Extra strong festival in Munich

Beer-lovers who missed the recent Oktoberfest event may be interested to know that a lesser-known – but equally enjoyable – beer festival will take place in Munich next spring.

Every February and March, the city celebrates its traditional strong beers with the Starkbierzeit, which pays tribute to the monks from times gone by who used to brew strong beers during Lent.

Visitors to Munich could try to wangle an invite to the initial ceremonial beer tasting - which also sees celebrities lampoon local politicians in an exclusive show - and proceed to sample a plethora of strong beers over the course of three weeks.

Many bars and breweries proffer their own brand of strong beers and ales during this period, giving holidaymakers plenty of opportunities to taste a wide range of different beverages.

The festival provides a strong taste of other festivals to come over the year - and with May's beer season taking place not long after Starkbierzeit, the wait may be shorter than initially thought.

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