Mulled wine bar at the Wiesn:

Created: 09/29/2022, 20:43

By: Miriam Haberhauer

Mulled wine has been served at the Oktoberfest since Sunday.

But only one stand operator accepted the offer.

His interim conclusion is mixed.

Munich – continuous rain and low temperatures – because the Oktoberfest weather is so bad this year, mulled wine has also been served on the Theresienwiese since Sunday.

Oktoberfest 2022: mulled wine serving in October

After a two-year break, the whole world is watching the 187th Oktoberfest in Munich.

At the end of the first Oktoberfest week, festival director Clemens Baumgärtner (CSU) made headlines with his license to serve mulled wine.

The last time mulled wine was served on the Theresienwiese was in 2008 - so it was unclear how well the offer would go down with Oktoberfest visitors.

Mulled wine from the ice cream stand: "We need more advertising"

The exemption only applies to the ice cream vendors on the festival grounds.

There are four of them in total on the festival grounds.

But only one of them has so far used the fixed line exception.

In addition to ice cream, Oktoberfest visitors have only been able to get mulled wine at Marcell Pichler's stand since Monday.

The other stand operators, on the other hand, refrain from selling mulled wine.

The changeover is simply too big for them, or the proceeds from the sale of other confectionery are enough for them.

For Pichler, mulled wine is exactly his job: the restaurateur said to

: "We know our stuff, we also have a stand at the Christmas market." Nevertheless, the changeover was a challenge for the stand operator.

“We have reusable cups that we have to organize the license and the wine for.” He was only able to serve the first mulled wine on Monday evening, a cup costs five euros.

Mulled wine is offered at the Oktoberfest for five euros.

So far, Marcell Pichler is the only ice cream vendor who also offers mulled wine.

© picture alliance/Felix Hörhager

Demand "okay": Wiesn boss expected a better response

The demand has been "okay" so far, Pichler

told

With a view to the weather, the stand operator adds: "In general, there is much less going on at the Wiesn than usual." Nevertheless, the changeover was of fundamental importance for him: "The mulled wine sale is much higher than the ice cream sale.

I didn't sell ten ice creams yesterday."

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According to his estimates, 20 to 30 liters of mulled wine have been sold so far.

Pichler expects about one liter per 5 cups - so far, 100 to 150 cups have probably wandered over his counter.

They should "catch up on the lost ice cream business," according to the stand operator.

Wiesn boss Baumgärtner (CSU) also draws a mixed conclusion: "It was an offer, we expected that more would be accepted," Baumgärtner told

Nevertheless, the local politician remains optimistic: "Now we're just hoping for better weather again, even if it doesn't look like it at the moment!"

Beer garden waitresses as the best customers: "freeze to death outside"

In his own words, Pichler's "best customers" are currently the beer garden attendants from the surrounding Oktoberfest tents.

When the weather is cold and wet, they stand outside all day and wait for customers.

Because there are always free seats in the beer tent, some waiters are now even advertising for customers with signs they have written themselves.

The Wiesn waitresses in the outdoor areas in particular have to struggle with the dreary weather and the lack of guests.

"They stand outside all day and freeze to death," says Pichler.

A warm cup of mulled wine comes in handy.

"Gluhwein in bulk": Stand operator makes plans for the next Wiesn

"Next year I'll be selling mulled wine in bulk," jokes Pichler.

But he quickly becomes serious again: If the weather is that bad again in the next few years, he will come up with something.

Pichler says, not entirely unironic: mulled wine and traditional costume "go really well together." He could therefore imagine selling mulled wine in a pre-heated small stein.

There is no better weather in sight for the next few days either: meteorologists are expecting a lot of rain, gray skies and strong winds for the Oktoberfest final sprint.