Oktoberfest. The very word evokes images of men in lederhosen and fraulein in dirndls, not to mention bratwurst, pretzels, sauerkraut and, of course, beer. But few people actually know what Oktoberfest is, or the history behind this holiday.
Oktoberfest is a multi-week festival held each year in Munich, Germany (or Bavaria, for those so inclined), running from late September to the first weekend in October. It is one of the most famous events in Germany and the world's largest fair, with over six million people attending every year. The original Oktoberfest took place in Munich on October 12, 1810. For the public celebration of their marriage that took place five days before, Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen organized a great horse race. The event was so successful that it was decided to renew it in 1811. The founding citizens of Munich assumed responsibility for festival management in 1819, and it was agreed that the Oktoberfest would become an annual event. Later, it was lengthened and the date pushed forward because days are longer and warmer at the end of September. Since 1950, there has been a traditional festival opening: A twelve gun salute and the tapping of the first keg of Oktoberfest beer at noon by the incumbent Mayor of Munich with the cry "O' zapft is!" ("It's tapped!" in the Austro-Bavarian language) opens the Oktoberfest. The Mayor then gives the first beer to the Minister-President of the State of Bavaria.
For most Americans, however, Oktoberfest is all about the beer. While many people don't care what kind of beer they drink, the craft beer lover looks for the true style for the celebration.
"Oktoberfest" beer is actually a type of lager known as a Märzen. Before refrigeration was invented, it was nearly impossible to brew beer in the summer due to the hot weather and bacterial infections. Brewing ended with the coming of spring and began again in the fall. Most beers were brewed in March, hence the name, Märzen. These brews were kept in cold storage over the spring and summer months or brewed at a higher gravity (read: higher alcohol content) so they’d keep. Märzenbier is full-bodied, rich and toasty in flavor and typically a dark copper color with a medium to high alcohol content. Many American breweries release an Oktoberfest-type beer around September to commemorate the holiday and the history of their craft. To celebrate Oktoberfest this year, I selected four different American-brewed Oktoberfest beers to sample and was amazed at how different each brewery’s interpretation of the style was.
This article appears in Sep 23-29, 2010.
