For Germans, beer is an indispensable part of life, a precious drink that accompanies everyday happiness. This time, we'll introduce you to how to enjoy authentic German beer. At Schmatz, we offer authentic German craft beer, brewed with the craftsmanship and commitment to quality developed in Germany, with the desire to provide time filled with lots of "Schmatz" (the sound of happiness). Please use German beer culture as a reference and expand your ways of enjoying Schmatz beer!
1. Enjoying "Beer Gardens" Outdoors
Although "beer garden" is a common term in Japan, its origin dates back about 200 years, to 19th-century Munich, Bavaria, Germany. To prevent the temperature of the beer storage cellars located underground at breweries from rising, large chestnut trees were planted to create shade. This led to offering beer and food under these trees. From there, a "beer garden" came to be defined as an open-air space that primarily serves beer and food and drinks.
Today, beer gardens are popular in various countries with beer cultures. In Japan, they often operate at night, but in Germany, you can relax and enjoy beer from daytime in beer gardens located in parks. Because it's an open space, sharing tables is common, which is one of the charms of a beer garden – a place for various people to gather and interact.
We highly recommend you try enjoying beer from bright hours, either by yourself or with friends, feeling the weather and scenery with a beer in hand, right here in Japan! Schmatz also plans and operates beer gardens for a limited time. You can also purchase bottled beer and take it on a picnic, bring it to a BBQ, or simply enjoy it on your veranda or porch at home.
2. Germany's Beer Festival "Oktoberfest"
Even in Japan, "Oktoberfest" has become synonymous with beer festivals, held nationwide regardless of the season. While it's an outdoor event like a beer garden, the authentic Oktoberfest in Germany is characterized by a lively atmosphere centered around beer, unlike the relaxed pace of a beer garden.
The original Oktoberfest is held in Munich, the capital of Bavaria, often referred to as the birthplace of German beer, for about 16 to 18 days from September to October. It's the world's largest beer festival, attracting over 6 million people annually. Booths from local breweries are set up, creating not only a lively advertising battle but also great excitement with attractions, acrobatics, and music shows.
Although it's a national festival, Oktoberfest has now become a global beer festival and likely had a significant impact on spreading German beer culture. If you'd like to try multiple German beers, attending an Oktoberfest event could be a great opportunity to experience German culture.
3. Incorporating Beer into Daily Life: "Kneipe"
A "Kneipe" is a type of pub, not so much a restaurant for meals, but rather a casual place to drink. Germans, when their purpose is to drink, tend to focus on simply drinking and conversing rather than needing "drinking snacks," so from a Japanese perspective, it might be closer to a "bar" or "pub."
However, despite being like an izakaya, during the day it has a café-like atmosphere, and indeed, coffee and light meals are available. With a rich selection of non-alcoholic drinks in addition to beer and other alcoholic beverages, it's a place where you can easily drop in regardless of whether you want to eat. You can just have one drink and leave, or spend a long time relaxing. Some people read newspapers alone, while others play board games or chat with friends.
The ease of dropping in for a beer is something Schmatz also aims for. We welcome you to come with friends, a loved one, or family, and we especially welcome those who just want to drop in alone! In addition, if you're at a restaurant, our food menu is extensive so you can enjoy a leisurely meal, and bottled beers can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere, however you like. So, you can experience authentic German beer enjoyment from various angles. We hope that Schmatz will continue to be a part of your daily life.
