| The leaves on the trees are turning spectacular | | | | be ready to drink by late summer or early autumn. |
| colors, and there is a serious nip in the air: it must be | | | | So how to make your own Oktoberfest beer? It's a |
| October. And what better way to celebrate autumn | | | | good idea to sample some of the commercial |
| than with a frosty pint of home brew beer? Let's | | | | varieties available to get an inkling of what flavors |
| take a look at the origin of a great beer holiday: | | | | you are looking to capture. Some folks say that a |
| Oktoberfest. | | | | 'biscuity' or 'toasty' flavor is desirable. Others stress |
| On October 12th, 1810 in Munich, Germany, Bavarian | | | | that an Oktoberfest home brew beer shouldn't be |
| Crown Prince Ludwig was wed to the | | | | too hoppy. Ultimately, your personal preference |
| Saxon-Hildburghausen Princess Therese. To celebrate, | | | | should trump anyone else's opinion. |
| the town citizens were invited to a five day festival | | | | That being said, some general recommendations are |
| on the fields in front of the city gates. The festivities | | | | as follows. For authenticity, try Pilsner style malt |
| culminated in a horse race and every year thereafter, | | | | which will impart the correct characteristic color and |
| the town celebrated their anniversary. Each year the | | | | smooth, complex, mellow malty flavor. Originally, the |
| celebration became more elaborate, with games, | | | | water of the Munich region was medium hard to |
| contests, feasting and of course, beer. | | | | medium soft. A long boil, up to two hours, is |
| The traditional beer of Oktoberfest is called Marzen. | | | | traditional. Some home brew beer recipes call for |
| Strict brewing standards which have been in effect | | | | using specific hops or hop combinations to produce |
| since the year 1516, known as the Rheinheitsgebot, | | | | the typical deep maltiness topped by delicate |
| once defined with exacting precision the three | | | | aromatics characteristic of a Marzen. |
| ingredients permitted in the brewing of beer: water, | | | | Check out the online home brew supplies or your |
| barley, and malt. Note that yeast wasn't mentioned: | | | | local home beer brewing supplier for these hops |
| back when this law went into effect, the role of | | | | suggestions: Hallertauer Magnum, Tettnanger, and/or |
| microorganisms in brewing was unknown! | | | | Hallertauer Mittelfruh. Home brewed Oktoberfest |
| Marzen is darker and stronger than traditional beer. It | | | | should not be too effervescent, so just a half cup of |
| is bottom-fermented, contains up to 6% alcohol, and | | | | dry malt extract or corn sugar should be enough for |
| is lagered for at least 30 days. (Lagering is the term | | | | 5 gallons. |
| for the fermentation of beer using yeast that | | | | These days, the German Oktoberfest is held from |
| ferments at the bottom of brewing tanks at typically | | | | the third week in September and ends on the first |
| lower than room temperature; caves were once the | | | | Sunday of October to take advantage of fairer |
| ideal locations for lagering.) This beer was traditionally | | | | weather. But with a little advance planning, you can |
| brewed in March, as suggested by the name, and | | | | enjoy the unique flavor of this holiday home brew |
| allowed to age through the summer so that it would | | | | beer all year long. |
