With a deft swing of a mallet, Julia Pfaff (l), the “innkeeper” at Airbräu, the world’s only brewery-in-an-airport, cracked open the first barrel to mark the start of this year’s Oktoberfest celebrations at Munich Airport. Watching with interest is Airbräu’s brewmaster René Jacobsen (r), who created “Gaudium” for this year’s festivities – a fresh and smooth, bottom-fermented lager with an alcohol content of 5.9%. Appropriately for Oktoberfest – affectionately known in Munich as the “fifth season” – it will be served in traditional glass steins. Setting the mood for the occasion were folk dance groups from the region and a “goasslschnalzer” whip-cracking performance, accompanied by the municipal brass band from nearby Erding.