Oktoberfest in Munich may have ended on Oct. 4, but the specialty brews that are made to celebrate the holiday remain popular for the whole month.
Sara Evans, director of the beer and wine department at Stimmel’s Market on West Wooster Street, said Oktoberfest beers have been the most popular style of beer in their store for the past couple months.
The holiday originated in 1810 in Munich, Germany when Prince Ludwig married Princess Therese and they threw a party for the entire city.
‘The first Oktoberfest was not called that at the time, but the party was such a great time that it became an annual thing.’ Evans said.
The original Oktoberfest beer is the Marzen, which was consumed by partygoers at the first Oktoberfest.
Steve Wherry, beer expert at The Andersons Market in Sylvania, describes the Marzen as a pilsner made with Munich malts that pours a dark amber color.
‘It is mainly characterized as a sweet malty beer to drink before the summer ends,’ Wherry said. ‘It is a last celebration of summer and warm weather,’
The history of the Marzen dates back to a time when brewing beer in the summer was not possible, Evans said.
‘They would make the beer in March and store it in caves with ice,’ Evans said. ‘Then in September it was ready to be released.’ Since the release was around the same time [as Oktoberfest] it became the Oktoberfest beer.’
In 1850, the Oktoberfest style went through a change, thanks to Anton Dreher who is credited with the creation of the Vienna lager, which often is labeled as an Oktoberfest beer, Evans said.
An example of a Vienna Oktoberfest beer is ‘Great Lakes Oktoberfest,’ which Evans recommended as a great Oktoberfest beer.
The original Oktoberfest beers were more complex and people couldn’t drink as many without feeling bloated, Evans said,
‘Today’s version is geared more toward session beers,’ Evans said. ‘You can still get the quality and quantity out of them.’
In Munich there are only six breweries that make the official Oktoberfest beers that are served at the festival, Evans said.’ They are Paulaner, Spaten, Lowenbrau, Hacker-Pschorr, Augustiner and Hofbrau.
The beers at Oktoberfest must pass the Reinheitsgebot test, Evans said. This is a German beer purity test.’ The test states that all beers must consist of only four ingredients- water, barley, yeast and hops.
American breweries have put their own spin on the Oktoberfest beer, Evans said.
‘Americans are not as strict,’ Evans said. ‘They might roast malts a little more or age it in oak.’
Wherry said his favorite American Oktoberfest beers are Summit Oktoberfest Marzen and Samuel Adams Octoberfest.
‘Both have a really nice flavor and are malty,’ Wherry said. ‘Summit is a little more bitter with more hops and Samuel Adams is more malty.’
Wherry said the difference between German and American Oktoberfest beers are that the ‘German Oktoberfest beer is a more crisp and refined taste, while America’s is either more malty or has more hops to give a bitterness to it.’
