Manfred Newrzella has been immersed in the world of beer and tradition for as long as he can remember, both professionally and in an honorary capacity. It must be a great love affair, because he always gets carried away when he talks about Munich's beer diversity, Oktoberfest or the first sip from a fresh “Mass” (1 litre of beer). We spoke to the beer expert about Munich's beer culture and why the barley juice will probably never go out of fashion.
Mr Newrzella, you were managing director of the Verein Münchner Brauereien e.V. and the Bayerischer Brauerbund for many years. You are currently Vice President of Festring München e.V. What captivated you so much about beer brewing and Munich's tradition?
It was beer that brought me to tradition. I started out as a legal advisor at a brewery, but had already earned some extra money serving beer during my studies. I even met my better half over a beer. Later on, I was involved with Munich beer for work reasons. And consequently, I was of course engaged in the Oktoberfest and all the other festivities. And then the question came up as to whether I could imagine really becoming active there. Of course, I said I would! Munich beer is regional, it's a piece of home, deeply rooted here with the purity law of 1487. Once you got a taste of it, you can never let go again.
Are you actually a Munich native?
Yes, I am a “Münchner Kindl (a child of Munich)” – a genuine Munich local. I was born in Neuhausen-Nymphenburg in Taxisstrasse, which was then a maternity home and is now a Red Cross women's clinic. I went to primary school in Schwabing district and later to Gisela-Gymnasium on Elisabethplatz (square).
“We Munich residents really come alive in the beer garden. When we sit together with friends in a cosy and carefree atmosphere and have a good time.“
How would you describe your childhood and youth in Schwabing in the 1960s and 1970s?
I have vivid memories of the beer coach that delivered beer in Schwabing and how we would run to the coachman and ask if we could have a cube of ice, which we usually got. He probably guessed that we would get into fights with them and throw them at the girls. The airfield at Oberwiesenfeld, the construction site of what would later become the 1972 Olympiapark (Olympic Park), magically attracted us boys. We rode there on our bikes and imagined being pilots, until we were caught.
The hilly terrain at Oberwiesenfeld also served as a challenging training ground for cycling. If you weren't fast enough, you didn't make it to the other side of the hill and had to dismount or even risk a fall. “Väterchen Timofei”, with his white beard, sometimes gave us an apple, but we didn't visit him too often, because other adventures roundabout were more tempting. (Editor's note: Väterchen Timofei came to Munich after the war and successfully defended his Ost-West-Friedenskirche (church), built from war rubble, against the construction plans for the Olympic site with the help of Munich's citizens).
You also studied in Munich.
Yes, I can remember one particularly funny episode from that time. Back then, we had a professor who took the word “lecture” literally and only read from his book. So, what did we do? We got hold of his book and moved the lecture outdoors, to the beer garden at the Chinesischer Turm (Chinese tower). There, we took turns reading from the book and enjoyed ourselves. Of course, this couldn't be considered bunking off, because the only person absent was the professor.
There are traditional events in Munich all year round. At which of these festivals do you feel the soul of Munich most clearly?
Frühlingsfest (Spring Festival), Oktoberfest, strong beer season, Maibock season, Beer Day, Brewers' Day - when Munich celebrates, the locals are naturally there. Beer and Munich are inseparable. But we Munich residents only really come alive in the beer garden. When we sit together with friends in a cosy and carefree atmosphere and have a good time. That's Munich. And we can get pretty grumpy when people try to take some of that away from us. Just think of the beer garden revolution 30 years ago, when around 25,000 Munich residents took to the streets and demonstrated for the preservation of the beer garden culture.
Munich is often referred to as the world capital of beer.
We have so much more history to offer than other beer cities. Especially here, in the historic city centre, there is a story about beer on almost every corner. The first brewery, the Augustiner brewery, was founded in 1328 in Neuhauser Strasse, today's Fussgängerzone (pedestrian street), followed by the Hacker brewery in Sendlinger Strasse in 1417. Then came the Munich “Reinheitgebot” – the purity law dating back to 1487. Of the 56 breweries that once existed, six are still in operation today. There used to be one brewery on nearly every street, and that is still evident today. In recent years, many small breweries have sprung up again, enriching the cityscape.
So, the brewing industry has had a significant influence on the city?
The breweries were and are important employers, and Munich's brewing industry is closely interwoven with the city's economy and culture. What about our guests? They may want to see the Four Apostles in the Alte Pinakothek (art gallery), but afterwards they are mainly interested in finding a good dining option and the nearest charming beer garden.
There were even connections between brewing and the Munich Opera.
Yes, indeed. Take Richard Strauss, the composer. Throughout his life, he was generously supported by his mother's side of the family, as she was the granddaughter of Joseph Pschorr, the city's first great brewer. As a gesture of gratitude, Strauss even wrote a dedication in the score of his “Rosenkavalier” (The Knight of the Rose): “...to my dear relatives, the Pschorr family in Munich“. Joseph Pschorr was also known for his social commitment and bequeathed part of his fortune to the city's poor, orphans, and hospitals. His bust is displayed in the Ruhmeshalle (hall of fame) on the Theresienwiese (Oktoberfest fairground) and the family grave is located in the Old South Cemetery on Thalkirchner Strasse. Another example: The beer penny was a beer tax paid by the people of Munich to help rebuild the Nationaltheater, which was completely destroyed by fire in 1823.
As Vice President of the Festring, you are responsible for two traditional parades on the first weekend of Oktoberfest: the parade of breweries and marquee operators and the traditional dress and marksmen's parade. Which of these moments do you cherish the most?
For me, the best moment is always when everything is successfully concluded. When the mayor arrives in the tent on time for the barrel tapping and there have been no accidents. With the parades, it's not just a matter of saying, “Come on, join us, hop in, let's go.“ We work tirelessly for a whole year to ensure that these parades run smoothly.
What could possibly go wrong?
We have many factors to consider, and it's not uncommon for unexpected issues to arise. Emergency medical services, for example. Once, the coachman of a ten-horse carriage realised only shortly before the start of the “Trachten- und Schützenzuges” (traditional dress and marksmen’s procession) that his reins were missing – his wife had accidentally taken them home the day before. His wife was quickly woken up, the reins were hastily returned and the horses were harnessed at the last minute. With the assistance of the police, the ten-horse-carriage arrived at the assembly point just in time.
“With the parades, it's not just a matter of saying, 'Come on, join us, hop in, let's go.' We work tirelessly for a whole year to ensure that these parades run smoothly.“
The whole effort starts with the procession line-up in the early hours of the morning. We have to organise the carriages in the order in which the breweries and marquee proprietors enter the festival grounds. But people arrive at completely different times. Eventually, everyone has lined up, and as soon as I receive the signal from the main procession leader, we start moving. We had instances where the main procession leader wasn't there straight away, or the Münchner Kindl (heraldic figure, the child of Munich) was late for the Trachten- und Schützenzug (traditional dress and marksmen's procession). It’s all happened before.
Who actually leads the arrival of the breweries and marquee proprietors and the Trachten- und Schützenzug – the Münchner Kindl or you?
It's the Münchner Kindl of course – riding on a horse! However, I ride ahead of the processions on my Vespa as soon as they start, scanning the route for any obstacles. When the breweries and marquee proprietors arrive, I'm the first to enter the Wiesn. By the way, it is not all over when the tapping begins, but when everyone has safely left the grounds. After all has gone smoothly, I approach my top boss, the President of the Festring, and say, “Alles ist paletti” – everything is fine – and he will respond: “Hock di her, trink a Bier“ – sit down and have a beer – and only then does all the tension fall away from me.
We haven't really dealt with Munich beer itself yet. There's talk that sales are declining. Especially among younger people. Are you worried that beer might be going out of fashion?
I do not think so. Beer used to be just a drink, but now it's gaining in esteem. It is being consumed less, but more consciously. The traditional beer drinkers who sit around the regulars' table on Sunday mornings no longer exist. Today's young people have a much wider horizon. They change their drinks and they know where the best pub in New York is, where to get the best caipirinha in the Caribbean, but also where to get the best beer in Munich.
“Beer used to be just a drink, but now it's gaining in esteem. It is being consumed less, but more consciously.“
Does the change in drinking behaviour also have to do with the still relatively young craft beer scene in the city?
Yes, the craft beer scene has injected new life into the brewing industry. The focus of beer is once again more on enjoyment and flavour and detecting the nuances. You might have also noticed that many pubs now offer beer descriptions, recommending which beer goes best with a particular dish. Food pairing has become a significant topic. In Munich, you can find the right beer for every meal due to the great variety. We have alcohol-free beers, we have strong beers and everything in between: dark beers, light beers, wheat beers. I may be getting carried away, but to me, good Munich beers are a true elixir of life. A real treat. Regardless of the brewery.
Before I sincerely thank you for this interesting conversation, would you like to give the beer lovers among our guests a few words of advice?
Savour your beer consciously and don't hesitate to explore different brands and types of Munich beer. Just give it a try. Our beer really is a world of experience.
Manfred Newrzella, born and raised in Munich's Schwabing district, studied law at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University in the Maxvorstadt district in the 1980s. After a year practising law in Munich, he joined Tucher Brewery in Munich as a legal advisor. Newrzella later became Managing Director of Verein Münchner Brauereien e.V., Bayerischer Brauerbund, and Festring München e.V. The Festring is dedicated to preserving Munich and Bavarian customs. As Vice President, Manfred Newrzella is still responsible for the traditional procession of the breweries and marquee proprietors, as well as the Trachten- und Schützenzug at the opening of the Oktoberfest. The association's tasks also include organising the traditional tent at the Oidn Wiesn (Oktoberfest), appointing the “Münchner Kindl“ – Newrzella's daughter Maria held this role from 2010 to 2014 –, as well as other traditional events, such as the “Boarische Lenz” (Bavarian spring), the “Fest der Blasmusik und Tracht” (brass band music and traditional dress) and the pre-Christmas Advent carol singing "Advent in den Bergen".
