Happy Oktoberfest! O Zapft'is!
Today marks the official start to the Oktoberfest in Munich. It's always fun to watch the traditional parade and events leading up to the first beers that are poured at exactly 12 noon. The Mayor of Munich is tasked with hammering the tap faucet into the wooden barrel with 6000 thirsty folks watching. What a neat tradition and shows how all these years later the Oktoberfest traditions continue since 1810. This year the new mayor of Munich was able to tap the barrel with 2 hits. Well done - Prost!
On the history of the tapping ritual
In 1950, a Munich mayor tapped the first beer keg in the Schottenhamel festival hall for the first time . At this premiere, the then-mayor, Thomas Wimmer, set a record that remains unbroken: with 17 tentative blows, he held off on dispensing the first liter of beer for significantly longer than any of his successors. Nevertheless, he thus established the cherished tradition of the mayor personally tapping the first keg at Oktoberfest. The world-famous cry of "O'zapft is!" (It's tapped!) has since achieved cult status. An interesting fact: since 1980, the incumbent Bavarian Minister-President (at that time, none other than Munich's own Franz Josef Strauss) has been presented with the first liter of beer at Oktoberfest.
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