A standard Oktoberfest Maß holds 1 liter of beer.
The Maß is the modern German-speaking beer measure used especially in Bavaria and Austria. At Munich’s Oktoberfest, beer is traditionally served in a Maßkrug, a large handled mug designed for this one-litre portion. The mug itself is slightly larger than one litre, because the beer must be filled to a marked calibration line and needs space above it for foam.
This is not the same as saying every German beer is served by the litre. Many regional beers are poured in smaller glasses, such as half-litre servings or the smaller glasses associated with styles like Kölsch. Oktoberfest’s large format is part of the festival experience and helps standardize service across its beer tents.
Visitors sometimes confuse the Maß with a generic beer stein or assume it means two half-litre beers. The defining feature is the regulated quantity: one Maß equals exactly one litre in modern usage, regardless of whether the mug is glass or stoneware.