The longest beer garden in the world

Where can you find the world’s longest beer garden? It’s not in Munich, but in Berlin at the upcoming Berlin Beer Festival. Beer lovers should delight in knowing that the center of Berlin becomes a very lengthy beer garden covering 2km (1.2 miles) from August 7th – 9th.

For those of you prepping for Munich’s Oktoberfest, visit the sudsy celebration in Berlin with this year’s focus not on German beers but on Belgian beers. Germany’s Belgian neighbors will tantalize the beer taste buds of over 800,000 visitors at the Berlin Beer Festival.

Belgians have been producing beer since the Middle Ages. There are almost as many Belgian beer styles as there are breweries in the small land of Belgium. The choices are endless when you consider raspberry beer, white beer, chocolate beer, geuze beer, cherry beer, and the list goes almost as long as the Berlin Beer Festival beer garden.

Of course with a beer garden as long as 1.2 miles you’ll have plenty of chances to sample beers. And only as the city of Berlin can do, the event is an international cultural extravaganza. Over 260 breweries from 86 countries will be on hand to tap your choice of over 1800 beer specialties.

In addition to beer sampling, enjoy the unique blend of international culture and entertainment represented on 18 stages around the 20 beer stations. The international beer tents will also sell culinary specialties on the festival grounds so you can enjoy the food with a cold one.

Lucio leaves Bayern Munich for Internazionale

The Brazil captain, Lucio, has agreed to join Internazionale after five years at Bayern Munich, the German club announced today. Lucio, whose contract with Bayern ran until 2010, will sign a three-year deal with the Italian champions.

“The Brazil captain agreed to end the contract running until 30 June 2010,” said Bayern, who did not reveal the financial side of the agreement. “The 31-year-old defender moves with immediate effect to the Italian champions Inter where he will sign a three-year deal.”

Lucio, who was to rejoin Bayern today after his Confederations Cup participation with Brazil, signed for the Germans in 2004 after a stint with Bayer Leverkusen. Part of Brazil’s 2002 World Cup-winning side, he quickly established himself as a rock in Bayern’s defence, helping them clinch the Bundesliga and cup double in 2005, 2006 and 2008.