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Celebration Must Officially Be Brewed in Munich

The European Commission recently recognized the city's brewing history and water supply as essential to Oktoberfestbier.

By 

Jelisa Castrodale

 

 

Published on October 28, 2022

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Beer steins at Oktoberfest. PHOTO: 

NIKADA / GETTY IMAGES

In October 1810, the man who would become King Ludwig I and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen got married in Munich — and they invited the entire city to celebrate with them, to watch a horse race, and to generally have the best time you could have before anyone had electricity. That event was repeated the next year, and the next, and it eventually became the Oktoberfest celebration that attracts over 6 million people and almost as many pairs of lederhosen to Munich every year.  

But surprisingly, it wasn’t until this week that the European Commission named the city’s "Oktoberfestbier" — the beer brewed in Munich — as a Protected Geographical Indication of Germany. (That’s an ultra-formal way of saying that the designation means that any beer labeled as "Oktoberfestbier" has to come from Munich.) 

"One of the particularities of the beer lies in the use of water drawn from deep springs in the city of Munich, originating in the tertiary layers, up to about 250 [meters] deep," the European Commission said in a release. "The world-renowned reputation that the 'Oktoberfest beer' enjoys today is partly due to the fact that in Munich innovations were introduced very early in the brewing process, which decisively influenced the quality of the beer. The fact that the 'Oktoberfestbier' is brewed especially for Oktoberfest has greatly contributed to the exceptional reputation of this beer."

The beer has long been a centerpiece of Oktoberfest. In 1910, the event’s 100th anniversary, revelers downed an estimated 1.2 million liters of suds which, at the time, was a record. That sounds positively quaint compared to the more modern numbers: According to Bloomberg, the event’s annual beer tab now includes around 8 million liters (and attendees also scarf half a million roasted chickens).

This year’s festival, which was held between September 17 and October 3, was the first Oktoberfest since 2019 as the past two events were canceled due to the pandemic. "There will be an unrestricted [festival] which will hopefully give a lot of people a lot of pleasure," Munich mayor Dieter Reiter announced earlier this year.

And next year will be the first in which Oktoberfestbier has its official Protected Geographical Indication. If that’s not worth raising an extra stein to, we don’t know what is.

 here is the coaster or bier mug cover.  Basically says that the it keeps bugs, spit, backwash, shit out of your bier as to keep with the German bier purity law!

Final Oktoberfest Wrap-up

Well, at least for know it appears we will keep this Blog in place. The winter months are traditionally slow anyway, so I will reevaluate the need in the spring.

Some interesting 2022 facts:

1. Our band of brothers (and one sister) had a great time. Lots of day trips.

2. Attendance was done from 2019. Everyone thought it would be crazy because of the two cancellations, but no. I even said on each of our visits how slow it seemed. Official estimates say 6.3m people in 2019 with 5.7m people in 2022.

3. Hotel Alfa is struggling. Hope Anton can keep things going. He has lost a lot (most?) of his business travel, which makes tourist/leisure travel so important.

4. Nothing better than a Doner after several Maß of bier.

Here's a quickie for you at our Hacker Tent reservation......

Proof that Designated Walker attended...

Has this Blog run its course?

We introduced this Blog in 2005 to communicate about our passion for Oktoberfest and München. It was the best way for a global audience to stay in touch and encouraged others to participate. But has the Blog outlived its usefulness?

I could detail many statistics, but this year, with a full-on Bier Immersion assault, we have only seen 34 individual posts (in 2005 we had almost 10x that many, not to mention the comments). This is the least since 2015 which was a non-trip year. In addition, there was not even one post from the front lines during this year’s visit. Have other means of communication surpassed the Blog’s utility? Have we just lost interest in frivolity as we approach our later years? Even some of our core members do not post, do not comment, and may not even read any longer.

So, the simple question is, do we terminate the blog?

As the unofficial Official Blog Meister, I welcome your input. 

 

It is official a new word for drinking before 12:00

Frühschoppen (meaning: an alcoholic drink before midday in company) is the German and Austrian tradition to meet up at a pub, inn or tavern in the late morning (usually on Sundays). The specific customs vary from region to region. Frühschoppen is often a kind of brunch, but does not necessarily involve food. Frühschoppen is also often held at fun fairs, the most famous being Oktoberfest or Cannstatter Volksfest.

In Lower Bavaria and most of Upper Bavaria, Frühschoppen is understood to be a specific kind of brunch consisting of Weisswurst, sweet mustard, pretzels, and Weissbier (an unfiltered wheat beer). The Bavarian Frühschoppen began in rural areas and has originally taken place on Sundays in a tavern at the regulars' table (Stammtisch). During Frühschoppen, folk may discuss everyday life and politics. In the corner of the tavern or festival tent (Festzelt) there is typically a band playing Volksmusik. (Nowadays some places have pop, rock, and jazz bands.)

In many other regions of Germany, Frühschoppen is understood more generally to be a gathering in a pub on Sunday morning, traditionally held after church service. This usually includes the consumption of alcoholic beverages, but not necessarily that of a meal. With the decline of church attendance in Germany this tradition has become somewhat less common, but is still held up in many places, especially in rural areas.