9 Great American Oktoberfest Beers

We tend to associate fall seasonal beers with pumpkin, spice and everything nice. But before we crack open the autumn seasonal offerings that incorporate flavors we broadly associate with the season, there first comes the Märzen, or Oktoberfest-style beer.

Märzen (German for March) beers were historically brewed in Germany right at the end of the brewing season in March. This was the product of Bavarian lawmakers forbidding brewing during the summer months as bacteria and wild yeast could spoil the beer. The beer would then be stored in cold cellars or — due to their proximity to the Alps — in caves that would keep the beer at colder temperatures for the rest of the summer. The beers would then be consumed in late summer and early fall.

This nicely coincided with what would become the celebration of Oktoberfest. The festival originated in 1810 as a celebration between the Crown Prince Ludwig I of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. A year later, Oktoberfest was celebrated again, but specifically to promote Bavarian agriculture and the economy. The festival continued to evolve and the association with beer began in 1818, when beer and food stands opened up as an official part of the festival… CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL STORY AT GEAR PATROL