Oktoberfest without Beer?!!!

Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany. Photo credit to muenchen.de

My class in Beer Culture had taught me many things. Including the fact that Oktoberfest is a festival and not a style of beer. Yes, I am embarrassed to admit that on paper, but I’m dead serious. I know a few people who have been to Munich’s Oktoberfest but I thought it was like the equivalent of people going to music festivals here…a great marketing tool.

Many people do not know that Oktoberfest originated from the wedding festivities of a German king to his princess. It all sounds very romantic except for the fact THAT THEY DIDN’T EVEN HAVE BEER, NONETHELESS, ALCOHOL AT THE FIRST OKTOBERFEST!!!!

When I first learned this in class, I thought that the small amount of Oktoberfest that I knew was all a lie and the earth was ending. It wasn’t.

In today’s Oktoberfest in Munich, over 7.5 million liters of beer are consumed and 6 million people attend each year. The beers that are served at the original Munich Oktoberfest are all local Munich breweries. Fun fact of about Oktoberfest: the style of beer served is called Marzen and is a lager style beer (remember: Lagers are brewed for longer periods of time at Lower temps).