I love Oktoberfest. It is my season for beer. After months of hoppy IPAs and wheat beers and citrus flavored blonde ales, I love the roasted flavor of a dark beer or the malty taste of a true Bavarian Lager. Oktoberfest means beer and food and early sunsets on crisp, cool days. But Oktoberfest is so much more. It is a Bavarian holiday dating back to 1810. In Munich, Germany (known as Bavaria back then), King Ludwig married his princess Theresa. There was a huge festival with traditional food and, of course, beer. Being in Germany, it was a lager. And now, there are only a few breweries who brew the trademarked Oktoberfestbier – or Munich Beer:
- Spaten
- Lowenbrau
- Augustiner-Brau
- Hofbrau-Munchen
- Paulaner
- Hacker-Pschorr
Custom Coaster
But fortunately for all of us, there are many craft breweries and micro-breweries who create fabulous tasting lagers, like the Oktoberfest beers. Visit your local brewery, or pickup a few bottles of craft brew this fall. If you own a brewery, consider designing a custom beer coaster to spread the word about your favorite craft beer. Oktoberfest may have officially been from September 22 to October 7th. But every day is a good day to enjoy good beer.
