Is it possible that people are drinking too much beer in Munich? That's what some breweries are claiming -- there's a shortage of bottles and crates. While there is plenty of beer, there's simply nowhere to put it. The solution, the German brewers hope, is that people return their empties so they can be reused.

"Dear Munichers - bring back your crates," Heiner Müller, manager of the Paulaner and Hacker-Pschorr brewery, told Munich's TZ newspaper. They are short tens of thousands of bottles. Kegs are also in short supply.

Brewers can wash and reuse their bottles up to 50 times, explains CNBC. Every summer there's a shortage, but 2012 has been a particularly big year for drinking in Germany, apparently.

Seven and a half million liters of beer were served during Oktoberfest last year. This year's festival begins September 22 and runs through October 7.

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    <strong>Location:</strong> Cleveland, Ohio <strong>Barrels Sold in 2011:</strong> 120,000 -- 31.9 percent increase since 2010 <strong>Popular Brands:</strong> Dortmunder Gold

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    <strong>Location:</strong> Brooklyn, N.Y. <strong>Barrels Sold in 2011:</strong> 140,000 -- 29.6 percent increase since 2010 <strong>Popular Brands:</strong> Brooklyn Lager

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    <strong>Location:</strong> Milton, Del. <strong>Barrels Sold in 2011:</strong> 144,000 -- 19 percent increase since 2010 <strong>Popular Brands:</strong> 60 Minute IPA

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    <strong>Location:</strong> Kansas City, Mo. <strong>Barrels Sold in 2011:</strong> 157,000 -- 5.4 percent increase since 2010 <strong>Popular Brands:</strong> Single-Wide IPA, Chocolate Ale

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    <strong>Location:</strong> Petaluma, Calif. <strong>Barrels Sold in 2011:</strong> 165,000 -- 55.7 percent increase since 2010 <strong>Popular Brands:</strong> Lagunitas IPA

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    <strong>Location:</strong> Fort Collins, Colo. <strong>Barrels Sold in 2011:</strong> 713,000 -- 7.9 percent increase since 2010 <strong>Popular Brands: </strong> Fat Tire, Lips of Faith

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    <strong>Location:</strong> Chico, Calif. <strong>Barrels Sold in 2011:</strong> 858,000 -- 9.2 percent increase since 2010 <strong>Popular Brands:</strong> Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Ovila Abbey Ales

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    Location: Jamaica Plain, Mass. Barrels Sold in 2011: 2,440,000 -- 8 percent increase since 2010 Popular brands: Samuel Adams, Twisted Tea