Germany’s Oktoberfest celebration is the undisputed king of brew fests and has cemented the country as an authority on beer culture. Returning after a two-year hiatus, the festival will be back and better than ever in 2022. “Every beer drinker should make it to Oktoberfest at least once in their life,” said traveler Glenda. In honor of the legendary celebration, here are the different types of German beer you can try on tour to make the most of Oktoberfest.
Various reports list Germany somewhere around second and fourth in the world when it comes to per capita beer consumption. Germany produces over 5,000 brands of beer out of 1,300 breweries, and the highest density of breweries in the world is reportedly found just outside Bamberg. From the 16th century until 1987, beer in Germany was strictly regulated by a purity law, the Reinheitsgebot, which stated that water, barley, hops, yeast, and sugar were the only ingredients that could be used in German-style beers. Today, regulations are a bit more lax—but that doesn’t mean that Germans are any less serious about their brewing.
The most important question to ask. Here are some things to know about ordering at Oktoberfest:
Warm up those vocal cords! One of the biggest Oktoberfest traditions is singing Ein Prosit, which translates to “a toast to coziness.” Ein Prosit gets sung about every 10—20 minutes and always ends in a cheers (so pace yourself!). When going in for a cheers, be sure to hold the beer with your fingers completely wrapped around the handle. If you have your fingers on the glass, you might accidentally hit them on your cheers partner’s glass.
Always wondered what people were drinking in those giant mugs (called steins) at Oktoberfest? It most likely is Helles, one of the top German beers at Oktoberfest. Helles is brewed specifically for the event and is from Munich breweries only. It even has a little bit more alcohol than normal.
Whether it’s a weizenbier, hefeweizen, or weissbier, Bavarian-style wheat and white beers are made with malted wheat in place of malted barely, giving them a lighter color. Unfiltered varieties (hefeweizen) appear cloudy, while filtered varieties (kristallweizen) are free of suspended yeast particles and have a much clearer appearance.
What is Kölsch-style beer? Only legally brewed in the Cologne region (Köln in German), Kölsch beers are bright yellow in color and have a slightly hoppy taste. In traditional pubs, the customs around imbibing Kölsch are strong—servers called Köbes carry full beers on a special circular tray, replacing empty glasses with full ones unprompted until a drinker signifies that they are finished by covering their glass.
If you’re searching for the most traditional Oktoberfest drink, look no further than Märzen. Only a handful of quintessential Germany beers are served in the Oktoberfest tents—dubbed “Märzen,” they’re traditionally brewed beginning in March. The category covers a wide range of German beer styles, from pale to dark brown, but all varieties are marked by a full body and distinct maltiness.
Traditionally, Bocks are sweet, strong, and copper brown with an off-white head. They were originally brewed in the 14th century in the town of Einbeck. The German beer was later adopted by Bavarian brewers in Munich, whose accents shifted the pronunciation to “ein Bock,” which actually means “billy goat” in German. Generally associated with special occasions and holidays, these brews were also historically sipped by Bavarian monks during times of fasting.
Meaning “dark” in German, the Dunkel category encompasses a variety of malty lagers that range from light amber to a dark, reddish brown. The Dunkel is the rustic beer of the Bavarian countryside and, as it was the most popular beer in Germany at the time of the Reinheitsgebot, was the first fully regulated German beer.
Ready to try the best beer in Germany at Oktoberfest? We don’t blame ya! Check out our Oktoberfest tours.