Oktoberfest Beer: A Historical Perspective On Consumption

Oktoberfest is a two-week festival held annually in Munich, Germany, to celebrate the marriage of the crown prince of Bavaria, who later became King Louis I, to Princess Therese Von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. The festival, which has been held since 1810, is known for its beer and food tents, live music, and carnival games and rides.

Beer is a central part of the festival, with about 6 million people consuming 5.6 million litres of beer in 2022. Only beers brewed by six Munich breweries—Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbräu, Löwenbräu, Paulaner, and Spaten—are served at the festival. These beers are specially brewed for the occasion and are typically stronger than regular beers, with an alcohol content of around 6%.

In addition to beer, other drinks such as wine, schnapps, and non-alcoholic options like soft drinks and apple spritzers are also available at the festival.

What is Oktoberfest beer?

Oktoberfest is a two-week festival held annually in Munich, Germany, from mid-September to the first week of October. It features only six local breweries that are permitted to serve their beers on the premises: Augustiner, Paulaner, Spaten, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbrau, and Lowenbrau. These are your true Oktoberfest beers in their purest form.

The Oktoberfest beer category includes both brews specifically made for serving at the official festival and beers brewed in that style. While the flavour profiles vary, these beers often set out to mimic historical styles of Oktoberfest served at the official festival over the years and are almost invariably lagers.

In America, Oktoberfest beers tend to be red-hued, slightly sweet beers known as Märzen—a lager-style beer brewed in March and then aged until autumn. But at the actual festival, the beers are closer to a typical German lager—paler beers, similar to another German style known as a Dortmunder.

The original Märzen was described as "dark brown, full-bodied, and bitter". The beer was often kept in the cellar until late summer and then served at Oktoberfest. Today, the beers at Oktoberfest are golden in colour and have a distinct hop flavour. The malt flavour is more biscuit-like and subtle than that of amber Märzen.

All Oktoberfest beers must be brewed in Munich and adhere to Germany's beer purity law, Reinheitsgebot, which dictates that there must be only four ingredients in a beer: water, malt, hops, and yeast. Oktoberfest beers all clock in at around 6% alcohol content, so they are stronger than regular beers.

What do people drink at Oktoberfest?

Yes, people drink beer at Oktoberfest! In fact, it's a two-week-long festival of beer and merriment, with 38 beer tents packed into a 100-acre site in Munich, Germany.

There are rules about the beer served at Oktoberfest in Munich. It must be brewed within the city limits, and it must adhere to the Reinheitsgebot (Bavarian Purity Laws), which dictate that it can only contain water, malt, hops, yeast, wheat malt and/or cane sugar. It also has to be around 6% alcohol.

There are six breweries that can serve beer at the official Oktoberfest festival, known as "the Big Six". They are:

• Augustiner
• Hacker-Pschorr
• Hofbräu
• Löwenbräu
• Paulaner
• Spaten

Each of these breweries serves up a special Oktoberfest beer, which is a little stronger than regular beer, so it's important to pace yourself!

The two main types of Oktoberfest beer are:

• Märzen: a darker, malt-forward beer with flavours of toasted bread.
• Festbier: a lighter, hoppier, golden lager. This is the most commonly served type of beer at the festival today.

If you don't like beer, there are some other options available at Oktoberfest, including wine, spirits, and soft drinks. A popular choice is a Radler, which is half beer and half fizzy lemon soda.

What are the rules for beer at Oktoberfest?

Yes, they do drink beer at Oktoberfest! In fact, 5.6 to 7.3 million litres of beer are consumed each year at the festival.

The Rules for Beer at Oktoberfest

• Beer served at Oktoberfest is special and is brewed specifically for the occasion.
• Oktoberfest beers have a stronger alcoholic content than regular beer, at around 6%.
• Different tents serve different beers from the "Big Six" breweries in Munich: Augustiner, Paulaner, Spaten, Löwenbräu, Hacker-Pschorr, and Hofbräu.
• Each tent usually serves beer from only one brewery.
• The types of beer available in the tents are usually limited to Helles (light beer), Radler (half Helles, half fizzy lemon soda), alcohol-free beer, and Hefeweizen (wheat beer).
• Beer must be brewed in Munich to be served at the official Oktoberfest festival.
• Beer is served in one-litre steins, although half-litre steins are now also available.
• Beer cannot be brought onto the festival grounds; it must be purchased on-site.
• Backpacks and large bags are generally prohibited, and bags brought into the festival cannot exceed a volume of three litres and must be no larger than 20 x 15 x 10 cm.
• Drinking water is available from fountains on the festival grounds.

What are the different types of beer at Oktoberfest?

Yes, people drink beer at Oktoberfest! In fact, 5.6 million to 7 million litres of beer are consumed by attendees each year.

The Different Types of Beer at Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest is a two-week festival held annually in Munich, Germany, and only six local breweries are permitted to serve their beers at the festival. These breweries are:

• Paulaner
• Augustiner
• Hofbräu
• Löwenbräu
• Hacker-Pschorr
• Spaten

These breweries produce what is known as 'Oktoberfestbiers', which are German-brewed lagers. Within this lager family, there are two types: the dark, malt-forward Märzen and the lighter, hoppier Festbier.

Most of the beer consumed at Oktoberfest is the second type of lager. It is golden in colour and has a distinct hop flavour. The malt flavour is more biscuit-like and subtle than that of the amber Märzen. The golden lagers poured in the tents at Oktoberfest will remind you of the flavour of fresh baked bread, with mild grassy and herbal notes from the hops.

However, it is important to note that the beer served at the festival has changed over time. In the early days of the festival, the beer was a Dunkel, a dark lager. In 1872, an amber-coloured Märzen-style beer was introduced, which became the Oktoberfest beer we know today. Over time, the beer continued to get lighter in colour throughout the 20th century.

In addition to the two main types of Oktoberfestbiers, there are a few other drink options available at the festival. These include:

• Radler: A mix of half beer and half fizzy lemon soda, which is refreshing and helps to avoid getting drunk too quickly.
• Alcohol-free beer: Available at every tent and labelled as Alkoholfrei.
• Wheat beer (Hefeweizen): Available at some tents.
• Wine: Can be found at the Wine Tent (Weinzelt) and a few other tents, such as Marstall and Käfer's Wies'n-Schänke.

What are the best Oktoberfest beers?

Yes, people do actually drink beer at Oktoberfest! In fact, millions of litres of beer are consumed at the festival each year.

Now, for the best Oktoberfest beers...

The German Classics

The best way to experience authentic, original Oktoberfest beer is to visit Munich during the festival. However, if you can't make it, you can still try some of the German classics from the original six Munich breweries that have permission to brew and sell Oktoberfest Bier. These include:

• Paulaner Oktoberfest Bier: The most-served beer at the festival, this is a Festbier with a smooth, aromatic, malty taste and a slightly delicate bitterness.
• Hacker-Pschorr Original Oktoberfest Amber Märzen: A perennial favourite, this beer is amber in colour and stunningly smooth.
• Hofbrau Oktoberfestbier: A true Festbier, this beer is a little stronger than its traditional counterparts at 6.3% ABV, but still very drinkable.
• Spaten Oktoberfest Ur-Märzen: Created in 1872, this is considered the world's first Märzen. It has deep, toasty notes complemented by a crisp citrus lemon bite.
• Weihenstephaner Festbier: Although Weihenstephan is not one of the big six Munich breweries, it still makes a full-bodied, rich seasonal lager that's well worth trying.

The Modern American Versions

Several American craft brewers also put their own spin on the German classic. These modern versions mostly adhere to the Märzen style, which has become popular in the US. Some of the best include:

• Festooning by Grimm Artisanal Ales: This Märzen is made using a traditional step-mashing process with German Vienna and Munich II malts, giving it a fresh toasted bread flavour with honey and caramel.
• Festbier by Human Robot: One of the best Festbiers on the market, this beer goes through an intense process, including a double decoction mash and slow, cold fermentation, resulting in a light buttery backbone and a honied sweetness.
• Lager Town by Half Acre Beer Co.: A cult-favourite Märzen with rich, malty flavours.
• Spider Dance by Wayfinder Beer: A collab with Grand Fir Brewing, this Festbier bounces all over your taste buds with notes of baking dough, honey in tea, and a bouquet of flowers.
• Munsterfest by 3 Floyds Brewing: A tribute to German brewing, this Märzen uses only German malted barley, Bavarian noble hops, and traditional lager yeast, resulting in amber, toasty, and roasty flavours.
• Festbier by Notch Brewing: This Festbier lands on Untappd's list of all-time top-rated Festbiers, so you're in rarified lager air when drinking this one.
• Oktoberfest by von Trapp Brewing: Featuring a blend of light and dark Munich malts, this Märzen has a malty, almost s'mores-like backbone with floral, peppery hops.

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