Beer Garden Life

Sunday June 26. Still hot, although there are some interesting clouds in the sky. We left the house around 1:30 to meet up with Bruce & Barbara at the Kugler Alm, a beer garden near where we live. Logan & I got there first, and we snagged a spot at a mostly shaded table. Logan had gone off to get beer when I spotted Bruce. He & Barbara had just gotten there along with Elaine. They rode their bikes through the Forst to the beer garden. Great way to get there, and back, especially if you have a couple beers.

A festival was going on at the Kugler Alm, there was a band in lederhosen playing traditional dance music, and a troupe of dancers also in traditional dress. They would process to the stage, and do a couple dances, then recess for a couple songs, then a different set of dancers would go up & do a couple more. The dancing was very slow & stately, more like walking in time with the music. Lots of changing partners, and different hand holds. It was reminiscent of square dancing, but a very slower pace. The dancers ranged from a tiny girl about 3 feet tall, through teenagers, to middle-aged adults. And we didn’t even think about bringing the camera. Oh well, we’ll have to go to another one.

The beer garden was very big. Bandstand in the center, 20 rows of picnic tables on all sides and lots of trees for shade. There was a separated playground for kids, and a couple other areas with tables farther away from the bandstand.

The beer gardens started when it was against the law to brew beer in the summer months. They brewed in spring, and used the trees as shade to keep the beer cool so it would last through the summer. I’m pretty sure they cellared the beer, and the trees provided extra coolness. People liked sitting under the trees & drinking, and this was permitted as long as people were allowed to bring in their own food. That continues to this day. We saw plenty of people with their picnic baskets or soft sided coolers setting up at their table. People also bring their own tablecloths to the beer gardens. But you have to buy their beer.

Barbara told us that some beer gardens do provide table service. These areas are marked by tables, with tablecloths already on them. If you see a spot like that, you can sit but expect to order food from the waitress.

Spending a hot afternoon at a beer garden is just great. I hope to do it more often.