The Origins of Oktoberfest
O’zapft is!
The Origins of Oktoberfest
Each Autumn in Munich, the world’s largest “volkfest” or folk festival kicks off with the announcement of “O’zapft is!”, meaning, “It’s tapped!”, as the first wooden barrel is introduced. Oktoberfest is more than just a celebration of beer; it’s a tradition rooted in Bavarian culture, centuries of brewing expertise, and a still-evolving lineup of festival lagers. To understand the beers served today, we need to look back at the festivals origins, the brewers who shaped the styles, and discuss how each beer differs in flavor, color, and origin.
Oktoberfest began in 1810 to celebrate the marriage of Prince Regent Ludwig of Bavaria to Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. That’s a common piece of trivia… but did you know that a Bavarian National Guard cavalry officer, Andreas Michael Dall’Armi, proposed marking the occasion with a grand horse race. The event lasted five days, ending on October 17, and was held in a meadow outside Munich. This fairground was later named Theresienwiese (“Therese’s Meadow”) in honor of the bride. “Die Wiesn” has become colloquial for the event grounds as well as the event itself.
The festivities proved so popular that Munich’s Landwirtschaftlicher Verein in Bayern (Bavarian Agricultural Association) continued them annually, using the event to showcase agricultural and industrial innovations in technology. Over the decades, Oktoberfest adapted with the times by adding more beer tents, amusement-park rides, and food options. Today, more than six million people attend Oktoberfest each year and only six Munich breweries (Augustiner, Paulaner, Hacker-Pschorr, Spaten, Löwenbräu, and Hofbräu) are permitted to serve specific beers at the festival. These lagers must have an original gravity of at least 13.5 degrees plato. Before the advent of refrigeration, these beers were brewed then kept in caves to keep cool…pretty chill, huh?
Brewing Roots: Märzen, Vienna Lager, and Oktoberfest/Festbier/Wiesnbier
Oktoberfest beers trace a lineage back to the 19th century, when brewing science was just being revolutionized. The Dreher Family from Austro-Hungarian Empire being the most notable. Anton Dreher first began his studies in Munich breweries throughout the 1830’s. By 1860, Dreher had perfected the commercial application of producing Märzen and other German styles. Along with friend and fellow brewer, Gabriel Sedlmayr, these two can be said to have ushered the modern mass-produced lager. Together, they discovered the significance of the yeast in the popularly brewed monastic beers of central and eastern Europe. By introducing their rediscovered bottom-fermenting yeast in their breweries in Munich and Vienna, they revolutionized lager brewing. This yeast was even introduced in Pilsen in 1842, the same year as the founding of the famous Pilsner Urquell.
These beers were malt-forward, smooth, and clean. Over time, their role at Oktoberfest changed, and today’s official festival beer, Weisn, is paler and has a higher ABV than the rich amber Märzen of the past.
Why the Shift from Märzen to Festbier?
By the 1970s, festival-goers favored a paler, lighter lager that could be enjoyed in larger quantities without feeling too heavy. Munich’s breweries responded by introducing Festbier which maintains a satisfying malt character but dialing back the color and fullness. Today, Märzen remains popular outside Germany for Oktoberfest-themed seasonal releases, while Festbier reigns supreme in the Munich tents. Consumer taste will change over time depending on trends and influences. A Treatise on Lager Beer, written by Fred Eckhart and published in 1977, brought back interest in the styles of Vienna, Märzen, and Oktoberfest lagers. This could be said to have created a renaissance in local community Oktoberfest movements.
From Dreher’s Vienna Lager to Sedlmayr’s Märzen and the modern Festbier, Oktoberfest beers share a foundation that revolves around meticulous brewing, quality malt, and the lagering tradition. Whether you prefer the deep amber richness of a Märzen, the toasty crispness of a Vienna Lager, or the golden drinkability of a Festbier, each style is part of a story that began more than two-hundred years ago on a field in Southern Germany. Let’s take a look at some style guidelines provided by the official World Beer Cup Style Guidelines.
Style Guidelines
Märzen (German for “March Beer”)
- Origin: Bavaria, 19th century
- Color: Pale to Reddish Brown
- Clarity: Appearance should be clear. Chill haze should not be present
- Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Bready or biscuity malt aroma and flavor should be present. Sweet maltiness is medium-low to medium and leads to a muted clean hop bitterness. Malt flavors should be of light toast rather than strong caramel. Low level caramel character is acceptable.
- Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Low with attributes of hops typical of the noble variety
- Perceived Bitterness: Medium Low to Medium
- Fermentation Characteristics: Fruity Esters and Diacetyl should not be present
- Body: Medium
Oktoberfest / Festbier (as a style)
- Color: Straw to Gold
- Clarity: Appearance should be clear. Chill haze should not be present
- Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Clean, sweet, bready malt profile is low to medium-low
- Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Medium low to Medium
- Perceived Bitterness: Very Low to Low and in balance with Low Sweet Maltiness
- Fermentation Characteristics: Fruity Esters and Diacetyl should not be present
- Body: Medium
* In U.S. brewing competitions, “Oktoberfest” often describes Märzen-style amber lagers. In Munich today, however, “Oktoberfestbier” refers to the pale golden Festbier served at the event, which is typically a little stronger. This dual meaning can cause confusion, but both share a focus on smooth drinkability.
Vienna Lager
- Origin: Austria, 1841, Anton Dreher
- Color: Deep gold to reddish-brown (6–18 SRM)
- Clarity: Appearance should be clear. Chill haze should not be present
- Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Characterized by malty aroma and light malt sweetness, which should have a light toasty or caramel-malt character
- Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Very Low to Low, derived from noble-type hops
- Perceived Bitterness: Low to medium low, clean, and crisp
- Fermentation Characteristics: DMS, Diacetyl, and Fruity Esters should not be present
- Body: Medium Low to Low
Yeast Selection for Oktoberfest Style Beers
At BSI, we have a total of twenty-one authentic German lager strains. Here, we will select just a handful that we know will make an excellent Oktoberfest variety. Some of these are geared for a specific style such as a Vienna Lager, others are versatile and can brew any of the styles we discussed here:
- 3470 – German Lager: The most widely used German lager strain in the world. Ferments clean and crisp, with a residual maltiness. Can accentuate hops in styles like pilsner. A versatile all-purpose lager if you are looking for a house lager strain that can be used in a wide range of styles. Ideally suited for bock, pilsner, and oktoberfest lagers.
- BSI-830 – German Lager II: The most widely used German lager strain in the world. Ferments clean and crisp, with a residual maltiness. Can accentuate hops in styles like pilsner. A versatile all-purpose lager if you are looking for a house lager strain that can be used in a wide range of styles. Ideally suited for bock, pilsner, and oktoberfest lagers.
- BSI-833 – German Lager III: A German lager yeast from southern Bavaria that produces a well balanced malt and hop character. This versatile yeast is an excellent choice for darker German beers like bock, doppelbock, and oktoberfest. It can also make malty lighter styles like helles as well.
- L-06 – German 206 Lager: A classic German lager yeast that produces rich, malty, full-bodied, and clean beers. An excellent choice for dunkel and export styles. Also suitable for munchener, bock, doppelbock, and other lagers.
- L-33 – Octoberfest Lager: A great German lager yeast that produces a rich, malty, and complex Oktoberfest style beer. Attenuates well while still leaving plenty of full-bodied malt character and mouthfeel. Low in sulphur production. This lager strain is a top choice for making a style specific and authentic Oktoberfest.
- L-08 – German 308 Lager: A classic German lager yeast with the same source as Wissenschafltliche Station 308. Sometimes unstable, but smooth, soft, well rounded, and full bodied maltiness. Prime choice for munchener lager. Second choice for oktoberfest lagers.
By David Pritchard, Microtechnologist
Sources:
D. Miller, Continental Pilsener, Brewer’s Publications, 1990.
F. Eckhart, A Treatise on Lager Beers, Amateur Brewer, 1977.
F. Eckhart, The Essentials of Beer Style, ABRIS, 1989.
Fix, George, and Laurie Fix. Oktoberfest, Vienna, Marzen. Boulder, Colorado: Brewers Publications, 1998.
Harper, Timothy, and Garret Oliver. Essay. In The Good Beer Book: Brewing and Drinking Quality Ales and Lagers , 35, 36, 216. New York City, New York: Berkley Books, 1997.
J. deClerck, A Textbook of Brewing, Vol. 2, Chapman-Hall, 1957
L. Narziss, ‘Bottom-fermenting special beers and their characteristics,” Brauwelt International, 1985.
M. Jackson, The World Guide to Beer, The Running Press, Philadelphia, 1988.
Nugy, Brewer’s Manual, Jersey Printing, 1948.
https://www.oktoberfest.de/en/magazine/tradition/the-history-of-oktoberfest