Oktoberfest. Just the name conjures images of frothy steins, lively music, and dirndl-clad revelers. What began as a royal wedding celebration in Munich over 200 years ago has blossomed into a global phenomenon, with celebrations popping up everywhere from Rotterdam to Hiroshima. While the sheer volume of beer consumed is undoubtedly a draw (millions of liters each year in Munich alone!), Oktoberfest’s appeal extends far beyond the brew. It offers a vibrant, immersive experience of Bavarian culture. Dressing up in traditional costumes, drinking thirst quenching lagers while dancing to folk music (or ‘oompah’ bands as I like to call them), and digging into a German salty pretzel or sausage. Most of all, Oktoberfest offers a sense of community and camaraderie. In these times something that we may need more than ever, so maybe no wonder that it has a gained an enthusiastic following.
Dutch Oktoberfest
I have been longing to visit an Oktoberfest party in Germany for ages, but so far have not made it to one. The next best thing is attending the local fests that may be smaller in size, but be every bit as vibrant and fantastic, without the claustrophic Munich crowds. My first Dutch one was in 2017 at Uiltje Brewery, one that my friends and I will not easily forget. It ticked all the boxes and we had a most memorable evening with branded Maß (1 liter beer mugs), a proper band and long beer hall tables. Then in 2022 we attended the Kaapse Oktoberfest, which was a similarly superb experience. More and more these fests are popping up all over The Netherlands and abroad, too. Recently during my trip around Japan I saw small Oktober fest set-ups in Hiroshima and Osaka.
Why has this Bavarian bash become such a sensation outside of Germany? I asked Tsjomme Zijlstra this question last week at their Oktoberfest at the Kaapse Brouwers bar in Rotterdam. For one, they love a good party! Though for them it is not only about the lively celebration, but also about taking the opportunity to showcase their German style beers. Not surprisingly, they don’t sell as well as the more popular styles like IPAs. Oktoberfest is the perfect event for Kaapse to pour the beers that they love to brew and drink themselves. They also always have the ‘real’ German Oktoberfest beers on tap, including other guest beers from their Dutch brewery friends.
What is Oktoberfest beer?
The origin of the modern Oktoberfest traces back to a specific royal wedding celebration in Munich, Bavaria, in 1810 to celebrate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria (who later became King Ludwig I) to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. The citizens and the royal family enjoyed the party so much that they decided to repeat the festivities the following year. By 1819, the city council of Munich took over the organization and officially decreed that the event should be celebrated annually.
The beer served at the Munich Oktoberfest has a long tradition rooted in Bavarian brewing laws and has evolved through two primary styles: the traditional Märzen and the modern Festbier.
The traditional beer style for Oktoberfest is Märzen (German for “March”). A Bavarian ordinance in 1553 forbade brewing between April 24th and September 28th due to the summer heat, which increased the risk of spoiled beer. Brewers made a stronger, higher-alcohol lager in March that could be stored (lagered) in cool caves or cellars over the summer.
The beer served at the first Oktoberfest celebration in 1810 was a dark, bold brew, more like a modern Dunkel (dark lager), due to the lack of modern kilning technology, which often left the malt dark and smoky. By 1841, brewers had adopted techniques to produce lighter, cleaner malts, leading to the development of the amber-colored, full-bodied, malty lager we recognize today as a classic Märzen. This rich, amber lager became the standard for the Oktoberfest festival for over a century.
In the late 20th century, the style served at the official Munich festival underwent a significant change to meet modern consumer demand for a more “drinkable” beer. Beginning in the 1970s, breweries like Paulaner began introducing a lighter, golden lager that was still strong and malt-forward, but notably less heavy and easier to drink in large quantities (like the 1-liter steins). This style, sometimes called Wiesn-style (after the Theresienwiese festival grounds in Munich) or Festbier, quickly gained popularity. By the 1990s, the pale Festbier had largely overtaken the amber Märzen at the Munich Oktoberfest, and it remains the official beer style served today. It is essentially a slightly stronger version of a classic German Helles or pale lager, retaining the maltiness of its ancestor but without the rich, caramelized color and flavor. The original amber Märzen remains the style that most American and international craft breweries use when brewing an “Oktoberfest” seasonal, leading to the common confusion between the two styles today. However, if you attend the modern Munich Oktoberfest, you will be served the pale Festbier.
