Why Munich's beer gardens rule, 200 years on The birth of the
beer garden came about in the early 19th century Bavaria, by
royal decree. Photo: AFP This year marks the 200th anniversary
of the law that brought into existence one of Germany's greatest
institutions, the beer garden. Yvonne Salisbury reports. When it
comes to beer-drinking, Bavarians do not do things by halves:
there are more than 180 beer gardens of varying sizes in and
around Munich, with seating space for 180,000 imbibers. The
birth of the beer garden came about in the early 19th century.
Bavarians were allowed to brew beer in winter only, and to keep
it cool for sale in the summer it was stored in cellars along
the River Isar, commonly in the shade of chestnut and linden
trees. These shaded areas soon became popular spots for those
wanting to sample the goods before taking them home. Oktoberfest
2011 kicks off Munich's traditional beer festival kicked off on
Saturday under heavy security, with some six million local and
foreign visitors expe