1.
Feature Story / Octoberfest
History - with Josie Cory and Hans
Steininger
•
•
Germany is a hotbed of the brewing
industry worldwide to this day, with just over 1,200
breweries in Germany, and 800 in Bavaria alone &endash; more
than any other country in the world.
•
•
The Germans have a rich tradition of
brewing finely crafted beers recognized worldwide for their
body and character. Cities take great pride in their local
brews, which are often made from centuries old
recipes.
•
•
During Oktoberfest, Germans celebrate
their heritage with music, food and fun. Despite its name,
the festival runs from mid-September through the first
week-end of October. The first Oktoberfest was held in
October of 1810 to celebrate the marriage of Crown Prince
Ludwig I of Bavaria and Therese of Sachsen- Hildburghausen.
Eventually, revelers moved the festivities earlier to take
advantage of the milder weather and longer days. While the
official celebration takes place in Munich, there are
numerous Oktoberfest celebrations around the
world.
•
•
The Munich event takes place on an
area named the "Theresienwiese", and is called "die Wiesn"
("the meadow", in Bavarian dialect) for short. A special
Oktoberfest beer (Märzen) is brewed for the occasion,
which is slightly darker and stronger, in both taste and
alcohol. It is served in a one-liter-tankard called
Maß.
Authentic Oktoberfest Maerzen
Beer
•
•
"Marzenbeer gets its name from the time when brewers
brewed a large batch of beer in March to last through the
summer and stored in barrels for the fall festival,"says
Hallertauer Hopfenhaendler, Hans Steininger. Today, it is
the traditional beer of the Munich Oktoberfest and also is
still the traditional drink in September and October. No
style of beer is more closely identified with a country than
the Oktoberfest Maerzen. "The traditional Marzen style beers
have a complex maltiness, with a color that can range from
deep gold to reddish amber and has a medium to strong
alcoholic content," continues Steininger. The maltiness is
most present in the bouquet. The palate is malty too, but
not overpoweringly so.
Only six local Munich breweriesare allowed
to serve beer at the Oktoberfest
--
•
•
Löwenbräu, Spaten, Augustiner,
Hofbräu, Paulaner and Hacker-Pschorr
--•in
so-called Bierzelte (beer "tents") which hold some 3,000 to
10,000 people
Löwenbräu •
•
Löwenbräu's history dated back to 1383 when
the innkeeper at Zum Löwen (the Lion's Inn ) began
brewing his own beer. While it belongs to one of the six
breweries from within the Munich city limits which is
allowed to serve their specialties at the Oktoberfest, it
also sponsors a huge beer tent which can hold almost 6,000
revelers. Löwenbräu has been served at every
Oktoberfest in Munich since 1810.
Spaten Oktoberfest Ur-Maerzen
•
•
Spaten has a rich history as one of the oldest
breweries in Germany. Spaten Oktoberfest Beer, created in
1872, is the world's first Oktoberfest beer.
•
•
In fact, the mayor of Munich taps a keg of
their Oktoberfst Beer to officially start the celebrations.
Spaten Premium Lager. This beer is our specialty. In 1894
Spaten became the first brewery in Munich to produce this
brand of light lager. Golden in color with a well-balanced
hop-flavor. The full rounded body is a superb balance
between hops and a malty sweetness.
Augustiner
•
•
In 1294, monks of the order of Augustinians
established a monastery directly outside of Munich's city
walls. The monastery was moved inside the city in 1315; a
brewery operated by the monks was first mentioned in 1328.
The monastery was granted the right not only to brew beer
but also to sell it on their premises which started the
tradition of brewery-owned beer halls that still exists
today.
•
•
In 1803, during a wave of secularization that swept
through Europe following the French revolution, the State of
Bavaria took ownership of the Augustine monastery, including
the brewery. The latter was sold to the Wagner family in
1829 which still owns the company today.
Hofbräu •
•
Hofbräu beer is of course, the only beer
served in The Staatliches Hofbräuhaus in München
(lit. state court-brewery in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, owned
by the state government. The Hof (translated as court) comes
from the brewery's history as a royal brewery in the Kingdom
of Bavaria.
Paulaner •
•
As a sister to Hacker-Pschorr, Paulaner is one of the
most popular beers at the yearly Oktoberfest. Its name stems
from the Paulaner monks who brewed this beer first in 1627.
During the Lenten period (40 days before Easter) abstinence,
which only allowed for bread and water, the monks reasoned
that beer could be drunk as "liquid bread" not violating
their fasting promise. Their innovation soon entered sites
outside the monastery permitting enjoyment for ordinary
people.
•
•
Paulaner Oktoberfest-Märzen was originally a
seasonal brew, however, is now brewed and enjoyed all year
long. With its caramelized, barely malty nose, the rich,
full taste with a creamy and full finish makes the Paulaner
Oktoberfest a very popular beer.
Hacker-Pschorr •
•
Another Munich brewery whose beer brewing process has
remained virtually unchanged for over 580 years is
Hacker-Pschorr. Adhering to the Purity Law its brews neither
contain preservatives nor additives. A crucial element in
the brewing process is the maturation time; the longer the
ingredients are allowed to marry, the smoother and richer
the flavor. Hacker-Pschorr stands out for a maturation
period aging at least three times longer than usual
brews.
2.
Updates Other
Styles of Beer Pilsner --
A dry, crisp beer. This light-bodied beeer is golden
in color and the most common style
lager. Ale -- Brewed at warmer temperature than lagers, ales
are mord medium-bodies. There are numerous styles of ale,
including Pale Ale and Scottish
Ale. Porter -- A full-bodied dark brew with a slightly bitter
chocolate taste. The name is rumored to come from its
popularity with porters in 18th century
London. Stout -- An extra dark brew made with highly raoasted
malts. Many enjoy the Irish Style dry stout, typiefied by
Guinness.
Food to go along with
your favorite beer. Traditional hearty fare such as sausage with
mustard, hendl (chicken) and sauerkraut, along with such
Bavarian delicacies as roast ox tails.
Pretzels
Pigs in a
Blanket •
•
All-natural meat sausages, wrapped in a puff pastry.
Savor one of four flavors: chicken or Turkey dogs and Mild
or Hot Italian Sausage. Thse simple snacks go great with
beer.
Sauerkraut •
•
Try topping your Pigs in a Blanket with a scoop of
saurerkraut.
Mustards
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•
People have been using mustard seeds for thousands of
years to flavor their foods. The variety of mustards
available reflects the food traditions of many cultures.
American Mustard -- Made from mild white mustard seeds,
these are slightly sweet.
Dijon Mustard -- Classic French mustard with a sharp,
salty taste.
German Mustard -- These smooth, dark mustards have a
sweet and sour flavor.
English Mustard -- Strong, pungent mustards with a
hot flavor pair well with beef, sausages and ham.
A selection of beers you could serve
at your own private Oktoberfest party: Ayinger Oktober
Fest-Maerzen
•
•
This small brewery near the Alps has been
family-owned and operated since 1878. Their Maerzen is a bit
lighter than other traditional Oktoberfest brews. The
Maerzen beer was and is brewed in March to be ready for the
September and October festivities.
•
•
The Aying ( pronounced eye-ing) brewery is located
only 15 miles away from Munich. Founded in 1878 it has
maintained its excellence being named "One of the Top Ten
Breweries in the World" for many years in the prestigious
World Beer Championships.
Andechs
Bitburger
Dinkel Acker
Erdinger
Franziskaner
Koestritzer Schwarzbier (Black
Beer)
Pinkus -- Organic Muenster
Alt
Schneider
St. Pauli Girl Special Dark
Warsteiner
Weihenstephan
German
Beer Purity Law from 1516
Beer brewing has been regulated by law in Germany for
over 800 years. A long-standing tradition to which all
German brewers still remain true
today.
•
•
The law was first applied in Bavaria, and by 1906 it
became law for the entire German Empire. Although the law is
applicable only for beer brewed and sold in Germany, the
majority of beer destined for export markets is stilled
brewed according to the so-called "Reinheitsgebot", or
Purity Law.
•
•
The law stipulates that beer may only be brewed using
natural ingredients i.e. nothing but malt, hops and water.
Since natural yeast also forms part of the brewing process,
this was later added to the list of permitted
ingredients.
• •In 1165 a
fine was levied in Augsburg for serving "inferior"
beer.
In 1487 Duke Albrecht IV proclaimed a regulation
establishing a uniform beer price.
•
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"One measure winter beer shall cost one pfennig and a
measure summer beer shall cost two pfennigs." Each brewer
was required to, from that time on, swear a "Brew Oath"
before the ducal treasurer, whereby he would "use only
barley, hops and water for the beer, knowledgeably simmer it
and add nothing else nor allow anyone else to add anything."
This regulation was originally only decreed for Munich. In
1987 this 500 year old regulation was renewed by the Munich
brewers.
• •1493 George
the Rich of Bayers-Landshut proclaimed a regulation which
was extended to all of Bavaria in 1516 by Duke Wilhelm IV.
This regulation is well-known as the German Beer Purity Law
from 1516./
///
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