With Munich Brewers' Day, Munich's breweries are keeping alive the centuries-old tradition of the trade festival.
On this day, they ceremoniously bid farewell to their young brewers after they have successfully completed their apprenticeships and publicly commit themselves, together with them, to the ‘heart’ of Munich's brewing culture – the Munich Purity Law of 1487, according to which Munich beer is still brewed today.
The highlight of this festive day is the public ‘Freischlagen’ ceremony, with which the city honours its young brewers. One by one, they step before the mayor, who ceremoniously lowers the wooden ferula – the traditional guild symbol of brewers – over their shoulders, thereby knighting them, so to speak, into the Order of the Purity Law. A special service for the brewers is held in St. Peter's Church in the morning. Afterwards, the apprentices, journeymen, masters and guests of honour, led by the Münchner Kindl, continue on to Marienplatz accompanied by traditional costume and music bands, mountain riflemen and festively decorated horse-drawn carriages.
There, the traditional Schäffler dancers perform, making an exception to their otherwise strictly observed rule of only performing every seven years in honour of the brewers. The actual ceremony of the Freischlagung then takes place in the late morning, followed by the renewal of the ‘Preueides’ (oath of allegiance) of 1487, in which the brewers solemnly swear together ‘ ...to use only barley, hops and water for every beer ... and nothing else ...’.
The official conclusion of Brewers' Day is marked by performances by traditional costume groups, whip crackers and folk dance groups on Marienplatz, while Munich's breweries hold a special reception in the afternoon to honour the best young brewers of the year.
