Oktoberfest - Wiesnmaß cracks the 15 euro mark
The Mass beer at Oktoberfest costs between 13.60 and 15.30 Euro this year. The price for the festival beer therefore increases on average by 3.9%, surpassing the 15 Euro mark for the first time, as Munich announced on Wednesday.
In the previous year, the price range for a liter of festival beer was between 12.60 and 14.90 Euro. As organizer of the Oktoberfest, the city checks if the prices calculated by the tavern keepers are reasonable. They compare these prices with those of the large catering businesses in Munich. The latter currently charge between 7.70 and 12.80 Euro per liter of export.
However, there are additional costs for Wiesn-Bier Extra. It is brewed specifically for the festival and has an alcohol content of about 6%. In addition, the tavern keepers have significant expenses for setting up and dismantling the tents for the two weeks, and there is live music. Since 2004, beer prices at the Wiesn have approximately doubled: In the early 2000s, a Mass still cost between 6.70 Euro and 7.10 Euro.
Alcohol-free beverages on the Oktoberfest will also be more expensive this year: A liter of table water costs an average of 10.48 Euro (2023: 10.04 Euro), Spezi 12.23 Euro (11.65 Euro), and Limonade 11.67 Euro (11.17 Euro).
Free water
The good news: Those who want to save money and quench their thirst for free can use the water fountains. Ten of them are available on the Theresienwiese this year, twice as many as last year.
The setup of the large festival tents began on Monday. On September 21st, it's then "O'zapft is!" again. Six million visitors are expected between then and October 6th.
In the previous year, 7.2 million guests attended, the most since decades. They consumed 6.5 million liters of beer. How many chickens and oxen were consumed was not disclosed. They too are likely to be significantly more expensive this year: The federal government raised the value-added tax on food in the catering industry from 7 to 19% in January, as it was before the Corona pandemic.
Old Wiesn instead of Agricultural Fair
Despite tradition, the farmers have cancelled the planned Central Agricultural Fair (ZLF) in the South part of the Theresienwiese this year. Too few exhibitors showed interest due to the high costs. Instead, the Oide Wiesn is taking place in the South part of the festival grounds. It originated during the 200-year celebrations of the Oktoberfest in 2010 and is popular with historical fairground attractions and young folk music.
There was controversy in advance: The city awarded the contract for a music tent with a dance floor to the new Boandlkramerei tent. The owner of the tent that had been there in the past, Herzkasperlzelt, filed a lawsuit to the Bavarian Administrative Court, but unsuccessfully. The judges considered the award to be justifiable and lawful.
- Visitors planning a trip to Munich this Oktoberfest should be prepared for increased prices, as a liter of festival beer now costs between 13.60 and 15.30 Euro.
- The hospitality industry in Munich, including tavern keepers and large catering businesses, sets prices for drinks like beer and food at Oktoberfest.
- Beyond the mass beer, alcohol-free beverages like table water, Spezi, and Limonade will also see price increases this year, with an average of 10.48 Euro for a liter of table water.4.Located in Bavaria, Munich is famous for its Oktoberfest, which attracts millions of visitors every year, including from Germany and beyond.
- Taking place on Theresienwiese, Oktoberfest is known for its customs, including the traditional drinking of beer from large steins, live music performances, and delicious Bavarian food.
- Despite the tradition of the Central Agricultural Fair (ZLF) at Oktoberfest, it has been cancelled due to high costs, and instead, the Oide Wiesn, a popular historical fairground attraction, will take place in its place.
