August 9, 2022

See You at Oktoberfest!

Written by Rachel Gyarmati

September is such an exciting month for us that we couldn’t wait another month to discuss it!

Every September, the world celebrates Oktoberfest. This festival originated in Munich, Germany, and was founded to celebrate the marriage of a German Prince in October of 1810.

The festival gained such a following that the date was moved to September to allow for larger crowds and celebrate with better weather. Now that’s our kind of party! As the festival migrated to around the world, many traditions and fun celebrations have been added to fit the city that is throwing it.

This celebration of love, Bier, and hospitality is celebrated on almost every continent worldwide. Even Japan and Australia have made Oktoberfest a staple in their calendars. Read on to see how you can get in on the fun here in Columbus this year!

Mark Your Calendar

This year, the Columbus Oktoberfest will be held from September 9th-11th. We are honored to be co-sponsoring with our friends from Schmidt’s once again. We’ll kick off the weekend at Our Häus on September 8th, when we tap our Oktoberfest keg! This has been moved from September 6th to include it in our festivities.

The party doesn’t stop on September 11th! The following weekend (September 16th-18th), we will continue the party at Our Häus with live music.  If you have kids in your crew, bring them for face painting and balloon artists that weekend, too. We love hosting our own little ‘Grandview Oktoberfest’, and we hope to see you there.

Iss, Trink und Sei Fröhlich (Eat, Drink and be Merry)

Festivals like Oktoberfest can be fascinating when it comes to the logistics of feeding thousands of people. Although no numbers are available for our local festival, we have them for the original Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany.

During their annual Oktoberfest, Munich festival goers will consume

• 510,000 whole hendl (roasted chicken)
• 60,000 sausages
• 59,000 pork knuckles (ham hocks)

We can’t say we will have this much to sell here in Columbus, but we can tell you that we will have all your favorites. From pretzels and Bier cheese to cream puffs, we have you covered! Our monthly pairing for September is straight from the Bier tents of Munich. That dish is the Grillhendl served with the HB Oktoberfest Bier (Märzen), our Seasonal Bier for September.

Speaking of that HB Oktoberfest Bier (Märzen), here’s what you need to know:

• It’s 6.3% Alcohol by volume (please drink responsibly)
• A spicy hint of hops marks the flavor and finish of the Bier.
• The spicy hop flavor is a perfect complement to the fried cabbage served with our Grillhendl.

Don’t think that we forgot about the Seasonal Bier for August. We would never pass on tapping a keg full of our Sommer Weizen (5.6% Alc. by Vol). The banana and clove hints make it the drink you need to cool down in the Biergarten this month.

Don’t forget to bring your pup to the Biergarten when you come so that you can celebrate the dog days of Summer and Oktoberfest together.

Oktoberfest: An International Phenomenon

As we mentioned earlier, there aren’t many places that don’t celebrate Oktoberfest. Here are a few ways other countries celebrate one of our favorite holidays.

Japan

The Japanese company called Oktoberfest has made it its mission to bring an authentic German experience to Japan. From April to October, they throw monthly Oktoberfest celebrations in different regions in Japan. Now that’s dedication!

Brazil

During the 1800s, over 27 million Europeans left Europe for the Americas. A large group of these immigrants settled in Brazil. Their Oktoberfest is the third largest in the world and includes an intense Bier drinking contest. Participants are challenged to chug 600ml (20.28 ounces) of Bier! There is also a contest for the Queen of Oktoberfest.

Australia (Brisbane)

Oktoberfest started to be celebrated in Brisbane in 2008. It is celebrated in other parts of Australia, but the festival in Brisbane is most notable. Its dedication to authentic German culture and odd contests make it a must-do if you’re in Brisbane at the time. Our favorite contests are:

• The Lady’s cow milking contest.
• Beard growing/styling competition.
• The Bavarian Strong Man competition.

See You in September

It’s understood that we get into Oktoberfest more than most, but how can we not? On top of the great food and atmosphere, we will also have live music. We even have something for our youngest festival goers. Kids are welcome to enjoy face painting and balloons during Oktoberfest. As always, our exemplary kids’ menu is available to enjoy.

We cannot wait to celebrate Oktoberfest with you. Prost (cheers) to Bier, pretzels, and Chicken Dancing like there’s no tomorrow!