German woman fails in Beer Mug World Record attempt

A German woman has attempted to set a new world record by carrying 21 beer mugs at once.

Beer Mug World Record...Anita Schwarz from Eichenau tries to set a new world record carrying 21 beer mugs at once across a distance of 40 metres in a tent near Zeltingen, Germany, 09 November 2008. However, Eichenau fails to transport the mugs in one piec Photo: UPPA/Photoshot

Anita Schwarz, from Eichenau, had to transport the mugs across a distance of 40 metres to be successful.

Wearing traditional dress, Schwarz, 48, began with all 21 mugs balanced in pyramid-fashion.

However, she soon lost control and the tower toppled, sending the contents of every mug spilling out onto the floor of the tent near Zeltingen, in Germany.

Only last month the city of Munich in Bavaria celebrated Oktoberfest, its annual sixteen-day festival, widely known for the beer served at the event.

Beginning in late September and running to early October, the festival attracts some six million people each year.

The original Oktoberfest occurred in Munich on October 12, 1810. To commemorate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen, a horse race was organised. Since temperatures can be as high as 30 degrees Celsius in that part of Germany at the end of September, large quantities of beer were served to quench the thirst of all of the visitors. The tradition has continued and it is now a yearly event.

Oktoberfestbiers are the beers that have been served at the event in Munich since 1818 and are supplied by six breweries known as the Big Six: Spaten, Löwenbräu, Augustiner, Hofbräu, Paulaner and Hacker-Pschorr.

The event has now become famous around the world although there are regularly problems with festival-goers who canot handle the copious amount of alochol on offer.

There are problems every year with many young people passing out due to drunkenness. These drunk patrons are often called 'Bierleichen', German for 'beer corpses'.