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Why don't they call it Septemberfest?
The Historical Background:
the first Oktoberfest was held in the year 1810 in honor of the
Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig’s marriage to Princess Therese von
Sachsen-Hildburghausen. The festivities began on October 12, 1810
and ended on October 17th with a horse race. In the following years,
the celebrations were repeated and, later, the festival was
prolonged and moved forward into September.
By
moving the festivities up, it allowed for better weather conditions.
Because the September nights were warmer, the visitors were able to
enjoy the gardens outside the tents and the stroll over "die
Wiesn" (or the fields) much longer without feeling chilly.
Historically, the last Oktoberfest weekend was in October and this
tradition continues into present times. So, Oktoberfest now
 ends the
first weekend of October and starts two weeks prior, in September.
The locals in Munich fondly refer to Oktoberfest as "die Wiesn"
because of its location, Theresienwiese, which was named after
Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen.
 The
main highlight of the Wiesn events and an important must-see
is the Oktoberfest Costume and Riflemen’s Parade. The parade happens
every year on the first Wiesn Sunday which will fall on September
19th this year.
 Other important events are the Parade of Oktoberfest Landlords and
Breweries, the Official Tapping of the Keg, the Oktoberfest Mass , "Böllerschießen"
(handheld cannon salute) in front of the Bavaria statue and – this
year- an agricultural festival.
 On Saturday, September 16th, the Schottenhamel tent is the place to be, if you
want to catch the official opening ceremonies. At noontime,
the lord mayor of Munich will have the honor of tapping the first
keg of Oktoberfest beer. Once the barrel has been tapped, all
visitors will then be allowed to quench their thirst. It pays to
arrive early in order to experience the festivities up close and
personal and it’s quite common for visitors to come around 9am to
secure good seats.
 The
Beer: Oktoberfest beers (also called Marzens) are a very
important part of the celebration and they have evolved into a
distinct style of beer. They are lagers (bottom fermented) that tend to be
dark gold to deep orange-red in color. The taste often has an initial malty sweetness, but the finish is moderately dry. They are usually
medium bodied with a creamy texture and very smooth.
 Their origin is credited to
Gabriel Sedlmayr when he brewed the first official Oktoberfest beer
in 1872, based on an adaptation of the Vienna
style developed by Anton Dreher. Typically brewed in the spring, they
signal the end of the traditional brewing season and are stored in
cold caves or cellars during the warm summer months. They are served
in autumn amidst the traditional Oktoberfest celebrations.
 Oktoberfest beers are typically
maltier than their cousin, the Vienna lagers. Both the Oktoberfest-Marzen
and Vienna lager beers are part of the overall beer style that is
generally called European Amber Lager.
Click here to see a great guide to beer styles
at the Beer Judge Certification Program website...
 Traditional
Oktoberfest beers from Bavaria include
Spaten
Oktoberfest,
Ayinger
Oktoberfest and
Paulaner Oktoberfest.
 Lately,
American brewers are getting into the tradition of Octoberfest with
their own versions of the malty marzens. Bell's Beer brings the
latest entry to the party with Bell's Octoberfest (sorry, it's
draught only!) . But many American micro brewers have already
established a tradition of great Octoberfest beers.
 Flying Dog from Colorado also
brews their own American version that they call
Dogtoberfest. Upland Brewing of Bloomington, Indiana,
a brewery with great German beer, has a terrific Oktoberfest beer
and Harpoon Brewing of Massachusetts has their own Harpoon
Octoberfest beer.
Interested in learning more? Check out the official website of
Oktoberfest at
www.oktoberfest.de/en.
Questions, complaints or compliments? Email me at:
beergeek@worldclassbeverages.com |
