Summer is winding down and fall is around the corner, it is time for the annual festival of beer consumption and merriment: Oktoberfest! This year will mark the 180^th anniversary and will start tomorrow, the 21^st until October 6^th. 

You may notice some Oktoberfest beers are called Märzens (pronounced maer-tsen, like the 'a' in mad).  Märzen is "March" in German, and these beers get their name from the Middle Ages--before refrigeration--and brewers needed to brew their beers in the cold months to reduce spoilage of the beer. They amped up the malt and hop profile and cellared it during the summer until the fall when they could enjoy it again and brew more.

The first Oktoberfest spurred from the Royal wedding of King Ludwig I and Princess Therese on October 12^th 1810 in munich. The people of Munich were invited to join this joyous occasion with horse races in the field. The next year and agricultural show was added. In 1818 small beer stands were featured and the Märzens were introduced. In 1896 beer culture grew, and the first beer tents and beer halls were erected to accommodate the masses. The reason why this year is the 180^th and not the 203^rd is because a few years in between were disrupted by wars and epidemics. 

I have a true Bavarian-bred Oktoberfest by Ayinger.

Appearance

It pours the rich amber hue true to the style with a large foamy head. I am using my thick-bottomed Warsteiner stein. 

Smell

Brown bread, toffee, caramel, some spicy hops and lingering malt sweetness.

Taste

Very creamy, light caramel notes, tea-like, a great all around lager.

All I need is some lederhosen and an oompah band, and I am ready for some Oktoberfest fun. One of my favorites is Hacker-Pschorr. Samuel Adams is a good one with an accentuation on the caramel malts. Others you may find in ABC land include Hofbrau, Spaten, Left Hand, Victory and Beck's.

Prosit!  

Adam Shugan, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits Beer Consultant - Gainesville

Follow him on Twitter @abcbeeradams