200 Years of Oktoberfest

OK so it's not exactly something that we get to enjoy in this neck of the world, but c'mon folks, can you imagine being a part of a 2 1/2 to 3 week long festival celebrating friendship, food and beer? How much better could it get? I'm pretty darn sure my brother would be giving a big "Hell yeah!" on that one.

This year's Oktoberfest, which kicked off on September 18, is actually the 200th anniversary of the celebration. There are imitations around the world but the real deal is in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. The first Oktoberfest was held in 1810 to celebrate the marriage of Bavaria's Prince Ludwig (the future King Ludwig I) to his lovely bride Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghhausen (imagine putting that on your return address!) The people of Munich were invited to enjoy picnics, parades and horse races. The original Oktoberfest was so successful that the Bavarian government decided to hold it annually and the lands where the main tents are erected are called the Theresienwiese to this day to honor Princess Therese.

Beer didn't actually become a part of the festival until 1895- weird huh? But believe me, ever since, it has been a common part of Oktoberfest. They took statistics at the 100th anniversary in 1910 and realized that 120,000 litres of beer were consumed. For us Americans, that's over 31000 gallons. Wonder how much will be sucked down this year? The average cost of a beer at Oktoberfest is 8.5 Euros or about $11.40. That's a little pricey in my book but the Germans are known for their beer so I'm sure it's the good stuff.

Of course, there's plenty of food too. The Bavarians will munch on traditional delicacies like bratwurst and sauerkraut (that's sausage and cabbage for us). And then they've got the stuff that will make you go "hmmm" or gag depending on your sensibilities. They'll be dipping their pretzels in Obatdza, a spicy cheese sauce with extra fat mixed in. How about some Haxn or pork knuckles? Nothing better than a good pork knuckle is there? And my favorite is Rokeg which is ground meat and blood mixed together and baked like a pastry or casserole. I don't know which grosses me out worse, the "blood" part or the fact that they don't identify what the "meat" is.

Regardless, somewhere between now and the festival's end on October 4, if you find yourself with a beer in hand, remember that it's Oktoberfest and raise your brew with a resounding chant of "Tiki, Tocki, Tiki, Tocki, Oy, Oy, Oy!" (They really do that; it's not just a Man Show thing!)