Prepare ye for an intense wave of Bavaria Hysteria. The Ultimate Oktoberfest list has arrived! Now, the Oktoberfest we all know and love was originally intended to be a one-time celebration of royal marriage. In 1810, Bavaria’s King Maximillian I declared a 2-day festival in mid-October to celebrate the wedding of his son, Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese. Free beer and food were offered at various locations across Munich, while music and dancing were enjoyed by guests. The spectacle was such a hit among the royal family and its people that they decided to hold a similar celebration, the following year, complete with beer and horse races. The celebration was eventually lengthened and pushed back on the calendar for a few weeks to accommodate better weather. Two hundred years later, we ask ourselves, what’s October without Oktoberfest?
Originating in Germany, Märzen style (meaning “March”) was traditionally brewed in the spring and aged throughout the summer. Compared to the much more common Bavarian pale lager, the traditional Märzen style is characterized by a fuller body and a sweeter and often less hoppy flavor. This rich malty lager is one of the few that remains true to the tradition of fest beers. Munsterfest by Three Floyds Brewing is a Märzen-style Fest Bier brewed with German malted barley, aromatic Bavarian noble hops, and traditional lager yeast. The taste opens with a sweet, doughy malt flavor paired with caramel and toffee. A light earthy hop emerges upfront, getting slightly heavier as the taste advances. A touch of green apple and yeast comes along for the ride. This brew has a well-balanced Märzen flavor that dances on the tongue, ensuring you will enjoy this fall offering.
Founders Brewing Company is taking this classic German-style Märzen and kicking it up a notch by adding the smooth, rich flavors that only nine months in a bourbon barrel can provide. The first sip kicks off with initial impressions of biscuits, cashews, light honey, and many other notes associated with the traditional lager. As the flavors of bourbon apply their toasty, bitter, whisky spice, the beer retains much of the original’s drinkability although its stronger taste suggests this is a sipper. You wouldn’t necessarily see this poured into a stein at an Oktoberfest celebration, but drinking a single glass at your own pace, on your own time, is a pretty rewarding experience. This new school take on an old classic is a great way to welcome in the spooky season.
In the 1800s, the city of Munich celebrated Oktoberfest in such epic fashion, there is a reason this 16-day festival has been a tradition every year since, and to celebrate this centuries-long tradition I bring you a tried and true classic, so popular that it’s one of the few Märzen styles that we like to keep around year long. Sam Adams Oktoberfest is an easy-to-drink brew. Its appearance is a pleasant amber color. Oktoberfest has a nougat/malt taste, with a low bitterness. The aroma is a nutty caramel smell that is not overwhelming. It is a perfect seasonal brew that is very enjoyable to drink! Fairly complex for the style without trying to be over-the-top, it’s easy to see why this beer rests at the American Oktoberfest bar.
Two hundred years have gone by, and Oktoberfest continues to be held in Munich during the last two weeks of September into the first weekend of October. With attendance sometimes reaching 7 million, the amount of beer purchased/consumed is truly impressive. This annual event has become a symbol of Bavarian culture, attracting people from all over the world. It is celebrated with parties and parades, as well as traditional food and beer. It has become a much-anticipated event every year. More than any other season, fall is prime time for cracking a few brews… be it while watching a football game, catching up with friends on Halloween, hoisting liters of lager at your local Oktoberfest bash, or just trying to enjoy the change in scenery. October’s cooler weather welcomes a bounty of fall beers that are sure to make this season a special one.
-by Maeve Black
