Product Code Database
A beer garden (German: Biergarten) is an outdoor area in which beer and food are served, typically at shared tables shaded by trees.
Beer gardens originated in Bavaria, of which Munich is the capital city, in the 19th century, and remain common in Southern Germany. They are usually attached to a brewery, beer hall, Public house, or restaurant.
Seasonal limitations on when beer could be brewed were already in the Bavarian brewing regulations by 1539. In 1553, Albert V decreed a period from 29 September, the Michaelmas, to 23 April, the Feast of Saint George, for its production. The cool seasons were chosen to minimize the risk of fire when boiling mashed grain into wort. Numerous conflagrations had occurred, which resulted in the prohibition of brewing during the summer months. In response, large breweries dug cellars in the banks of the River Isar to keep their beer cool during storage. "Beer cellars" for consuming beer on premises naturally followed.
To further reduce the cellar temperature during the warm seasons, 19th-century brewers layered gravel upon the cellars by the bluffs and planted horse-chestnut trees for their dense spreading canopies and shallow roots, which would not damage the cellars. Soon afterward, serving cool beer in a pleasant shaded setting emerged. Simple tables and benches were set up among the trees, creating the popular "beer garden" that is known today. Food service followed, aggrieving smaller breweries that found it difficult to compete, and they petitioned Maximilian I to forbid it. As a compromise, beer gardens allowed their patrons to bring their own food, which is still a common practice. Most beer gardens offer clothed tablesets, whose guests must buy food from the house. Those who bring their own food must use the bare table sets, unless—which is common—they bring their own cloth(s) also. With the advent of widespread in the later 19th century, beer gardens grew more popular than ever.
Maximilian's decree is no longer in force, and many beer gardens forbid victuals not sold through the establishment. Common Bavarian cuisine such as Radi (radish), Brezn (pretzel), Obatzda (cheese dip), halbes Hendl (half a grilled chicken), Hax'n (knuckle of pork), and Steckerlfisch (grilled fish) are often served. Equally important to the beer garden is an atmosphere of Gemütlichkeit, conveying a feeling of warmth, friendliness, and belonging. Reinforced by shared tables, it is often accompanied by music, song, and fellowship among strangers.
That is so integral to beer garden culture that the Bayerische Biergartenverordnung (Bavarian Beer Garden Ordinance) of 1999 permits traditional tree shaded venues that allow their patrons to bring their own food to close later and exceed the noise limits that are otherwise in force.Bavarian Minister of the Environment and Health: Bayerische Biergartenverordnung von 1999 (Bavarian beer garden decree of 1999) (German) The term Biergarten is not otherwise restricted, and anyone can call any kind of open-air restaurant by that name, but purists distinguish between a Wirtsgarten, in which only the brewery's food is sold (such as the outdoor tables at the Hofbräuhaus am Platzl), and a Biergarten, in which patrons may bring their own.
The largest traditional beer garden in the world is the Hirschgarten in Munich, which seats 8,000.
Canadian alcohol laws generally forbid drinking in unlicensed public places, although in recent years such policies have been relaxed in some jurisdictions. In Canada, beer gardens are generally a segregated area attached to an event such as a concert or festival. They may be outdoors and/or indoors, depending on the season and other circumstances. Eligibility for the specific license needed to operate such an event varies by jurisdiction, and is often effectively limited to non-profit organizations.
Despite the name, most beer gardens in Canada today serve other alcoholic beverages as well. Beer gardens are very popular at large sporting events such as the Memorial Cup in hockey. It is usually illegal to remove alcohol from the area or bring in outside alcohol.
Biergartens typically are of a particular local or regional brewery, meaning they serve only the beers of the brewery they are associated with. The world's oldest brewery, Weihenstephaner (estd. 1041) has its beer garden next to its brewing facility and the Technical University of Munich, where a brewmaster degree is offered.
In 2011, the world record for 'The world's longest beer garden' was set in Berlin by the Berlin Beer Festival, measuring long.
The Raleigh Beer Garden in Raleigh, North Carolina holds the world record for largest selection of beer at a single location with 378 different beers on tap. Raleigh's Record-Breaking Beer Garden Has 378 Unique Draft Taps, Travel & Leisure, October 1, 2015
American liquor laws condition how beer gardens can operate in each state (legal drinking age is 21). For example, Washington alcohol laws require organizers to apply for and receive a liquor license, alcohol only to be consumed in the designated venue, the area to be fenced, and staff to "cut off" obviously drunk patrons. Additional laws restrict alcohol-related signage associated with the event and prevent smoking in the beer garden.
|
|
