So, we asked ourselves if we wanted to go to the BIGGEST Oktoberfest in the state, and the answer was YES!
Let's go downtown to the waterfront for micro-brew tastings, no, wait -- there is a BIGGER Oktoberfest, not too far away, in Mt. Angel! And so we went, the Alexanator (still talking her into joining steemit), @nebcat, and I...
Oktoberfest in Mt. Angel is more than just a celebration of German culture - it's one of Oregon's longest festivals and has become more family friendly with each year. Each year more than 300,000 people attend the four-day festival, which has been held in Mt. Angel for more than 50 years.
How did Oktoberfest make its way to Oregon, USA you ask?
The Mt. Angel Oktoberfest is one of the longest standing folk festivals in the Northwest and celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2015. The festival began as a traditional fall festival to celebrate the harvest. The format was changed to the Oktoberfest in 1966, following a tradition of more than 100 years of harvest festivals under various names and formats. The Mt. Angel community was founded by German pioneers in 1867, and since the surrounding area resembles rural Bavaria, organizers thought the Oktoberfest would be a natural fit for the community.
By Patrick Johnson (For Oregon.com)
Naturally, we went there for the German fare
Namely the bratwurst. I was nearly starving after the hour-long drive, the duration of which, I had been dreaming of German sausage... Upon arrival, the food tent was our first destination. Then, off to sample our first German beer. Bier!
Bier we drank:
Schöfferhofer Grapefruit Shandy / Radler
2.5% ABV
Binding Brauerei
Frankfurt
Hefeweizen-Grapefruit-Mix
Serving Sizes: 14oz Draft
I quite enjoyed this bier, it was the last of the evening. I immediately decided I had to have it when I saw it had grapefruit in it - I love grapefruit.
Warsteiner Oktoberfest Special Edition Märzen
5.9% ABV
Warsteiner
Warstein
Celebrate German heritage with this authentic, German Specialty. A truly German import brewed according to the German Purity Law, as are all Warsteiner beers, in limited quantities especially for Oktoberfest celebrations. This special edition has a well-balanced, mild and smooth taste with a uniquely soft, hoppy aftertaste and 5.9% alcohol. So bring a bit of Germany with you to your next Oktoberfest celebration and bring a Warsteiner Edition Oktoberfest.
Serving Sizes: 14oz Draft
Classic. We purchased the glass, along with the beer, on our first round. We were able to refill the 14oz glasses all night, at all 3 gartens, too!
Black Habit Belgian Strong Dark Ale
7.8% ABV
Benedictine Brewery
St. Benedict, OR
Serving Sizes: 14oz Draft
This one was my favorite, because it was so unique! I could taste the barrel, most certainly the first thing I tasted was the barrel, a black oak casket. It was earthy, rich, and very dark. Hints of either licorice or molasses, as @nebcat suggested.
Braumeister Edition Amber Lager Lager - Vienna
5.2% ABV
25 IBU
Warsteiner
Warstein
Brewed to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the German Reinheitsgebot. Hops: Hallertauer Tradition & Cascade. WARSTEINER Braumeister Edition was created in honor of Fritz Peters, Warsteiner’s first certified brewmaster who worked at the brewery for 30 years and was instrumental in its expansion. Inspired by vintage recipes, WARSTEINER Braumeister Edition has a full-bodied, fruity flavor with a distinctive maltiness and notes of honey and caramel. The warm copper color and large, creamy head create a delicious and memorable pour.
Serving Sizes: 14oz Draft
Most excellent head, indeed!
The Venues: Biergarten, Weingarten, Alpinegarten, and the Prostgarten
I did not want to go into the Prostgarten and the Bandstand because they were too rowdy and packed with the live music going on. Sorry, Alexinator, for being so poopy! But she and @nebcat forgive me. :-) Instead, we made our way through the crowd, to check out the beginnings of the street dancing. We stopped, to pose by the clock-tower, and had our picture taken. Since fewer people had dressed up, we got a lot of attention. Also, beer socks! Plus, Alexinator and I are too cute, am I not right? While the dancing had not seemed to take, we enjoyed ourselves after discovering the one spot in the square that had a wifi hotspot... Next we meandered back towards the large, tented Biergarten. More live music! :-) And hay bales, too! By now, the first bier had kicked in and I was enjoying myself much more. Since it was packed everywhere, we seated ourselves across the way, in the anterior tent, and secured ourselves a front seat, just in time for it to start raining, again.
Prost!
Cheers, from us, to you!
Hope you enjoyed our Oktoberfest post. Be sure and visit a festival coming soon, near you. Remember, not all Oktoberfests are in October...
Why do you celebrate Oktoberfest in September?
There are a couple of widely accepted versions of why Oktoberfest is celebrated in September. Even in Munich the bulk of the festival occurs in September. Oktoberfest has come to mean a celebration of German Culture in the Fall season. Most fall festivals come at the end of the harvest when the crops are in and everything sits in the lager house. It is time to celebrate the year’s hard work and praise the Creator’s bounty with a grand harvest festival. Few harvest festivals in Germany are called OKTOBERFEST. In Mount Angel, Oktoberfest always starts the second Thursday after Labor Day – about when the hop harvest is in. Another reason for celebrating Oktoberfest in September is that the weather tends to be more cooperative. We can attest to that in Mount Angel.
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Photo by @nebcat
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