and Polish beers seem to be the easiest to find along the Biermeile, there are booths from as far away as Vietnam.
About Biermeile / Berlin International Beer Festival:
- Free entry
- Three days, first weekend of August
- Travel Tip: Buy one of the small beer mugs (great souvenirs!) from the info booth for 3.50€. Every booth will have at least one beer on tap (Bier vom Fass) which they’ll fill up in your mug for as little as 1.50€. There’s no pfand (bottle deposit) if you use the souvenir mug.
Quite strange fact: I’m from Belgium but I do not really like beer. Nevertheless I love Beer festivals cause of the atmosphere.
Hey Freya, That *is* interesting! Everyone raves about Belgian beers (I’m fairly certain even me) but to be honest, I get quite tired of beer myself. You’re right about beer festivals though—they’re often a pretty good atmosphere. Until they become too rowdy!
Loved the beerfest! Discovered dark beer with banana juice there on Friday which was super delicious (even though it might sound strange!) :) Hope we’ll be in town for the beer fest again next summer!
So so so so happy I ran into you and Jess at the festival!! What incredible luck :)
I didn’t get one with banana juice but I remember a craft beer from Boston that was “banana-bread flavored.” Yummy!
You had me at beer ;)
Beer festivals are some of my favorite things to do while traveling! I love sampling new food and drink and those two things are usually found together at any particular beer fest. This sounds like a great way to spend an afternoon! Jealous.
I hate that I STILL haven’t been to Berlin. This sounds like a lot of fun, and Andy would probably enjoy a beer festival!
Festivals are the best time when we get to know about culture.Beer festival sounds exciting i never been to Berlin.But, if i get a chance to visit it i will got on Beer festival time.
Great fun indeed. I wont to be there next time.
[…] my vacation off right, I headed to a beer festival with my friend Adam (read his take here). The Club Mate was to keep me awake and beer was to get me drunk! Nothing more classy than […]
Looks like a fun festival!
Uiii, ich Liebe das Bierfestival. War dieses Jahr auch wieder da, jedes Mal ein Spaß! Liebe Grüße!
[…] places to get a good German brew, but then there’s the beer festivals. In Berlin, the Beer Festival, but most famously in Germany, Munich’s Oktoberfest. And then this year I discovered a beer […]