A young man from Austria had trouble distinguishing between two not so similar place names after a weekend at Munich's famous beer festival - and ended up in the wrong country.
The world’s most famed beer fest experienced its lowest turnout since the September 11th 2001 attacks, but at the same time had an increase in sex crimes reported.
On the first weekend of Oktoberfest only half a million people turned up for the booze-athon. But there was a more banal reason than security fears to blame.
The biggest beer festival in the world is just days away from being zapfed into life in Munich. But should you strap on your dirndl or run for the Alps?
A 26-year-old Bavarian man is determined to break a world record by carrying 29 full one-litre beer mugs across 40 metres ahead of Munich's Oktoberfest.
Cologne and Düsseldorf have a long established rivalry, not least over who has the better home brew. So the results of a new study might be more than they can swallow.
We all know Germans love their beer - but did you realize just how much? Here's a look back at some of the times they proved that nothing could come between them and their favourite beverage.
These summer pastimes show that Germans' reputation for being uptight and straight-laced sticklers for punctuality couldn't be further from the truth. Many like nothing better than getting naked and drunk, and blocking up public traffic routes on the way.
The main artery of transport between Munich and Berlin was completely shut down for hours on Tuesday evening after a truck driver failed to properly tie down his fragile cargo.
Leaving Munich can be a heart-wrenching experience. No German city rivals it for extremities of kitsch, good taste, beauty, and unabashed pride in its roots. Here are six things about the city that you can never quite shake off.
As Germans slowly fall out of love with their lager, brewers have felt the pinch. Now the Federal Cartel Office has caught them fixing prices with supermarkets and has thrown the book at them.
Revellers hoping to join in the carousing at Munich Oktoberfest will have to pass through a security check before entering the festival grounds this year, Munich authorities have said.
Germany's best-known law worldwide is probably the ancient beer purity rule that's nearing its 500th anniversary. But Berlin is the home of a growing movement to challenge the Bavarian tradition.
The beer is called the ‘border fence half’, its price was a well-known neo-Nazi sign and its sell-by date is the anniversary of Kristallnacht. But the brewer insists he's no Nazi.
Germany's famous beer purity law may celebrate its 500th birthday soon, but domestic demand for the country's amber brews has been as flat as a stale ale.
German brewers will be clinking glasses this year to the 500th anniversary of their "purity law", even as craft label designers complain the decree is cramping their style.
As if Germans could drink any more beer, a report on Friday showed that more pints were knocked back this summer than during the World Cup madness of last year.
Whether you're a first-timer or an old hand looking to learn a little more about the world's greatest booze-up, The Local has you covered with our in-depth guide to Oktoberfest.
At exactly 12pm on Saturday, the first keg will be opened and Oktoberfest 2015 will get under way in Munich. We give you seven staggering numbers about the world's biggest beer festival.
