Oktoberfest 2012
This year marks the 179th Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany in which an expected 6.5 million revelers from around the world gather to wear lederhosen and dirndls, eat pretzels, dance to the glorious sounds of oompah music and, of course, drink lots and lots of beer.
Just how much beer exactly? Last year, Oktoberfesters drank a record 7.5 million liters of malty beverages and this year they’re on track to beat it again. 3.6 million liters have been consumed in the first week alone! Only beer that was brewed within the city limits of Munich and is at least 6% ABV may be designated Oktoberfest Beer. And to soak up all these suds – tens of thousands of giant soft pretzels, pork dumplings, 118 oxen and thousands of chickens.
This years festivities cover over 65 acres with around 12,000 waitresses and waiters serving more than 7 million “mass” (liter-sized jugs) in 35 tents, the biggest of which seats a whopping 10,000 people.
But it wasn’t always this way. The Oktoberfest started as a wedding celebration in 1810 to mark the marriage of the Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. Since then, an agricultural fair (held every four years), parades, and countless reorganizations have made the world renowned festival what it is today. Technically, this is the 202nd anniversary of the festival but only the 179th edition as the event was cancelled during two cholera outbreaks, two world wars, Napoleon’s invasion of Bavaria and the hyperinflation of the 1920s.
Stats (2010) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oktoberfest
- ♣ Seats in the festival halls: approx. 100,000
- ♣ Visitors: 6.4 million
- ♣ Beer: appr. 7,100,000 liters (151,200 liters non-alcoholic)
- ♣ Wine: 89,259 liters
- ♣ Sparkling wine: 37,733 liters
- ♣ Coffee and tea: 245,335 liters
- ♣ Water and lemonade: 1,028,522 half liters
- ♣ Chicken: 505,901
- ♣ Pork sausages: 119,302 pairs
- ♣ Fish: 40,850 kg
- ♣ Pork knuckles (haxen): 69,293
- ♣ Oxen: 119
- ♣ Expenditure of electricity: 2.96 million kWh (as much as 14% of Munich’s daily requirements or as much as a four person family will need in 52 years and 4 months)
- ♣ Waste: 678 t (2004)
- ♣ Toilets: about 980 seats, more than 878 meters of urinals and 17 for disabled persons
- ♣ Lost property: about 4000 items, among them 260 pairs of glasses, 200 mobile phones, wedding rings, and even 500 crutches.
After a one year hiatus, our Oktoberfest Smoked Bavarian Lager is back. This year’s edition boasts a new label and slightly higher alcohol content (falling in the ABV range of a true ‘Oktoberfest beer’ according to Munich standards). Amsterdam Oktoberfest is a Bavarian style lager brewed with malt that has been smoked over beechwood fires at the brewery. This old world technique is typical of Rauchbiers from Germany. The natural smokiness leads way to a distinctive “fall flavour” that is both rich & complex and an extra long aging process allows the flavours to develop a very smooth character.
You can find our Oktoberfest at The Bier Markt at the Shops at Don Mills for their event running October 11-14, Bier Markt King West, Bier Markt Esplanade, C’est What, Beer Bistro, The Only Café, Parts and Labour, La Hacienda, FOUR, Sauce… on the Danforth, Turf Lounge, Thirsty and Miserable, Tequilla Bookworm, Sliante (Hamilton), The Ship (Hamilton), Pyro Bar (Hamilton) and Baltimore House (Hamilton).
We’ll also have 500mL bottles in our retail store later this week selling for $3.95.
Check out our Facebook and Twitter pages for updates on Oktoberfest and where the beer is pouring. Prosit!
Cheers,
Amsterdam
