As venues around the country don the blue and white checkered bunting, cheap plastic table cloths and “German Oom Pah” playlists on Spotify, you know its time to dust off the old mass that you stole from the Paulaner tent and drink some malty Festbiers. It’s Oktoberfest!
Oktoberfest is an incredible celebration of beer, music and folk culture, with a pretty banal and sordid history. It’s inaugural celebration in 1810 was for that of the marriage between a local Prince and some chick. Luckily, its come good for the last half a century to be the largest global celebration of beer. Oktoberfest runs for two weeks from late September until the first Sunday in October.
Amongst the array of beer Germans excel at, the strong, malty lager has to be the most well known. Steeped in tradition and a dedication to precision, it’s a true craft. For any big celebration, you need an equally special beer. So all the local breweries in Munich make a special beer for Oktoberfest; Oktoberfestbier. Evolved from the more ancient Marzen style, Festbiers are a strong, malty lager, rich in toasty, doughy flavours with hops to balance. Less intense and than Märzen or Maibock but more flavoursome than a Helles.
Apparently it was the Munich local Paulaner that first made a paler, more drinkable Märzen in 1970, so that it could be pounded all day long. And today, these Festbiers are the style drunk around the world in celebration of Oktoberfest.
Except at Working Title, where we drink Smoked Red Lagers.
Oktoberfest is an incredible celebration of beer, music and folk culture, with a pretty banal and sordid history. It’s inaugural celebration in 1810 was for that of the marriage between a local Prince and some chick. Luckily, its come good for the last half a century to be the largest global celebration of beer. Oktoberfest runs for two weeks from late September until the first Sunday in October.
Amongst the array of beer Germans excel at, the strong, malty lager has to be the most well known. Steeped in tradition and a dedication to precision, it’s a true craft. For any big celebration, you need an equally special beer. So all the local breweries in Munich make a special beer for Oktoberfest; Oktoberfestbier. Evolved from the more ancient Marzen style, Festbiers are a strong, malty lager, rich in toasty, doughy flavours with hops to balance. Less intense and than Märzen or Maibock but more flavoursome than a Helles.
Apparently it was the Munich local Paulaner that first made a paler, more drinkable Märzen in 1970, so that it could be pounded all day long. And today, these Festbiers are the style drunk around the world in celebration of Oktoberfest.
Except at Working Title, where we drink Smoked Red Lagers.
