Oktoberfest Links

September 25, 2008

I wanted to write a little on Oktoberfest, which is obviously a very big deal this time of year.  I wanted to write about the history, traditions, and why the heck it got started!  Not that I know all about Oktoberfest, but I wanted to learn more about it myself and put it into words.

As in Germany, the whole Oktoberfest concept has become a big deal here in the States with brewers making special batches of beer for Oktoberfest, Autumn Seasonal Beers, or even Pumpkin beers!  That said, the traditional German Oktoberfest beers are all lagers known as Martzen, and were/are brewed in Germany by six brewers – Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbrau, Lowenbrau, Paulaner, and Spaten.  So far, we’ve tried 3 of the six.

Well, I was doing my research and I came across an excellent post about the History of Oktoberfest by “The Beer Wench”.  Her post on the History of Oktoberfest is among the best I’ve read, and is very well researched.  So, instead of writing my own, I’ll give a hearty recommendation to her post if you are interested in learning more about the History of Oktoberfest!

Other interesting links are the Oktoberfest Bier page from the German Beer Institute, the Wikipedia Oktoberfest page, and obviously the official Munich Oktoberfest site is a great place for information and fun! (Check out those outfits!)  If you’re into seeing attractive girls either serving beer at Oktoberfest, or even better, consuming large quantities of beer, check out this Oktoberfest Girls picture compilation from “Oktoberfest Dude”!

If you’re interested in reading what The Brew Club has reviewed so far for Oktoberfest, here’s a quick list.  Check back soon as I promise there will be more!

Oktoberfestathon 2008

• Autumn Ale from Weyerbacher Brewery out of Easton, Pennsylvania.
• Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale brewed in Portsmouth, new Hampshire.
• Also from New Hampshire Red Hook Brewery gives us Late Harvest Autumn Ale to review.
• Leinenkugel’s Oktoberfest Lager is consumed, and then written about.
• Spaten’s Oktoberfest is the first of the German “Big Six” Oktoberfest beers to be reviewed.
• Jack’s Pumpkin Spice from Michelob
• The German classic Oktoberfest from Hacker-Pschorr
• My favorite German Marzen, Paulaner Oktoberfest. 

Oktoberfestathon 2009

• Beck’s Oktoberfest.  Very nice.
• Dogfish Head Punkin’ Ale
• Post Road Pumpkin Ale from Brooklyn Brewing.
• Flying Fish Oktoberfish

Stay tuned for more!

Prost!

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