I was fortunate to go to Oktoberfest in 2009, one year shy of the 200th anniversary. Though kind of by accident, I got off the train in Munich, Germany, checked into my hotel and followed the shrieks and screams until I found the festival which was just around the corner. Truth be told, in the four days I was there, I only did an hour of sightseeing in the actual city of Munich – which was a shame since it was a great place during my European adventure. The city was founded in 1158 and is located in Southern Germany and has a population of 1.35 million.
During my time at Oktoberfest, I drank many large, warm beers and even “borrowed” a mug to add to my collection of stolen mugs from all over the globe. I made friends from Florida and was adopted by a group of guys from Liverpool who drank with me and pounded warm beer throughout the day and night. These were some of the best days of my life. I wandered aimlessly through the crowd of millions and noted that everyone was happy – singing and dancing, cheering and drinking. You can read more of my adventure in my book : The Right to Release: A trail of empty bottles across Europe. CLICK HERE to purchase!
In its basic form, Oktoberfest is a 16-day festival held annually in Munich and runs from late September to the first weekend in October. It is one of the most famous events in Germany and is the world's largest fair. The festival is best known as the celebration of the marriage of Prince Ludwig I to Princess Therese on October 12, 1810 - the date of the first Oktoberfest. Other cities across the world also hold Oktoberfest celebrations, modeled after the Munich event.
The Munich Oktoberfest originally took place during the sixteen days up to and including the first Sunday in October. The festival is now 17 days when the first Sunday is October 2 and 18 days when it is October 1. In 2010, the festival lasted until the first Monday in October, to mark the 200th anniversary of the event.
The festival is held on a 104 acre area near Munich’s center named the “Theresienwiese” (roughly translated to mean a field or meadow of Princess Therese), often called “Wiesn” for short. Here 6 million event goers drink tons of beer in celebration.
To go inside a tent at Oktoberfect is a sight to see. The “tents” are actually not tents at all, but large, wooden-framed structures covered with plywood and house over 100,000 seats all together. These structures are painted with festive colors and decorated with traditional German accents. In the middle of almost all of these tents are stages where live music is played from the time the park opens right up to close. Groups in matching “team” shirts usually commandeer tables and break into chants throughout the day. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself being asked to dance by a local or two either.
The 14 “Large Tents” range from 1,900 to 10,900 seats – both indoor and outdoor – and are sponsored by the participating breweries. Some of the most popular large tents include the Hippidrom (Spatan), Hofbrau-Festzelt (Hofbrau), Winzerer Fahndl (Paulaner – the largest), and Lowenbrau-Festhalle (Lownbrau).
The 20 “Small Tents” range in seating capacities from 60 to 900 seats, most of which are indoor. Many of these tents are also sponsored by the breweries and include foods such as bratwurst and pretzels, coffee stations, and bars for exotic cocktails and other mixed drinks.
The Beer
In 1516 Duke Wilhelm IV of Bavaria issued the German 'Purity Law', decreeing that from then on beer was only allowed to be brewed from malt, hops and water and must be at least 6% alcohol. Only beer conforming to the purity law called “Reinheitsgebot,” may be served at Oktoberfest. The beer must also be brewed within the city limits of Munich. The revelers take down 7.1 million liters of beer as opposed to 1.3 million liters of non-alcoholic beverages and 130,000 liters of wine during the Oktoberfest celebration.
The breweries that can produce Oktoberfest Beer under the criteria are:
Augustiner-Brau
Since 1328 Augustiner beer had been brewed within the monastery of the Augustinian Brotherhood near the cathedral of Munich. After nearly 500 years of tradition, the secularization in 1803 and the following privatisation led to a privately owned company: Augustiner Bräu.
After nearly 500 years of tradition, the secularization in 1803 and the following privatization led to a privately owned company Augustiner Brau. In 1817 it moved to the Neuhauser Street factory where the renowned "headquarters" still stands today.
Hacker-Pschorr-BrauDating back to 1417, Hacker Brewery has not changed their brewing process for 580 years. Joeseph Pschorr purchased the brewery from his father in law in the 18th century, but it was not until 1972 that the names merged and the Hacker-Pschorr brand came to life.
Hacker Pschorr Weisse (white beer) is the most popular brand out of 15 different products. In the US, there are six brands available which range from Golds to Bocks and the original Oktoberfest.
Lowenbrau
Lowenbrau was founded in 1383 and has been a part of Oktoberfest since 1810. In 1524, a “pierprew” (or beer brewer) was mentioned in connection with the property at the address 17 Lowengrube. The brewery was first mentioned in 1746 in the Munich tax records. The lion emblem originates from a 17th-century fresco in the brewing house, depicting Daniel in the lions' den.
By 1863, Lowenbrau had become the largest brewery in Munich, producing a quarter of the city's beer output. The brewery was formally incorporated in 1872 under the name Aktienbrauerei zum Lowenbrau. In 1886 the lion trademark was registered and around the turn of the century Lowenbrau was the largest brewery in Germany. Today, Lowenbrau has one of the oldest beer gardens in Munich.
Paulaner-Brau
In 1634 the order of the Paulaner monks began brewing beer in Au, Germany, which is west of Munich and very close to the border of France and Switzerland. Paulaner has now been producing the best of beers for 375 years and is considered for the best of brewing in Munich.
Brother Barnabas managed the Paulaner brewery from 1773 and created the brand as a strong, dark and unique beer that is consumed today. In 2010, Paulaner sold a total of 55.5 million gallons of beer and exported to around 70 countries.
Spatenbrau
Spaten (meaning Spade in German) was founded in Munich in 1397 and is one of the oldest remaining breweries in Germany. In 1397, the tax records of Munich mentioned the owner for their property as a brewer named Hans Welser.The owners of the brewery change frequently and in 1854 the brewery landed in its current location. In 1867, the Spaten Brewery was the largest independent brewery in Munich which they held through the1890s. They began exporting their beer to the United States in 1909.
During Oktoberfest in 1964, Spaten premiered their Champagne White which was their first wheat beer (Weissbier or white beer). By 1992 Spaten was selling 2.7 million gallons of beer a year and in 1997, Spaten Brewery joined with neighboring Lowenbrau Brewery to create the Spaten-Lowenbrau Group.
Staatliches Hofbrau-Munchen
Known for its crowned HB logo, Hofbrau was founded in 1589 by William V, Duke of Bavaria. The brewery in Munich is owned by the Bavarian state government and is one of Munich's oldest beer halls. Heimeran Pongratz was the first brewer and with his management, the beer quickly became world famous.
Rich in history, being over 400 years old, the Hofbrauhaus has had many famous visitors such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (who actually lived around the corner), John F. Kennedy, and the American author Thomas Wolfe. Today, the Hofbrauhaus can accommodate 3,000 guests. In the middle of the facility is the “Schwemme” or Taproom that can accommodate 1,000 drinkers.
As always, thanks for reading. What’s your favorite Oktoberfest beer?
