Most people
say Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, but not me. No, give me a pint of that wonderful concoction
developed by Josef Sedlmayr of Franziskaner called Marzen or better known as
Oktoberfest beer! This type of beer is
only available during the months of August through October due to the way it is
brewed and fermented. Because of that
reason, I buy several different six packs of my favorite breweries Oktoberfest
beer and ration them throughout the year.
A little extreme, maybe, but it’s well worth it!
Marzen is a lager which means that the yeast that helps it to
ferment does so from the bottom of the vessel and at much colder temperatures
than your ale style beers. According to
beer history, the beer was stored in caves until time for it to be drank later
in the year. The caves around Munich
held the perfect cooler temperatures that gave the beer its crispness. The beer itself is characterized by a medium
to full body, a malty flavor, and a clean dry finish. The bright copper color comes from the use of
toasted Vienna and Munich varieties of malted barley. Vienna and Munich
varieties give the beer it’s amber color to the wort, and add a toasty flavor
and aroma, soft malt sweetness, palpable mouthfeel and slight spiciness. The hop rates are just enough to give it a
slight bitterness and really accentuates the noble German aroma and
flavor. ABV is usually around 5.5 to
6%.
The original Oktoberfest celebrated the marriage of Crown
Prince Ludwig I of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen on
October 12, 1810.
All of the
residents of Munich were invited to the countryside to join the gala. The
festivities last for five days, and ended with a horse race. The beer served at Oktoberfest was mainly
dunkel beer which was the most popular in the area. However, in 1872 Mr. Sedlmayr made the first
batch of Marzen in March of 1872 and it just so happened that the beer supply
ran low during that year’s Oktoberfest, so he made it available to the thirsty festers. From that time on, Marzen was adopted as the official
beer of the festival and many Munich breweries started brewing their own.
Today, the festival lasts about
three weeks and usually ends on the first Sunday in October. 2016 marks the 183rd anniversy of
the first Oktoberfest, missing only 24 years when it was canceled due to wars
or epidemics. In recent years, many of
the breweries in Germany have started serving lower alcohol Fiestbiers, a
lighter beer that they can probably sell more of (in my opinion).
If you do go to Munich for Oktoberfest, here
are some things you should know:
You are
allowed to stand on the benches and sing all you want, but dancing on the
tables is not allowed!
There are 14
big beer tents or Wooden halls and you can reserve tables through oktoberfes.de,
but they usually sell out months in advance.
Fackl (n.): A young pig, used to describe a
jerk
Fetznrausch (n.): Totally drunk
Bierleichen (n.): Beer Corpse – beyond Fetznrausch
Fingahackln (n.): a Bavarian sport where two
people hook their middle fingers and try to pull the opponent over the
table. Very popular at Oktoberfest.
Gamsbart (n.): Traditional Bavarian hat
adornment
Gneedl (n.): Dumpling
If you’re
not heading to Germany anytime soon, try these local Oktoberfest’s:
De Kalb Texas
Oktoberfest - De Kalb, TX - Oct 1 to Oct 1, 2016
Held annually on the first Saturday in October. Kickoff the event with the Firemen’s pancake breakfast. There’s a parade, talent show, beauty pageant, street dance, classic car exhibit, gymnastics demonstration, carnival, Kids Korner, Lollie Moser Memorial Art Show, Quilts Expo and face painting.
Held annually on the first Saturday in October. Kickoff the event with the Firemen’s pancake breakfast. There’s a parade, talent show, beauty pageant, street dance, classic car exhibit, gymnastics demonstration, carnival, Kids Korner, Lollie Moser Memorial Art Show, Quilts Expo and face painting.
Avalon Faire – Kilgore, TX – Oct 1 to
Oct 2, 2016
1st Annual Oktoberfest.
German and domestic beer, German food, games, contests, entertainment plus a
whole lot more! Festivies begin at Saturday from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm, and
resume Sunday at 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Oktoberfest in Downtown Kilgore – October 15,
2016 – World’s Richest Acre
Finally, I have not been to Oktoberfest in Germany yet, but
it’s on my bucket list for sure. Until
then, I’ll keep stocking up the Marzen for year round enjoyment. Prost!
