Get set for a familiar sight at the home of the new Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich this weekend: the return of the traditional Bierdusche, or beer shower.

Last seen at Bayer Leverkusen’s Bundesliga and DFB Cup double-winning stage show at the conclusion of the 2023/24 campaign, it is the Allianz Arena that’s all set to be doused in ale once more this weekend as the Record champion lift the Meisterschale in front of their home fans.

Also referred to as the Whitewash (or wheat beer shower), the tradition in German footballing terms is said to have started with Bayern a quarter of a century ago. Back then, famous Brazilian forward Giovane Élber tipped a glass of beer over coach Ottmar Hitzfeld after the Bavarian giants’ had edged to the championship ahead of Leverkusen on goal difference.

Of course, the tradition of spraying liquids around following ultimate victory is not a particular tradition tied to the Bundesliga. It’s well known that in motor sports champagne is popped and let fly around the winners’ podium, while in American football a barrel of a famous sports drink is emptied over the coach who guides his team to Super Bowl success. Both celebrations date back to the 1960s.

Yet, there is nothing that can match the sight of a victorious team enjoying a Beer shower after celebrating a Bundesliga title success, and, as it is Bayern who have dominated Germany’s top division since the turn of the century, it is they who have mastered the art.

The Munich-based Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper reminded us that so expected is the on-field beer party that, once, winning Bayern coach Louis van Gaal changed out of his expensive suit at half-time and donned a club tracksuit as he prepared to be showered in Weißbier. The publication reminds us that it was Mark van Bommel who soaked his compatriot at the end of their successful 2009/10 season.

So embedded in the on-field and post-match press conference culture has the Beer shower become, that it has had its own entry in the German dictionary since 2017. Tradition states that after taking a large sip of beer from a tankard, the rest of the contents are then poured over an unsuspecting coach or teammate.

As has been witnessed down through the years, few escape a good soaking while some have even managed to perfect the art of emptying the contents of their tankards over their teammates. Others could work a little more on their technique. With Bayern ready to lift the Bundesliga trophy after their game against Borussia Mönchengladbach on Saturday, the beer showering can commence in earnest.