Schulz Bräu Oktoberfest Opening & Barrel Tapping 2026

Schulz Bräu starts Knoxville Oktoberfest on Munich time, which means the serious celebrators are walking into the Biergarten before sunrise. Ticket holders get through the doors at 5 a.m. for breakfast, coffee and live polka before the first official liter of Oktoberfest beer is poured during the 6 a.m. barrel-tapping countdown. The public Biergarten opens later at 9, but the ticketed opening ceremony is the wonderfully excessive part worth planning around. It is a single kickoff event for the brewery’s larger seasonal celebration, complete with German tradition and a crowd willing to prove that morning beer can be a cultural experience. Buy the correct opening ticket and plan transportation accordingly.