Germany's 185th Oktoberfest will wrap up this weekend in Munich. The world's largest beer festival is full of fun, games and of course, beer. But in a country well known for its production of the beverage, it would appear local consumers' tastes are changing. Natalie Carney has more from the festival grounds.

You don't need to drink the beer to feel the intoxicating atmosphere of Oktoberfest.

An annual tradition, which last year welcomed more than 6 million visitors who put down roughly 500 million euros in overcrowded beer tents and its easy to see why.

RONALD OKTOBERFEST VISITOR: "It's the time of the year when many people come together. Where we are getting visitors from other cities, from my home country and so on. It's a quite special time of the year."

Yet despite the 7.5 million liters of beer sold to locals and tourists at Oktoberfest in 2017, German drinking trends are changing.

NATALIE CARNEY MUNICH "Germany is the world's fifth largest beer market, with a total consumption more than twice as high as in the UK. Yet according to studies, demand is falling. It would appear that German beer drinkers are now more interested in quality than quantity."

Domestic consumption reached its peak 40 years ago but has been falling ever since.

One reason for this is healthier lifestyle changes. Both the older and younger generations are simply drinking less than they use to.

Alcohol-free beer has been gaining popularity accounting for 6 percent of Germany's beer market.

This has led to some of Germany's bigger mass-market brewers suffering while small craft beer laps up more of the local market.

Germany's improved economy over the past few decades has also meant fatter wallets have allowed for more discerning tastes.

The Kafer beer hall at Oktoberfest is known for its prestige and famous clientele, including popular sports stars, artists and politicians, such as the Clintons.

While only 6 breweries are allowed to supply the festival, the people here want to indulge and have the money to do so.

DON OKTOBERFEST VISITOR "My twin brother is a brewer. His favorites are draft beers, so we drink draft beers. Also my favorite is Champaign."

MICHAEL KAFER OWNER, KAFER BEER HALL "The whole of Oktoberfest is in a very high-quality standard. Especially beers. So I am happy that the German's started to learn quality in food in drinking. Normally Germans are just quality with their cars and when they go on vacation, but for our business, it is very good that people have this taste and even the younger generation, they are skilled in this, they are trained in better food and better beverage."

Yet there is still something to be said about Germany's established centuries old beers.

MANUEL PRETZL MUNICH CITY COUNCIL MEMBER : "There is a certain trend towards more modern beer sorts, but especially in Munich, the people are very traditional and they stay with their beer. There are people who just drink their favorite brand their whole life. There is a certain trend with younger people, but Munich is very conservative."

Germans will never stop their insatiable love of Beer, but developing times is bringing with it developing palates. Natalie Carney, CGTN, Munich.