Wheat Beer And Oktoberfest: What's The Connection?

Oktoberfest is a beer festival held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, and is the world's largest Volksfest. The festival originated in 1810 to celebrate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria and Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen.

The festival features six local breweries that are permitted to serve their beers: Paulaner, Spaten, Hacker-Pschorr, Augustiner, Hofbrau, and Lowenbrau. These breweries produce a variety of beers, including lagers, amber beers, and Vienna lagers.

However, when discussing whether Oktoberfest beers are wheat beers, it is important to note that wheat beers, also known as weissbier or hefeweizen, have a distinct texture and flavor profile. They are thick, cloudy, and have a balanced, grainy flavor with a slight tang and banana-like notes.

While some wheat beers may be served during Oktoberfest, the traditional Oktoberfest beers produced by the six local breweries are not wheat beers. They fall under two distinct styles: Märzen lager and Festbier. Therefore, it is incorrect to classify Oktoberfest beers as wheat beers or Hefeweizen.

Oktoberfest beers are not wheat beers

The Oktoberfest beer category includes both beers specifically made for serving at the official festival in Munich, Germany, and beers brewed in a similar style. The festival features only six local breweries that are permitted to serve their beers: Paulaner, Spaten, Hacker-Pschorr, Augustiner, Hofbrau, and Lowenbrau. These breweries produce traditional Oktoberfest beers, which are lagers and can be either a darker Märzen style or a paler Festbier style.

The Oktoberfest label is also used on many other seasonal beers produced both inside and outside of Germany, which often aim to mimic historical styles served at the festival. In America, for example, Oktoberfest beers tend to be red-hued, slightly sweet, and known as Märzen. However, these beers are often quite different from the true Oktoberfest beers served at the festival.

Some American brewers do make Oktoberfest beers that are more in line with the modern German style, known as German-Style Oktoberfest/Wiesn. Conversely, some German breweries export American-style Oktoberfest beers to the U.S., known as American-Style Märzen/Oktoberfest.

While wheat beers, also known as weissbier or hefeweizen, are a beloved German style, they are distinct from Oktoberfest beers in terms of ingredients, flavour, and texture. Wheat beers are thick, cloudy, and have a balanced, grainy flavour with a slight tang and banana-like note. In contrast, Oktoberfest beers are known for their smooth, malty flavour and can vary in colour from amber to pale golden.

Oktoberfest is a folk festival

The origins of Oktoberfest can be traced back to the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen in 1810. The citizens of Munich were invited to attend the festivities, which included horse races and other celebrations. The fields where the event took place were named Theresienwiese ("Theresa's Meadow") in honour of the Crown Princess. The decision to repeat the horse races and celebrations in 1811 marked the beginning of the annual Oktoberfest tradition.

Over the years, Oktoberfest has evolved and expanded, with the addition of agricultural shows, parades, and other attractions. The festival was cancelled several times due to wars, epidemics, and other events, but it has remained an important part of local culture.

In modern times, Oktoberfest has become a global phenomenon, with cities around the world holding their own celebrations modelled after the original Munich event. The festival has also been featured in popular culture, such as the German historical drama "Oktoberfest: Beer and Blood."

While Oktoberfest is known for its beer, with specific styles and breweries associated with the event, it is much more than just a beer festival. It is a folk festival that celebrates Bavarian culture, traditions, and history. The wide range of attractions and activities offered at Oktoberfest contribute to its enduring popularity and make it a unique and exciting event for visitors from all over the world.

Märzen is a lager-style beer

Märzen, also known as Märzenbier, is a lager-style beer that originated in Bavaria, Germany. The name comes from the German word for March, the month when the beer was traditionally brewed. It has a medium to full body and can vary in colour from pale to amber to dark brown.

The original Märzen was brewed with roasted Vienna and/or caramelised Munich malt, resulting in a dark, strong, and full-bodied beer. It was then stored in caves or cellars during the summer months when brewing lagers was difficult due to high temperatures. This tradition of brewing in March and ageing the beer through the summer is reflected in the name, which means "March beer" in German.

Märzen has a long history in Bavaria, probably dating back to before the 16th century. A Bavarian brewing ordinance from 1553 decreed that beer could only be brewed between 29 September (St. Michael's Day) and 23 April (St. George's Day) due to the risk of off-flavours caused by high summertime temperatures. This made Märzen the perfect choice for the autumn celebrations that became the first Oktoberfest.

Today, Märzen is a rare find in Germany, mostly found in the south and often associated with Oktoberfest. However, it has evolved into the most popular type of beer in Austria, where it is lighter in colour and taste, resembling a Bavarian Helles or Export beer.

When it comes to flavour, Märzen is rich in malt with a balanced bitterness. It typically has a toasted bread or biscuit-like malt aroma and flavour, with a slightly higher alcohol content than other lagers. The colour can range from pale to reddish-brown, and it is known for its fuller body and sweeter taste compared to other lagers.

German wheat beer is known as weissbier, hefeweizen, or weizen

Wheat beer, also known as weissbier, hefeweizen, or weizen, is a top-fermented beer with a large proportion of wheat relative to the amount of malted barley. It is thick, almost chewy, and cloudy in appearance. The German-style hefeweizen is straw to amber in colour and brewed with at least 50% malted wheat. The aroma and flavour of a weissbier largely come from the yeast and are fruity (banana) and phenolic (clove). The German words "hefe" and "weizen" refer to the yeast and wheat, respectively.

Weissbier, or "white beer", uses at least 52% wheat to barley malt, while Witbier, or "white beer" in Dutch, uses flavourings such as coriander and orange peel. German weissbier and Belgian witbier are termed "white beers" because "wheat" has the same etymological root as "white" in most West Germanic languages.

Hefeweizen is the original wheat beer and is one of the best-known styles of beer. It originated in Germany, uses a top-fermenting ale yeast, and at least 50% wheat malts alongside barley. It is recognisable by its cloudiness and impressive white head, as well as the yeast it leaves behind in an empty glass. It is a crisp, drinkable ale that is a favourite during the summer months.

Only 6 breweries in Munich make the original Oktoberfest beer

Oktoberfest is a festival held annually in Munich, Germany, from mid-September to the first week of October. Only six local breweries are permitted to serve their beers at the festival: Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbräu, Löwenbräu, Paulaner, and Spaten. These breweries are collectively known as the "Big Six".

The Oktoberfest beer category includes both beers specifically made for serving at the official festival and beers brewed in that style. The official Oktoberfest beers do not need to be made in a particular style, so a wide range of beers are available under the "official Oktoberfest beer" umbrella. However, they must be brewed within Munich's city limits and conform to the Purity Law, which dictates that all German beers can only be made with barley, hops, and water.

Each of the Big Six Munich breweries brews a Märzen, an amber lager with a coppery color, a full-bodied maltiness, and hints of spice and dryness, specifically for the festival under the name of Oktoberfestbier or Oktoberfest Märzen. These are the beers that festival-goers should seek out for an authentic Oktoberfest experience.

Augustiner, founded in 1328, is Munich's oldest brewery. It is the only brewery that still stores its beer using traditional 200-liter wooden barrels. Hacker-Pschorr, the result of a merger between two of Munich's most successful breweries in 1972, has a flavour that is sweet, bitter, dry, malty, and hoppy all at once. Löwenbräu, which began in the late 14th century, has a flavour that is crisp and light-bodied, finishing with a prickly, spicy hop bitterness. Paulaner, founded in 1634, is the youngest of the Munich breweries and is the largest brewery in Bavaria. Its Oktoberfest beer is a typical Munich sweet lager with a smidgeon of spiced banana and a lemon-hop finish. Spaten, founded in 1397, introduced the first amber-coloured Märzen-style beer at the 1872 Oktoberfest. Their Oktoberfest beer has a mild biscuity malt flavour with graininess and a faint lemon note, finishing with a hoppy dryness. Hofbräu, founded in 1589, has a royal connection—it was founded by Duke Wilhelm V. Their Oktoberfest beer starts crisp and refreshing, with flavours of grain, hay, dough, and bitter noble hops.

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