The beer in Munich is well worth sampling. Try not to consume too much as it is quite strong. Most British people say, "German beer is just lager." They get a surprise when entering a bierhalle and are given the beer menu.

There are 6 big breweries in the city - Augustiner, Spaten, Lowenbrau, Paulaner, Hofbrau and Hacker-Pschorr. In addition there are several smaller breweries such as Schneider, Erdinger and Ayinger. The most special brewery is Weihenstephan, which is actually part of Munich Technical University and is used to train many brewers from most of Europe. Another is Konig Ludwig, founded by HRH Prince Luitpold.

Munich beer is split between lager beer and wheat beer. Lagers are fermented long, slow and cold using yeast that sinks. Wheat beers are fermented at room temperature using yeast that floats. All beers are created using grain and wheat beers include a minimum 50% malted wheat. Wheat beers can be pale, dark, have suspended yeast, be crystal clear or even black. Schneider and Erdinger concentrate on wheat beer but most other breweries brew both lager and wheat.

The lagers are varied. Some are pale (Helles), some dark (Dunkel), some include malted rye (Roggen), some are redder in colour (Wien and Marzen), some are black (Schwarz) and some are brewed with more hops (Export or Pilsener). Particularly towards the winter and early sping, the strong bock beers and the fearsome doppelbocks appear. In September, the Oktoberfest lagers make their annual bow.

My particular favourite breweries are Ayinger, Augustiner, Hofbrau and Hacker-Pschorr. Their products, both lager and wheat, are of a very high standard. Paulaner's wheat beers and their Oktoberfest are very good. OK, I'll admit it, I love their helles as well. Lowenbrau, despite being of a much higher standard than British lager, is the most watery in texture. I'll drink Lowenbrau but I prefer something else. Augustiner in particular 'fills' your mouth so much more satisfyingly.

The best beer, without doubt, is Augustiner Edelstoff. This Export style lager is ambrosial. My wife enjoys it as much as I. Hacker-Pschorr dunkel and Hofbrau helles come in 2nd and 3rd.

The liveliest bierhalle in Munich is undoubtedly the Hofbrauhaus. This is on Am Platzl, 100 metres from Marienplatz and 200 metres from the food market. Getting a seat can be difficult and, as the place holds 3,500 seats, it can be noisy. A lot of English-speakers go there; if only the Anglophones would stop singing out of tune.

The Augustiner hall between Marienplatz and Stachus is more sedate and the food is better.

The Lowenbraukeller on Steigelmaiersplatz holds about 6,000 drinkers in 4 halls. This is the only cellar I know where you go up the stairs to get to it.