Needless to say, Atlanta’s 8th German Bierfest was a huge success! Delicious food, a huge selection of beers, live music and Schlagersongs, as well as an opportunity to acquire some German Trachten with a modern twist made this event the one with the largest number of attendees in its history and just further helped to emphasize the large presence of Germans and German enthusiasts in Georgia.
For the 8th year in a row the Atlanta German Bierfest continued to impress its attendees and volunteers alike. 
In true German tradition the German Bierfest was – as always – a family affair. Many children as well as designated drivers attended the event to spend a day in the park with the company of friends and family, while enjoying entertainment and German food.
Der Biergarten, Ormsby’s and Petit Auberge provided traditional German food. From Riesenbretzn’ over Bratwursts and Sauerkraut to Schnitzel, one could find a majority of the most popular German foods.
Just as last year, many people attended wearing Germany-themed hats, shirts, fanny packs!!!, pins or other accessories. Occasionally one could even see some German flag face paint. 
Staying with a more traditional take on German outfits, some visitors wore dirndl or Lederhosen.
For the first time in its history the German Bierfest also gave attendees the opportunity to acquire some traditional Trachten through the vendor Erika Neumayer. The designer had a booth set up close to the main entrance and offered everything from whole dirndl outfits, over individual blouses and embroidered mens shirts, to accessories that gave any outfit a German touch.
Several women in modern dresses added an apron from Erika’s collection to their outfits. The designer’s corsage vests were also used to add a hint of German traditional clothing. Erika Neumayer’s Rare Dirndl line seems to be especially popular since many pieces are usable as everyday apparel.
From pins and hair accessories, over undergarments, to blouses, vests, dresses and whole outfits her collection offers something for every budget. 
The Bierfest also provided some popular German music. Jacob Herzog and the Bavarian Express played some great Oktoberfest style songs and drinking chant’s that inspired strangers to cheer together and get to know each other. 
When the band had to take a break, the music didn’t stop. Schlagersongs as well as other popular German Pop songs emphasized the Bierfest’s theme. 
Oh, and the Bier! 22 tents offered 40 different beers.
From full-bodied beers with a deep dark color and rich roasted malt flavor; over medium bodied beers with just a hint of roasted malt flavor; to beers with a perfect hops flavor and an underlying sweetness, most everyone eventually found a favorite to go back to and rely on to get their money’s worth. 
A number of first time visitors seemed to be surprised by the rather small glass that was provided. The reasoning behind this is the fact that in order be considered legal, the Bierfest has to be a “Beer tasting.” Looking back, the smaller glasses are not so bad after all, as they allow for a wide range of beer sampling. In conjunction with the heat and over the period of five hours, the beer – even if served in rather small glasses – definitely met most people’s expectations and had the intended and foreseeable effects. (For everyone’s entertainment, some of our Bierfest aftermath pictures are included in the gallery…)
Once again the German Bierfest in Woodruff Park was a huge success all over. This year, even the weather seemed to be supportive. Although the Atlanta German Bierfest may be different from traditional German Bierfests as some attendees have mentioned, it seems to work more than well for the Atlanta area. 
Thanks to the German American Chamber of Commerce for organizing Atlanta’s best Bierfest!
{ 2 trackbacks }