The Definitive Guide to Oktoberfest – What to Expect this Year
Ah, the time of the year has come again for the largest beer festival in the world – Oktoberfest. If you want to reap the fullest enjoyment out of this celebration, then you must have the following knowledge at hand.
First, understand and speak the beer language. The opening ceremony that officially kick-starts the whole festival happens when the mayor taps the first beer barrel at noon and shouts “O’zaptf is!”which means “its tapped!”. There is no better way to start your drinking marathon than chinking glasses with the people around you and say Trinkspruch (toast) or Zum Wohl (to your health) or shout out “Oans, zwoa, g’suffa“ (one, two drink) before you chug the beer down.
To truly submerge in the Bavarian tradition in style, the men wear lederhosen which are short breeches worn with a shirt and the ladies wear dirndls that come in a white blouse, skirt and apron. Dressing in the right Oktoberfest costumes will help you to blend in with the ambiance better and make the whole experience a lot more fun! Hours into the festival, you will soon be familiar with the upbeat songs to sing along with or dance to as you will realise that certain songs such as Ein Prosit, Sierra Madre and Hande zum Himmel will be played repeatedly in the beer tent.
You can’t truly say that you went to the Oktoberfest without actually having a good drink. Thanks to the Germans (Bavarians) who have been so generous to share their oldest brewing tradition and exquisite taste for beer with the rest of the world, you will find a few glasses of freshly brewed alcohol that are satisfying on so many levels. Don’t worry about getting confused on the names of the German beer, just go ahead and try them! You may be surprised by the Weissbier that carries a faint aroma of fruits such as bananas or Dunkelweizen that resembles chocolate drink.
No doubt Oktoberfest is all about beer, we do advise that you drink responsibly for your own health and safety, and also the people around you. As for non-beer drinkers, you are most welcome to partake in the joyous ambiance with the widely available schnapps that comes in many flavours.
When it comes to beer and food pairings, the Germans know just the perfect way to do it. Ranging from the most faithful beer snack of pretzels with a salty crust and soft doughy inner texture to generous selection of meat such as the crunchy yet juicy wurst (sausages), crispy pork knuckle with tender falling apart meat and breaded schnitzel in chicken, pork or veal, you won’t get enough of it! For the health conscious few, go for the sauerkraut and potatoes.
Even though Oktoberfest is full of excitement and its ambiance will definitely turn up your vibe, it is important to be collective at all times and be aware of your surroundings. After all, you will want a lifetime experience to remember, for all the right reasons.
