ByErik Ofgang
ByErik Ofgang,
Contributor.
In Munich, Oktoberfest is a folk celebration of German food, beer and culture overall, running from mid-September to early October. In the U.S., it can be all those things as well, but more often than not the focus is on the beer. The annual festival gives U.S. brewers a wonderful excuse to test their brewing skills making Oktoberfest beers—specific types of German-style lagers.
Beers from only six German breweries—Paulaner, Spaten, Hacker-Pschorr, Augustiner, Hofbrau and Lowenbrau—are brewed officially for the Oktoberfest in Munich. But producers across the globe have long offered their own takes on these types of beers. In the U.S., brewers tend to gravitate toward the märzen style, which has a fuller body and less hoppy flavor than some other traditional styles of German beers. These beers, often a darker amber color, are traditionally brewed in March and aged until September.
