Oktoberfest beers celebrate the changing of the season

Published 12:00 am Thursday, September 15, 2016

On Saturday, the 206th annual Oktoberfest celebration begins in Munich, Germany, and runs through Oct. 3. Originally commemorating the marriage of Bavarian Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese in 1810, the event grew and evolved to become the largest beer and folk festival in the world. More than six million people attend each year, and Munich’s Oktoberfest has inspired many others around the world.

Central Oregon is no exception, starting with the Bend Oktoberfest taking place downtown this weekend. Established in 2005, the Bend festival is family friendly and free to attend, and highlights include Bavarian themed beers, wines and foods. The self-described “absurd games of skill” includes a yodeling competition, tricycle races, and the signature wiener dog races. It starts at 5 p.m. Friday and continues noon to 10 p.m. Saturday.

The following weekend, the Redmond Kiwanis Club celebrates its ninth annual Oktoberfest, hosted by Wild Ride Brewing. It starts at 4 p.m. Sept. 23 and is free to attend for the whole family. Proceeds from a silent auction and raffle will help support Kiwanis community youth projects. Live music, over 30 beers on tap, and children’s activities round out the festivities.

On Sept. 24, additional events include McMenamins’ all-day Oktoberfest featuring live music and food and beer specials, and Worthy Brewing’s Hoptoberfest, which includes judging on a fresh hop homebrew competition.

Märzen and more

There is a classic style of beer named after the festival as well. Historically synonymous with the style known as Märzen, the beer was traditionally brewed in March and stored throughout the summer in cold caves. An amber lager brewed with traditional German malts such as Munich and Vienna, the profile is rich and bready with a moderate hop presence. A definitive example is from Germany’s Paulaner Brewery, which can be found locally in bottles.

In Munich, the majority of modern Festbier since 1990 is lighter in body and color than the Märzen variety. The golden color comes from an emphasis on pilsner malt, and overall the beer is easier to drink and less intense than its darker, fuller cousin. Americans, however, have come to expect the darker, more caramel-forward version of the style.

For many, Oktoberfest is the traditional start of the “fall” beer season, where we begin to see the transition from lighter, warmer-weather beers to the darker, heavier beers of winter. To complement the shorter days and cooler nights, breweries often craft brews that are hearty, malty and warming, often modeled after German-brewed Märzens or influenced by them.

Let’s take a look at several local examples you will be able to find this autumn.

McMenamins’ Autumn Moon is a solid example of the style, returning this year for the Old St. Francis School’s Oktoberfest Sept. 24. Brewer Mike “Curly” White built this recipe from a complex base of malts to offer up a medium-bodied lager. According to the description, “Hop bitterness and flavors balance out in the back end of the drink and leaves a somewhat crisp, dry finish.”

Deschutes Brewery’s new fall seasonal, Hopzeit Autumn IPA, is a hybridization of trends. Inspired by the flavors and malt body of a Märzen, the brewery infused the beer with newer German hop varietals to produce an amber-colored India Pale Ale. The hops are fruity and slightly minty, a departure from the typical American hops found in similar ales, and complement the nutty, toasted biscuit flavors from the malt.

Sisters-based Three Creeks Brewing releases Dark Hollow Harvest Ale for the season, a strong malt-forward ale that usually appears in October. Specialty malts give the beer rich toffee and dark fruit flavors, and with its strength offers up a warming body reminiscent of a winter ale.

Sunriver Brewing goes in the opposite direction with their Hopfen Kolsch, a hoppy, unfiltered ale that is golden in color. The brewery’s description indicates “notes of tangerine, pineapple and gooseberries” derived from the German Mandarina Bavaria and Hallertau Blanc hops.

Crux Fermentation Project keeps their Märzen Bier in regular rotation, enjoyable throughout the year and finding a malty sweet spot in the autumn.

If you haven’t yet, take the opportunity to try some of these and other fall beer offerings on tap now and for the next few months. And be sure to enjoy your Oktoberfesting with a cheer and a “Prost!”

— Jon Abernathy is a local beer blogger and brew aficionado. His column appears in GO! every other week.