The Best Photos of Oktoberfest 2012

It's time to clean out your stein, wash off your lederhosen and reacquaint yourself with the wonders of oom pah pah music, because Oktoberfest is back again.

The world's most (in)famous piss-up has outdone itself again this year with 6 million people expected to show up for the 179th instalment. As always, the real winners of the festival shall be the brewers, who are expected to sell in excess of last year's 8 million litres at a touch over US$12 a glass.

The festival was kicked-off in traditional fashion on Saturday, September 22 with Munich mayor Christian Ude's tapping of the first keg. With a cry of "O'zapft is!" ("It's tapped!") the Bavarian festival, in all its dirty, drunken, debaucherous glory, was launched for another year of liver-beating, cardio-destroying-mayhem.

Here is a little peek into the thrills and spills of the first week of Oktoberfest 2012.

Oom Pah Pah, Oom Pah Pah That's How it Goes!

Beer-drinkers Wonderland

Ordinary Man Drinks Beer: Becomes Legend

A Boy in Traditional Dress Surveys the Damage

A Tiny Snapshot of the Estimated 6 Million Oktoberfest Revellers

It's On for Young and Old

A Man Wearing Hops on his Head: Doesn't it look so innocuous like this...

Oktoberfest - When One Beer is Never Enough

Polish Girls in Traditional Polish Dress Get In On the Oktoberfest Action

Bavarian Men in Traditional Dress Totally Look the Part: Moustaches and All

"Prost!" ("Cheers!")