Oktoberfest beer consumption plummets

Visitors to Munich's 181st Oktoberfest, which came to an end on Sunday, drank substantially less beer than last year.

About 6.3 million visitors consumed a total of 6.5 million litres of suds while in 2013, 6.4 million guests were served 7.7 million litres.

Munich Mayor Dieter Reiter called this year's festival "unbelievably pleasant," and police and rescue services also were generally pleased.

The Bavarian Red Cross saw 7900 patients during the two-week festival, slightly more than last year, but the increase was mainly to minor injures.

Only 600 visitors had to be treated for alcohol poisoning this year, down from 629 last year and 739 in 2012.

Police made 720 arrests at the world's largest festival, which opened September 20. The detentions were 39 fewer than last year but some suspects put up a fight.

"From bite wounds to kicking, we had it all," police spokesman Wolfgang Wenger said.

Poor weather at the start of the festival resulted in fewer visitors.