In line with German tradition, five Oktoberfest biers are brewed for the festival and are therefore only available once a year. These limited edition biers are brewed within the confines of the Munich City district and are made by abiding to the ancient German Purity Law (Reinheitsgebot), which means that they can only contain four ingredients: water, hops, malt and yeast.
Munich Brauhaus and The Bavarian restaurants in Melbourne will have exclusive access to all five biers throughout Oktoberfest, from Saturday, 22 September, to Saturday 27 October.
So who (or what biers) will be available for your drinking pleasure? Prepare your taste buds and welcome:
29th September – 6th October
Löwenbräu Oktoberfestbier 6.2%
Can’t make it to Munich for Oktoberfest? Not to worry – this bright, sparkling brew provides an authentic taste of the world’s greatest festival. Served at the very first Oktoberfest celebrations back in 1810, Löwenbräu is a full-bodied and malty brew with a hint of spice and a yeasty tang.
Style: Oktoberfest / Märzen
Appearance: Bright and sparkling with a fluffy, creamy white head
Aroma: Malty and grassy hops
Palate: Full bodied, malty with a hint of spice, perfectly balanced hops and a yeasty tang
6th October – 13th October
Spaten Oktoberfestbier 5.9%
Fancy a Bier with the Lord Mayor of Munich? Then order up a Spaten – it’s the brew that kicks off Oktoberfest when Munich’s head-honcho knocks the tap into the Spaten keg and yells, “O’zapft is!” (“It’s tapped!”) A full-flavoured brew boasting a malty sweetness with hints of fruit and nuts, Spaten was first created in a small Munich ‘brew’ pub way back in 1397.
Style: Oktoberfest / Märzen
Appearance: Brilliant pale gold
Aroma: Malt caramel and herbal hops
Palate: Full flavoured malty sweetness supported by some nuttiness and fruit character. Perfectly balanced herbal hops finishing with mild bitterness.
13th October – 20th October
Paulaner Oktoberfestbier 6.0%
Following the crowd? Then start here. Paulaner Oktoberfest bier dominates the Munich Oktoberfest – it’s so popular that over one million steins are served each year over the 16 days. It has so many fans that Paulaner is the only brewery to produce Oktoberfest bier all year round. Lagered for four weeks to bring out the rich flavour, it was originally conjured up in a Bavarian monastery by Pauline monks. Forced to fast on bread and water during Lent the clever monks reasoned that bier could be brewed as ‘liquid bread’. This allowed them to get sustenance without breaking their fast –
how’s that for a heavenly solution?
Style: Oktoberfest / Märzen
Appearance: Rich yellow – gold
Aroma: Honey malt and flowery hops
Palate: Highly satisfying and truly thirst quenching, it has a light honeyed malt character dominant and elegant flowery hops aftertaste.
20th October – 27th October
Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest Märzen 5.8%
You can’t get a party started without a celebratory brew. In October 1810 Crown Prince Ludwig was about to get hitched to the lovely Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. Prince Lud asked Joseph Pschorr to create a special bier for the occasion and the Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest bier was born. It was such a hit that the wedding turned into a festival and 203 years later they’re still celebrating Oktoberfest on the land Joseph left behind.
Style: Oktoberfest / Märzen
Appearance: Captivating brilliant pale gold
Aroma: Malts, nuts and citrus hops
Palate: Subtle malt caramels balanced with hints of nuts and citrus. Finishes with slight bitterness and restrained sweetness. Oh so easy drinking!