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This month and next will see London get a Munich-style makeover, as various Oktoberfest celebrations pop up across town with gallons of beer sloshing from steins served by staff in dirndl dresses and lederhosen. We’ve picked four of the best Bavarian-inspired beer halls to hop your way around. Prost!
The hip one: Oktoberfest East
Back in Germany, Oktoberfest tents pour beer from one brewery only. Sticking with this tradition, the organisers of this east London edition are teaming up with Munich’s Hacker-Pschorr who’ll be providing hip Londoners with their Oktoberfest Bier and Helles. The brewery’s original festival glasses will be shipped over and filled with amber suds to be enjoyed with fare from a Bavarian food market and brass band renditions of Kanye and Adele tracks will be performed by the Hackney Colliery Band.
Oktoberfest East, Oval Space, Thu Oct 19- Sat Oct 21, £15-£40.
The giant one: London Oktoberfest
Big, boozy, Bavarian revelry is on the menu at London Oktoberfest, the largest event of its kind in the UK. Pitching up in Millwall Park, the daddy of all beer halls is expected to see over 50,000 thirsty Londoners flocking to its steins, flowing with Bavaria Fester Brewery’s 5% ABV this year. The 18 and over rule is ditched on Sundays when lunch is served for all the family and a list of traditional songs to learn ahead of your visit can be found on the website.
London Oktoberfest, Millwall Park, Thu Sep 28- Sun Oct 1, Thu Oct 5- Sun Oct 8. From £10.
The very beery one: Erdinger Oktoberfest
One of the booziest beer tents descending on London next month is Erdinger’s Oktoberfest offering. They’re building a mighty hall for 3,000 beer lovers to get merry in, decked out with floral garlands, a traditional blue and white striped roof and a stage for live performers and DJs. A healthy 250,000 pints of Erdinger Weissbier and Fischers Hell will be pouring in from Bavaria, and a whopping great funfair will be popping up on Greenwich Peninsula, complete with a Ferris wheel and jumbo slides. Probably best to check it out before you’ve necked back five beers and polished off a bratwurst.
Erdinger Oktoberfest, Greenwich Peninsula, Thu Oct 5- Sun Oct 22. From £10. £5 funfair only.
The wacky one: Shoreditch Oktoberfest
Traditions are being scrapped at this eccentric take on Oktoberfest at Last Days of Shoreditch. You can still expect a bounty of beer and authentic grub, but you’ll also be met with a breakdancing troupe, street magicians, live DJs and an oompah band. Lederhosen and alpine-style hats will be available to buy on site if you fancy getting into character too.
Shoreditch Oktoberfest, Fri Sep 29- Sat Sep 30. From £15.
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