Starkbierfest Munich
Strong Beer Festival 2027

Starkbierfest 2027 Munich Strong Beer Festival

To appreciate the Munich love of beer you just have to consider what locals call the “fifth season”. It’s the Starkbierzeit (Strong Beer Time), a frenzy of early-spring stout swigging.

• Visiting Munich? Stay in the heart of the city in a luxurious suite at Beyond by Geisel a unique luxury concept putting you in the heart of the action. Meanwhile the Andaz Munich Schwabinger Tor, offers amazing views of the city and a great rooftop pool.

The Festival

• Next Edition: Friday 26th February to Sunday 21st March 2027
• Munich is always brewing up some kind of excuse to get buzzed. Sandwiched between Carnival celebrations and Easter, Starkbierfest is Munich’s Lent-time justification for alcohol consumption.
• The festival is celebrated over a few weeks during early Spring
• For gay visitors, MLC’s four-day Starkbierfest weekend adds fetish parties, a title election and the men-only GaySunday celebration.
• Beer halls and breweries host their own Starkbierfests across the city. It’s a fabulous event where you have the supreme privilege of downing fresh, delicious brew that tastes like it was especially concocted just for you to drink on that specific day.

The Gay Starkbierfest Weekend

• Next Edition: Thursday 11th March to Sunday 14th March 2027 –  a special gay 4 day weekend version of  Starkbierfest each March.
• Organised by Münchner Löwen Club, the weekend moves between Munich’s gay neighbourhood, the club’s UnderGround venue and Augustiner-Keller.
• Expect a mix of informal community gatherings, late-night fetish events and a traditional beer-hall finale.
• Plan to stay until Monday if you want to enjoy the complete Sunday programme without an airport departure cutting it short.

Where to Stay

Choose Glockenbachviertel or Sendlinger Tor for the gay scene and the city-centre gatherings. The Hauptbahnhof area is a practical choice for Sunday’s venue and rail connections.

• Hotel Deutsche Eiche – Our pick for staying close to Munich’s gay community. On Reichenbachstraße, with a restaurant and rooftop terrace.
• Motel One München-Sendlinger Tor – Design-hotel option with contemporary rooms and a lounge bar. Close to the gay neighbourhood and the U3 towards UnderGround.
• Living Hotel Das Viktualienmarkt – Old-town base beside the food market, great for daytime sightseeing and evenings around Gärtnerplatz. A good choice for turning the party weekend into a longer Munich break.
• Sofitel Munich Bayerpost – Luxury hotel beside Hauptbahnhof, set inside Munich’s former royal Bavarian post office. The indoor pool, spa and French restaurant make it a comfortable retreat between parties.

The Full Program 2027

Date & Time	Event	Venue
Thursday 11th March 2027
19:00–23:00 approx.	Meet & Greet	SUB, Müllerstraße 14. MLC welcome around 20:00, Bavarian Mr. Fetish candidate introductions and first task, plus a live DJ. Free entry without registration, complimentary cold snacks; drinks purchased separately. All genders welcome. No compulsory dress code; fetish welcome with intimate areas covered.
Friday 12th March 2027
21:00–05:00 Saturday Last entry 01:00	Piss, Fist & Fuck	UnderGround, Machtlfinger Straße 29. Men-only fetish party. General MLC dress code applies. €21 on the door; included in the Weekend Package with guaranteed admission. Complimentary drink for MLC and LFC club members presenting their membership card.
Saturday 13th March 2027
Admission 13:00–16:00	Fetish Flea Market with Coffee & Cake	UnderGround, Machtlfinger Straße 29. Free admission, coffee and cake. MLC welcome and a Bavarian Mr. Fetish candidate task around 14:00. All genders welcome. No compulsory dress code; fetish welcome with intimate areas covered. Vendor places are full.
Admission 19:30–20:00	Bavarian Title Election	Oberanger-Theater, Oberanger 38. Audience voting, short performances and light refreshments. Advance tickets advertised. MLC currently lists this event as the Bavarian Mr. Leather election; its other weekend listings use Bavarian Mr. Fetish. Finishing time not published.
21:00–03:00 Sunday Last entry 01:00	Löwennacht	UnderGround, Machtlfinger Straße 29. Men-only party. General MLC dress code applies. €21 on the door; included in the Weekend Package with guaranteed admission. Complimentary drink for MLC and LFC club members presenting their membership card.
Sunday 14th March 2027
10:00–22:00	GaySunday	Augustiner-Keller, Arnulfstraße 52. Doors open at 10:00. Brass band in the Festsaal from 11:00; MLC welcome and introduction of the new Bavarian Mr. Fetish around 12:00; Schwuhplattler performances around 13:00 and 14:00; party band in the beer cellar from 15:00.  Men only. Advance ticket required; no door sales. Food and drinks purchased separately. No compulsory dress code; traditional Bavarian clothing and fetish gear welcome with intimate areas covered.

GaySunday: The Main Celebration

Sunday 14th March 2027 – GaySunday brings traditional Bavarian dress and fetish gear together for the weekend’s beer-hall finale.

• 11:00: Brass band in the main Festsaal.
• Around 12:00: Welcome from the MLC board and introduction of the new Bavarian Mr. Fetish.
• Around 13:00 and 14:00: Performances by the Schwuhplattler.
• From 15:00: Party band in the beer cellar.

There is no compulsory dress code. Lederhosen, other traditional Bavarian clothing and fetish outfits are welcome, with intimate areas covered. Food and drinks are ordered and paid for separately.

Before the Party

Keep your early evenings around Glockenbachviertel and Sendlinger Tor, then travel to UnderGround once you are ready for the club.

• Café NiL is a great starting point for food and drinks. The established gay café-bar serves Augustiner beer and changing daily dishes, with a mixed-age crowd and an informal atmosphere.
• Deutsche Eiche works well for a restaurant meal near the gay bars. Its rooftop terrace offers views across the old town; bar service is weather dependent.
• Leave time to return to your hotel and change into the required gear before travelling south. The city-centre election and UnderGround are separate stops.

Augustiner-Keller: The GaySunday Venue

• Augustiner-Keller is a traditional Bavarian restaurant and beer-hall complex near Munich Hauptbahnhof.
• Its Festsaal has carved wooden ceilings, chandeliers, historic paintings and a stage. Long communal tables make it a natural setting for a sociable afternoon of beer, music and meeting other visitors.
• Downstairs, the historic storage cellar has exposed red-brick vaults, wooden benches and large old beer barrels. This is the setting for the afternoon party-band programme.
• The seasonal speciality is Maximator, Augustiner’s dark Doppelbock. Pair it with a proper meal and pace yourself through the day.

UnderGround: The Fetish Venue

• UnderGround is MLC’s dedicated fetish clubhouse in southern Munich. Around 400 square metres across two levels combine a bar and social space with equipped BDSM areas, dark areas, slings and a wet area. Changing facilities, lockers and showers are available.
• The entrance is reached through the passage between numbers 27 and 29; continue towards the illuminated UnderGround sign.
• From central Munich, take the U3 to Machtlfinger Straße. MLC places the station approximately 250 metres from the club.
• MLC requires an accepted identity document for admission. Check its current entry rules before travelling; a driving licence is not accepted.

The City-Centre Venues

• SUB is Munich’s LGBTQ+ community centre in Glockenbachviertel. Its café-bar setting makes the opening gathering an easy place to meet other visitors before the weekend’s club events.
• Oberanger-Theater is the election venue, close to Sendlinger Tor. The central location works well for dinner beforehand, with the gay neighbourhood nearby.