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I know its no longer October, but I've decided to write about Oktoberfest beer. Since I've been tardy in writing this article, I'm not sure if you'll be reading this article in November's or December's newsletter (my apologies to Tony). Oktoberfest is the generic name given to beer served during that famed Bavarian festival in Munich. By tradition, these beers are of the style known as Maerzen (pronounced Mare-tsin), fairly high in gravity and very malty in aroma. The word Maerzen derives from the German word "Maerz", denoting the month of March, when these rich beers were traditionally brewed, before the warm summer made clean fermentation too difficult. The added gravity would give it the strength to resist infection over the summer of aging. At the end of the summer, in September or October, the Germans would cart out the Maerzen beer in ceremonial fashion for widespread consumption (those Germans just love ceremony).
Coincidentally, the Oktoberfest begins in mid to late September, commemorating the 1810 betrothal of the Bavarian Crown Prince. And thought celebrations of this season occur all over Germany, the Oktoberfest, strictly speaking, refers only to the festival at the Munich fairground known as Theresienwiese (Theresa's meadow, pronounced tare-ays-ee-in-vee-sa), named after the royal bride. And as this "party" lasts 16 days with 5 or 6 million attending per year, that's quite an engagement party commemoration. The natural beer to drink at a September celebration would have to be a Maerzenbier. But don't worry, if the Crown Prince had instead gotten betrothed in June, the Germans, being resourceful people, would have found something else equally important to celebrate in late September, with the tapping of the Maerzenbier. In fact, the festivals occurring concurrently all over southern Germany all feature Maerzenbiers, though only one of these (the one in Munich) will be THE Oktoberfest.
Maerzen should be a "medium-strong, malty, amber-red, translucent, bottom-fermenting beer derived from the Viennese method," according to Michael Jackson. The period of lagering is especially long, as noted above, and its maltiness should be concentrated in the aroma rather than the palate, notes Jackson. The body is malty, but not overpoweringly so as a Barleywine might be. Jackson notes that the Germans have this peculiar habit of drinking strong beers during times of uncertain weather (bock in Spring, Maerzen in Fall). It kind of makes sense to me... a strong lager to take the chill off a brisk autumn evening, while your heavy winter coat is still in the attic and the firewood is still aging in the back yard. Indeed, I get warm and fuzzy just thinking about it.
The Maerzenbier lineage can be traced back to the mid-1800's, to the original brewer, which in this case is Spaten of Munich. Jackson indicates that this original product was the likely collaboration of Spaten's Gabriel Sedlmayr with that of the Viennese brewer Dreher. Other brewers in and around Bavaria adopted the style, as well. Disconcertingly, however, recent years have brought about a reduction in the character of Maerzens, supposedly in response to the public's demand for paler beers. In fact, it is reported that there has been an increasing consumption of blander beers at recent Oktoberfests, though Maerzen is still strongly encouraged.
I have personally noted, and I'm glad to see that Michael Jackson agrees with me, that Oktoberfest beers go particularly well with roasted meats like pork and chicken, and spicier dishes, as well. Its inherent sweetness, which might cloy the palate if consumed in isolation, provides just the proper accent with these foods. I am constantly amazed by both the subtleties and the versatility of beer. It is truly a beverage for all seasons. Hopfen und Malz, Gott erhalt's! (hops and malt, God preserve them!).
