There’s a good chance you’re in Munich to drink beer (achievement unlocked!) and there’s no better place to start than at Airbräu, the Munich airport brewery.
Not only is this the best place to begin your Oktoberfest journey (and literally the first possible stop after landing), it’s also the best way to spend a layover in the Munich airport if your travels are taking you elsewhere.
Airbräu: the Munich airport brewery
The Munich airport brewery, Airbräu, is a full-scale brewery and beer garden right in the center of Munich’s main airport (Flughafen München). It opened in 1999 and was actually the world’s first and only airport brewery.
Munich, Germany is a city big on breweries and beer gardens so the encouragement to dive right in should come as no surprise at all. They serve big Bavarian meals and a menu of, well, big Bavarian beers. Lemme just get this out of the way now—everything in Munich: big, Bavarian.
Airbräu, the Munich Airport Brewery is:
- The answer for what to do on a layover in the Munich airport
- The best place to get Bavarian food in the Munich airport
- A great meeting point in the Munich Airport when your travel buddies are all coming from different locations
- The perfect place to start your Munich Oktoberfest experience
Where is the Munich airport brewery
The Munich airport brewery is located in the Frankfurt train station. Yes, I’m kidding! And yes, I’m drinking! It’s called method acting writing.
Airbräu actually has a couple of locations and private function rooms located around the airport (one of them being a massive hot air balloon), but the one you’re looking for is the main Munich airport brewery, restaurant, and beer garden. That, meine Freunde, is located in the public plaza between terminals 1 and 2. (Level 03)
Here you’ll find Airbräu’s indoor tavern and the adjoining outdoor beer garden that’s really in a covered, rain-proof airport atrium. The trees and abundant natural lighting will fool you.
If you’re visiting the Munich airport brewery on a layover, that means you’ll need to retrieve your luggage and exit the secure area. Likewise, if Munich is your final destination, you’ll still need to retrieve your luggage before you start drinking, I can’t emphasize this enough. You don’t want to have to wear your Airbräu receipt to Oktoberfest. (This is not CVS. It will not be enough paper.)
How to dress for Oktoberfest
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I feel like now’s the perfect time to help instruct you on what to wear to Oktoberfest by pointing you in the direction of my exhaustive Oktoberfest clothing and accessories guide.
And because Airbräu is located between secure terminals, that means you don’t need a boarding pass to visit. If your travels take you near or through the Munich airport via car or train, you can pop on in and enjoy three hours of free airport parking with your Airbräu receipt.
Airbräu: Next to Heaven
If you’re connecting in Munich through Terminal 2 and absolutely can’t leave the terminal, even in the name of Bavarian beer and brats, you’re in luck!
Airbräu has a second, smaller location that still serves all the Munich airport brewery’s best beers and meals. You can find Airbräu: Next to Heaven in Terminal 2, Level 05.
Get my 2021 Oktoberfest Packing List here!
Airbräu brewing
So what kind of beer can you expect from the Munich airport brewery? Big. Bavarian. But also, the best beer value you’ll find anywhere in Munich. A ½ liter will set you back just under 3 euros. That’s the best beer deal in not only the Munich airport, but b e y o n d.
Airbräu beer styles
Here at the world’s first airport brewery, Airbräu brews a variety of traditional Bavarian-style beers, all in accordance with the Reinheitsgebot (Germany’s beer purity law). They all have adorable flight/air-themed names and are brewed right there on site.
Airbräu beers include:
- Fliegerquell, a helles (whose name loosely means a “the original beer brewed at the airport”)
- Kumulus, an appropriately named weißbier (wheat beer)
- 1918, a Märzenbier (named in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Free State of Bavaria)
- Aviator, a dopplebock
- Mayday, a dunkles weißbier (dark wheat beer)
- Gaudium, a festbier (an “Oktoberfest” style beer served in stone mugs with a name originating from the idea of “internal sin”)
- Krampus, a dark winter beer
- Aircraft, an unfiltered helles vollbier made completely by hand using traditional methods and Airbräu’s only craft beer
Airbräu beers are available in 0.4L, 0.5L, and full-on liters. (My, Airbräu! What big beers you have! The better to prepare you for Oktoberfest, my dear.) And, if the mood strikes, you can also purchase 5- and 10-liter party kegs of Fliegerquell or Kumulus, or the more reasonable (no judgment) 6-pack of Aircraft.
What they don’t offer? Flights! My theme-loving heart is screaming!
Munich airport brewery tour
Airbräu offers brewery tours to the public so you can learn about and see their brewing process up-close as well as ask all your questions to their brewmaster.
These tours run about half an hour and may include a beer tasting. They highly recommend arranging your Munich airport brewery tour ahead of time. Start here. Can you think of a better way to spend a Munich airport layover? Methinks not.
Spaten brewery tour
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Thinking of taking another brewery tour in Munich, the home of some of the world’s best breweries? Well, don’t do it like I did. Check out the time I toured the Spaten brewery and the disaster that ensued. It’s a great “How NOT to” guide.
Airbräu food
First and foremost, you should hit up the Munich airport brewery for that first glorious sip of beer in the Bavarian capital. But… I mean… while you’re there, you might as well grab an intimidatingly huge and delicious meal too.
Airbräu offers a full menu of Bavarian delights and will probably be the best food you’ve ever consumed in an airport concourse. You can expect all the typical snacks and meals like:
- Obatzda and pretzels
- Pork knuckle
- Roasted duck
- Spaetzle
- Pork sausages
- Wiener schnitzel
- And so much more!
The portions here are… I’m giving a generous “OK” hand gesture to my computer right now if that helps. And the food is… I’m kissing my thumb and fingertips if that gives you any idea. What I mean is, Airbräu is definitely at the top of all Munich airport restaurant recommendations.
Sunday brunch
Guys. Guys. The Munich airport brewery offers an incredible Sunday brunch in one of their other, nearby airport locations. Their “airlebnisbuffet” includes tons of main courses, soups, desserts and other goodies straight from their in-house bakery, and more.
Do you need reservations?
No, you do not need reservations at Airbräu. In their main restaurant/beer garden alone they have seating for 1,000 people. However, it’s never a bad thing to have reservations and they would probably appreciate this. If you’re type-A like me, you’re entirely welcome to make reservations.
Airbräu information
If you have a flight connecting in Munich but still want good Bavarian food and beer, there’s no need to head into downtown Munich, just check out Airbräu. If you need a good, central location to meet fellow travelers in the Munich airport, check out the Munich airport brewery. Or if you’ve just landed for Oktoberfest and absolutely CAN’T WAIT to start the party, hit up Airbräu on the way to the train station.
I love this place and really enjoy stopping here as my first welcome back into the city I love so much. It’s cozy, it’s delicious, and it’s really a damn good deal.
Airbräu is open every day from 7 AM to midnight.
More info for visiting the Munich airport brewery
Heading to Munich, Germany? Find great places to stay here.
But where do I personally recommend? The Hotel Senator or the Four Points Sheraton
Will you need a guidebook? Ja! I recommend this one.
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