“It’s tapped!” – Siemens keeps the beer flowing

The percentage of people wearing lederhosen in downtown Munich is increasing, and hotel prices are skyrocketing: Munich’s Oktoberfest is back – after a compulsory two-year break. Several million people from around the world are expected to attend the world’s largest folk festival again this year. Above all, these visitors are seeking one thing: fresh beer. On average, nearly eight million one-liter mugs of beer are dispensed from the bars during the two-week festival. Those are well-known facts. But how exactly do the beer logistics work? How does the beer arrive at the taps inside the Oktoberfest tents? And how can hosts ensure that the beer is kept fresh and cool reliably? Easily – with technology from Siemens.

To ensure a steady supply of beer, some of the largest tents – such as the Paulaner tent, which can accommodate more than 8,000 guests – rely on a beer loop: The cool brew travels to the tent at a rate of 25 cm per second from huge tanks, some of which hold tens of thousands of liters. As a result, up to 15 liters per minute can be drawn from each tap. The amount of beer needed for the daily tank refills is determined using a sophisticated solution comprising internet-of-things components and software from Siemens. The speedometer-like “mug-o-meter” provides the beer-tent operator with all relevant information at a single glance: the amount of beer, the flow rate, the temperature and the pressure in the loop lines. This data provides a basis for precise planning and consistent product quality.