To ensure that you continue to receive these e-mails, please add ezine@gophercentral.com to your e-mail address book.


Wednesday, September 24, 2014

For beer-lovers, lovers of good Bavarian culture and cuisine, and bon vivants of all stripes, Oktoberfest is the highlight of the year. And despite the name, Oktoberfest is celebrated in September...which means you should be lifting a stein right now! Prost!



Today's Random Fact:

The first Oktoberfest was held in Munich in 1810. It was for the commemoration of the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. The first celebration included a horse race.

Unbelievable, but in the beginning, beer was not available at the Oktoberfest. Alcohol could only be purchased and enjoyed outside of the actual venue. Authorities soon realized that it would make sense to open the Oktoberfest venue to vendors and it was only then that the traditional beerhalls became popular.

***
Bonus Fact:

Beer consumption surpasses 5 million 1-liter mugs. The mugs themselves are a hot item. Security guards annually recover approximately 150,000 from would-be souvenir hunters. Many are not recovered; the Hofbrau tent alone averages 35,000 missing each year. The fine for stealing a souvenir mug: $60!

There are many problems every year with young people who overestimate their ability to handle large amounts of alcohol. Many forget that beer has 7.5 to 8 percent alcohol, and they pass out due to drunkenness. These drunk patrons are often called "Bierleichen" (German for "beer corpses").