Have you heard of Wiesn Koks? It's a strange, albeit legal, drug that drives locals crazy during Munich's Oktoberfest. To the question "what is the white powder you smell at Oktoberfest?" one is tempted to answer cocaine. Actually, it is Wiesn Koks, a cocaine-like drug, also known as "Oktoberfest cocaine". At For Travel Lovers we are going to tell you about Wiesn Koks so that you can get to know this narcotic drug.
What is the Wiesn Koks of Oktober Fest?
No, you don't just drink beer at the famous Oktoberfest in Munich. Even if the star is still the beer (almost 7 million liters of beer are consumed at the event), more and more people can be seen smelling a white substance everywhere, and this legally. Wiesn Koks, also known as Wiesn Pulver (powder), or Bavarian cocaine, has become the drink of choice among Munich residents.
Wiesn koks is made from glucose and menthol and is sold in small glass bottles or in typical Bavarian containers for about €5. You may have read in your guidebook that you will see people at Oktoberfest dressed in traditional Lederhosen drinking beer from huge mugs, but you won't find any mention of Wiesn Koks.
Dust is usually cut in lines on the tables under the beer tents to be sniffed through the nostrils. But since Oktoberfest is a very hectic party, the tables are usually beer-soaked and mostly sticky, forcing some people to literally slap the powder on the back of their hand.
Although it looks like real coke, Wiesn Koks is harmless. Sure, you take a little sugar shot, and the menthol gives your sinuses a chilling effect, but that's about it. Wiesn Koks contains absolutely no drugs or tobacco . That said, it's all about moderation: snorting too much could give you a bloody nose.
Although it's absolutely safe, store owners and security personnel have been trying to stamp out this tradition for years. However, locals refuse to give up this little piece of culture, because that's what it really is: a cultural and seasonal tradition steeped in festivities and camaraderie.
