Oktoberfest

This weekend I am going to go to the largest beer party in the United States in Denver at the Great American Beer Festival. The largest beer festival in the world though is already going on in Munich at their Oktoberfest. It is my firm belief that every beer lover should go to each of these festivals at least once in their life. I'll write more about the Great American Beer Festival next week but this year I already think I made the right choice in deciding to go to Denver instead of Munich. This year there are a number of changes going on in Munich and two of them I am not thrilled with.

First, this year the city of Munich has ordered the world's biggest party to turn the volume down before it even starts. It has decreed that oompahpah bands in 14 giant beer tents play more sedate, folksy music and stick to a maximum volume of 85 decibels before 6 p.m. The city council believed young people were getting too fired up by the thumping rhythms and sing-along refrains of songs like Hey Baby and Mambo No. 5. One comment I read was that "You can influence the general mood with music. We've been getting increasing drunkenness and aggression," O.K. I'm sorry but I have to disagree with the city council, can you honestly imagine the famous Oktoberfest sing along classic of John Denver's Take me home, Country Roads inspiring drunkenness and aggression? Please...

The second change is that a company is promoting Oktoberfest leather kilts as a trendy new fashion statement. Again, I'm sorry, there is nothing wrong with kilts in Scotland, but not in Munich at the Oktoberfest. I think I'll stick with my traditional lederhosen.

And finally, the one bright spot is that outside of the Oktoberfest at a bar called the Twisted Bavarian they will be having wet drindl contests nightly. Now, that I could get into seeing but somehow I don't think Leah will be letting me introduce that at our Oktoberfest on October 8th. One of the best parts of Oktoberfest is that after the official Oktoberfest ends every night the crowds pour out to the local bars to carry on the festivities. I think I might have to check out the Twisted Bavarian on my next visit and to try some of their European style Tex-Mex cuisine. No wonder it is called the Twisted Bavarian.
The Oktoberfest dates back to the wedding in October 1810 of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxony. The first festivities went on for five days and proved so popular they were repeated each year since, except in wartime and during two cholera epidemics. Speaking of weddings, it is now official, a June wedding is planned for local brewers Derek "Doc" Osborne of BJ's and Melissa Phillips of Four Peaks. I don't think any wars or cholera epidemics will break out to stop their festivities. The only question is whose beer will they toast with, his or hers?

A lot of people wonder why Oktoberfest is celebrated in September. Well, originally it was in October but because the weather can be rather cold in October with winter approaching they moved it to September to take advantage of the warmer weather. First-time visitors are likely to be taken aback by the sight of a Oktoberfest tent packed with 10,000 beer guzzling people, the men stamping their Lederhosen-clad legs to the sounds of a oompahpah band as they hold up liter mugs in never-ending toasts and the women in low-cut Dirndl dresses. (DRINDL Alert, I have heard that Julie from Alliance Distributing, Leah, Mel et al will be making an appearance at our Oktoberfest wearing Drindl).About 6 million people a year go to the Oktoberfest and drink about a million gallons of beer. They also consume enormous quantities of pork sausages, pigs knuckles and chickens. It is really quite a feast. The Oktoberfest is not just a drinking and eating event. They have a huge carnival area with all kinds of wild rides. It is best to go on the rides early, not after partying as one of our regulars Kim Gass found out a couple of years ago. Every other year they also have a agriculture fair which is similar to a good old fashioned American country fair.

Be sure to mark October 8th down on your calendar if you like good German beer, brats, lederhosen and drindl.

Prost, Ron