Fall is coming just around the corner, and we all know what that means...OKTOBERFEST is here. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Oktoberfest, here is a little bit of history about the festival to give you a look into what millions of Germans, Bavarians, and other European beer lovers unite for. Oktoberfest is a two-week festival held each year in Munich, Bavaria, Germany during late September and early October. It is one of the most famous events in the city and the world's largest fair, with some six million people attending every year.
The event traditionally takes place during the 16 days up to and including the first Sunday in October. The schedule was changed following German reunification in 1990 so that if the first Sunday in October falls on the 1st or 2nd, then the festival will go on until October 3rd (German Unity Day). Thus, the festival is now 17 days when the 1st Sunday is October 2nd and 18 days when it is October 1st. The festival is held on an area named the Theresienwiese (Field [or meadow] of Therese), often called "d’ Wiesn" or "d'Waasn" for short. Beer plays a central role in the fair, with every festival beginning with a keg of beer tapped by the Mayor of Munich who declares "O'zapft is!" (Bavarian: "It’s tapped!"). A special Oktoberfest beer is brewed for the occasion, which is slightly darker and stronger, in both taste and alcohol. It is served in a one-liter-tankard called Maß. The first mass is served to the Bavarian Minister-President. Only local Munich breweries are allowed to serve this beer in a Bierzelt, a beer tent which is large enough for thousands. Note: the words 'stein' and 'lager' do not mean what many English speakers think they do so instead use 'Mass' or 'Helles' respectively
Visitors also consume large quantities of food, most of it traditional hearty fare such as sausage, hendl (chicken), käsespätzle (cheese noodles), and sauerkraut, along with such Bavarian delicacies as roast ox tails. We offer a variety of these tasty seasonal beers that are brewed in the original style for the same great taste that many have enjoyed for hundreds of years. Samuel Adams
Leinenkugel
Schells
Flying Dog
Summit
Michelob Marzen There are also a few other beers that come out around the time of Oktoberfest that you may want to consider giving a try. They are: Red Hook Autumn Ale: This ale features a roasted, toasted malt aroma and the distinct flavors of the Northern brewer Saaz hops. Its rich complexity comes courtesy of its specialty malts. Crystal, German smoked Munich, Caramel, and Roasted. Jack’s Pumpkin Spice : Hand-crafted with a clear product point-of-difference, Jack’s Pumpkin Spice Ale is a wicked blend of Golden Delicious Oregon pumpkins, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves brewed in small batches to deliver the rich flavor of Fall. |
