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Munich Beer Gardens

Beer gardens originate from a 19th century Munich when they became popular venues during the rule of King Ludwig I. At this time, a dark lager was the most common type of beer. On order of the king, this beer had to be brewed during the winter months, because fermentation of this particular type of beer had to occur between four and eight degrees Celsius. So that the large Munich breweries could also sell their beer during the summer, they built cellars along the banks of the Isar river for storing the beer. To further reduce the cellar temperature, they covered the banks in gravel and planted chestnut trees to provide shade during the hot summer months. Soon thereafter, beer cellars were used not only to store beer but also to serve food and beer to the public. Simple benches were placed amongst the trees of these so-called beer gardens they which quickly became highly popular amongst the Munich population.

However, this new trend had a negative effect on the businesses of many small breweries and restaurants which led them to collectively petition King Ludwig to forbid beer cellars to serve food. A royal decree was consequently passed, preventing all beer cellars in and around Munich from serving food. Instead, the guests of the beer gardens were permitted to bring their own food. While the law is no longer in effect, and as all beer gardens now serve food as well as beer, the Bayerische Biergartenverordnung states that "real" beer gardens should allow guests to bring their own food.

The general understanding is nowaday that as long as you order a beer, you are welcome to unfold your home cooked food on the beer tables provided in the beer garden, which has become a Munich tradition. Those beer gardens that adhere to this rule can also be considered traditional Munich beer gardens.

There is usually no waitress service in areas of beer gardens where own foood can be brought. This applies to both beer.

Instead, there is usually a self-service canteen where both food and drink is sold and where the beer is tapped from wooden barrels in Maß glasses. Many beer gardens have two areas, one for waitress service and another usually larger area for the beer benches, as historically intended for those who bring their own food, while nowadays also to those buying food and/or beer in the self-serviced canteen.

This site contains information including map directions of most if not all traditional beer gardens in and around the Munich area. In case there is is any beer gardens missing, as this is a wiki, do not hesitate to add any beer gardens on this site.