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Munich Beer Experience
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Munich History & Culture
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Andechs & Munich
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Munich Beer Garden - Dinner Evening
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Tours of Bavaria
Starkbierfest 3/27
Munich's Strong Beer Festival 2027
sold Out
04 Mar 2027 - 14 Mar 2027
Starkbierfest (Strong Beer Festival) is like Oktoberfest without the tourists. During this trip, we will attend at least 2 festivals and perhaps 3 if the schedule works! We also travel up to Bamberg where you can try lots of unique beer styles - Schenkerla's Rauchbier, Mahr's U, and Keesman's Herren Pils, to name just a few.
Additionally, we have a day trips to Salzburg and Kloster Andechs. Have a look at our itinerary below and see how we are different. Afterwards, check out our rating at TripAdvisor and our traveler stats, and be sure to look up more references on Facebook and Linked-In. We are very proud of our 35% rate of repeat guests!
$ 2175 p.p.
$ 2730 for single
$ 2730 for single
Starkbierfest (Strong Beer Festival) is like Oktoberfest without the tourists. During this trip, we will attend at least 2 festivals and perhaps 3 if the schedule works! We also travel up to Bamberg where you can try lots of unique beer styles - Schenkerla's Rauchbier, Mahr's U, and Keesman's Herren Pils, to name just a few. Additionally, we have a day trips to Salzburg and Kloster Andechs. Have a look at our itinerary below and see how we are different. Afterwards, check out our rating at TripAdvisor and our traveler stats, and be sure to look up more references on Facebook and Linked-In. We are very proud of our 35% rate of repeat guests!
Starkbier basically means "Strong Beer." If you’re a beer lover, you are going to obsessed with this Doppelbock festival. The best part? It’s still a bit of a local secret, so you won’t be fighting through crowds of tourists. We’ve centered the trip on Munich and Bamberg—two absolute legends in the beer world—because only the best spots made the cut for this itinerary. Since it’s not the peak summer rush, flights to Europe are usually cheaper and hotel prices stay at normal levels. Locals call this the "fifth season," a tradition that goes back centuries to the Paulaner monks. They brewed this extra-strong stuff to help them get through their Lenten fasts—liquid bread, basically! On the third Thursday after Ash Wednesday, they tap the first barrel of Salvator at Paulaner am Nockherberg, and the party officially kicks off. For the next three weeks, local spots like Augustiner Keller, Paulaner, and Löwenbräu throw special parties, traditional dances, and all kinds of events. It’s the ultimate way to experience Munich like an insider. NOTE that that festival costs isn't know far enough in advance for my to include it in the pricing. Those will be added, at cost, when you get here.
Catch a Thursday night flight out of the States and you'll touch down in Munich on Friday morning. We’re all meeting up at the airport by 11:00 AM, then hopping right on the train to zip downtown—it’s way faster than dealing with traffic.
Once we drop our bags at the hotel, we’re heading to the open air market for a snack and a beer. We’ll spend the rest of the afternoon on a walking tour to see the sights, but don’t worry, we’ll be making plenty of pit stops for drinks along the way. After a big German dinner, we’re calling it an early night so you can recover for the big event tomorrow!
After breakfast at the hotel, our tour of Munich rolls on. Munich has been around since 1158, so there is a massive amount of history to unpack—everything from the "First" and "Second" Reichs to its dark role as the birthplace of the "Third Reich." Our stroll through the Old Town hits on all of it, mixing medieval architecture with cool stories and a real feel for the culture. We’ll kick things off right in the heart of the city at Marienplatz. Once we’ve heard the Glockenspiel chime, we’ll head out to see the Old and New City Halls, the iconic Frauenkirche cathedral, and the open-air Viktualienmarkt (perfect for a quick snack).
We’re also going to walk part of the actual route from Hitler’s failed 1923 Putsch and check out the spots where he attended his first party meetings and gave his first big speeches. Along the way, we’ll chat about the local legends and personalities who really shaped the city into the Munich you see today.
Tonight we plan to be at the Augustiner Keller for our first Starkbierfest event. A smaller venue, but with the best beer. They always have a great local band playing crowd favorites and the intimate atmosphere of about 600 people makes this one a great start
The city of Mozart is calling! It’s only a two-hour train ride away, and we’re going to show you all the iconic Sound of Music spots, along with the stunning Mirabell Palace and the historic Old Town.
Beyond the history, Salzburg is a total foodie dream. I’ll take you to Sporer for some incredible homemade schnapps, Fürst for the absolute best Mozart Balls (the original ones!), or we can hit up Hotel Sacher for their world-famous torte and a coffee.
For dinner, we’re heading to a legendary beer hall: the Augustiner Bräustübl zu Mülln. This place is as authentic as it gets—you literally grab a stone stein off the shelf, rinse it out yourself at the fountain, and then get it filled with fresh beer. It’s such a cool experience! Afterward, we’ll grab a six-pack to enjoy on the train ride back to Munich.
We’re hopping on the sleek, high-speed ICE train for a quick 70-minute zip over to Nuremberg. Once we toss our bags into some lockers at the station, we’ll head out to explore.
Most English speakers hear "Nuremberg" and immediately think of the Nazi rallies, the Race Laws, and the trials. While that’s a huge part of the story, the city actually has a massive imperial history dating back to the Middle Ages. There’s a giant Holy Roman Empire castle that totally dominates the skyline, and the sandstone buildings show just how wealthy this trading hub used to be. We’re going to hit the Party Rally grounds, the Castle, and the Old Town—and of course, we’ve got to try the local "Rotbier" (red beer) and those famous grilled sausages!
In the evening, we’ll grab our luggage and finish the last 50 minutes of the trip to Bamberg. The best part? We’re checking in and sleeping right inside a real, functioning brewery!
After a quick breakfast, we’re hopping on the train to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a medieval village that looks like it’s straight out of a storybook. The whole place is still tucked inside its original town walls!
We’ll dive into its history as a major trade hub, but we’ve also got some iconic stops planned: the world-famous Käthe Wohlfahrt Christmas Store (it’s Christmas year-round in there) and the incredible Tilman Riemenschneider Blood Altar. For lunch, we’re doing it right with some local Franconian food and a glass of hand-crafted local, dry white wine (Silvaner). In the late afternoon, we’ll head back to Bamberg to spend the evening soaking up the vibes of that gorgeous Baroque city.
Wake up and smell the ... beer! Since we’re staying right at Fässla, that malty goodness from the brewery downstairs wafts up to your room—honestly, it’s the best alarm clock ever. You can grab breakfast and even a morning beer if you’re feeling it!
We’ll have a look at this tiny brewery before heading out for a long walk through this stunning Baroque city. Since Bamberg was virtually untouched in WWII, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage site and feels like stepping back in time. We’ll check out the Old Town Hall, Bamberg Cathedral, the famous Bamberg Rider statue, and the massive Cathedral Square before heading into the heart of town.
As we wander, we’re going to make "research stops" at some of Bamberg’s most legendary breweries: Mahr's, Keesmann, Spezial, Greifenklau, Klosterbräu, and Ambräusianum. For dinner, we’re trying the famous Bamberg Stuffed Onion at Schlenkerla. You’ve got to pair it with their world-famous Rauchbier (smoked beer)—it’s a total culinary trip. If you love beer, this is going to be a banner day!
Breakfast and then another fast train back to Munich and we will stash the bags back to our hotel.
Time to don your Tracht and get ready for the massive party at Paulaner am Nockherberg. This Starkbierfest is the ultimate destination for any true beer lover, serving as the historic heart of Munich’s "fifth season." The legend began in the 1600s with the Paulaner monks, who brewed a special, extra-malty beer to sustain them through the strict fasting of Lent. Since "liquid does not break a fast," they survived on this nutrient-rich "liquid bread," which they aptly named Salvator.
Every year, the season kicks off with the Derblecken, a legendary political roast where a local performer dressed as a monk "washes the heads" of the city’s elite. It is a masterclass in Bavarian satire, where politicians are expected to sit in the front row and laugh along while their egos are thoroughly bruised in front of a live audience.
As for the vibe, think of it as Oktoberfest’s rowdier, more authentic local cousin. The massive hall at Nockherberg trades the tourist crowds of autumn for a room packed with locals in Lederhosen and Dirndls, all clinking heavy stone steins called "Keferloher." The atmosphere is electric, fueled by the 7.9% Salvator and high-energy bands that have the entire crowd standing on benches and singing along by mid-afternoon. It is a deep dive into Bavarian culture that feels like a massive, high-spirited reunion, making it one of the most unforgettable celebrations in the world of beer.
This morning enjoy an extended tour of Munich's history, opt in for a guided tour of the Dachau Concentration Camp (extra charge), or just catch up on your sleep!
In the evening, we visit the most traditional (and my personal favorite!) of the Starkbierfest celebrations in Munich at the Löwenbräukeller. More than just a beer hall, this historic buioding from the 1880s is a Beer Palace and has been a centerpiece of Munich’s social and political life since the late 19th century. Built during a period of intense competition among Munich's major breweries, it was designed to be a massive venue for large-scale events, a role it still serves today.
This one attracts a somewhat more upscale crowd - there's always a great band and too much food - three courses! You enjoy the music, the Triumphator beer along with the some 2,300 other guests!
After breakfast we make the "pilgrimage" to the Holy Mountain. Most Bavarians will tell you that if you only had one day to see the real Bavaria, you’d spend it at Kloster Andechs.
It’s an incredible historic spot still run by Benedictine monks, so there’s plenty of cool art and architecture for some "spiritual refreshment." But for the rest of us, the Bräustüberl handles the more earthly refreshments! Their Doppelbock beer is world-famous, and people travel from all over just to get a plate of their legendary Schweinehaxe (pork knuckle). It’s honestly hard to put into words why Andechs feels so special, but once you’re there, you’ll totally get it.
Back in Munich, we'll camp out at the Augustiner Bräustüberl for our last meal together. It's a boisterous vibe, and is just a few blocks from the hotel. If you have an early morning flight tomorrow, you can head back to the hotel whenever you need to.
Most are heading out for the Munich airport this morning, and we’ll make sure you know how and when to get there for your flight (just a heads-up, the MVV train ticket isn't included). Before you check in, enjoy one last Weisswurst and a Weissbier at Airbräu—it’s actually right inside the airport! Honestly, I love this country.
If your flight leaves a bit later, we can even hit the Weisses Bräuhaus downtown one more before you go. Live music on Sunday from 10:30 - 13:00
Also, if you’re not ready to head home yet, just let me know! I can help you extend your stay in Munich or help you get a tour booked to see the fairytale Royal Castle of Neuschwanstein.
