Best Beer Festivals Around the World There is a wide variety of beers available to revelers at Oktoberfest. However, the beer served needs to satisfy certain regulations. Firstly, it needs to conform to the Reinheitsgebot standard - a German purity law. Secondly, it needs to be brewed withing the city limits of Munich. To accommodate millions of people at the festival, impermanent structures are created. These structures are known as tents. Every year about thirty-four tents are erected, which can seat around 100,000 people. The beer served at the Oktoberfest has a higher alcohol content than the beer available in the US. People who overestimate their ability to drink and pass out are known as Bierleichen - German for beer corpses!
People who really want to enjoy their drinks in a tent should try to book in advance, as majority of the seats are pre-booked as early as January every year. According to the rules of the Oktoberfest, one can't order a drink inside a tent if he is not "associated" with a table, which means, if you befriend somebody who is seated, you can very well order drinks for yourself. However, if you are standing and are tough on luck as far as associating yourself with a table is concerned, you may well have to return from the tent without having a beer. Sounds gloomy, but the best way to ensure that you don't experience this situation is to plan early.