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Many attendants of this year's Oktoberfest were found sporting one of the manliest forms of dress known to mankind: German traditional lederhosen. Even the mayor of Munich knew the party doesn't get started until the keg is tapped.

Brews Clues-This weeks Lager: Warsteiner Oktoberfest

By: Dennis Mongello

Posted: 10/5/07

It's a common mistake to think that Oktoberfest takes place exclusively during October. Maybe it did back when it started in 1810, but nowadays, the bulk of it is in September. I suppose "Septemberfest" just doesn't look German enough. Still, like most drunken gatherings, the first Oktoberfest was a wedding party, commemorating the marriage of Prince Ludwig to Princess Theresa, whose full name is entirely too long to print. Anyway, the Germans had such a great time at this reception they eventually made it an annual event.

Today's Oktoberfest is kicked off with the tapping of the first keg. When the mayor of Munich proclaims "It's tapped!" the celebration begins. It's sort of poetic to think it's not really a party until the beer starts flowing. Still, despite popular belief, Oktoberfest is about a little bit more than just beer. It gives German men an excuse to pull out their Lederhosen and the women a chance to don their Dirndl. Also, what better way to enjoy a beer than with a bratwurst covered in sauerkraut with a side of (German) potato salad?

That's exactly what Philadelphia's Ludwig's Garten offered Philadelphians the last Saturday of September, as the city closed off a few blocks and let the Germans show the rest of us how to drink. Sure this celebration is probably one-hundredth the size of Germany's, but there's no better excuse to start drinking at noon. Like the German celebration, different tents were set up from different breweries, each with a few varieties of beer to try out. From all the choices, I decided to try out the Warsteiner Oktoberfest, an imported Märzen.

Märzen gets its name from the German word for March, the month in which it is traditionally brewed. Before fancy refrigerators were invented, March was the last month old man winter would allow a lager to be brewed before the warmer summer months made this process impossible. Märzens are stored over the summer and are enjoyed in September along with the Oktoberfest. This beer isn't brewed for its complexity, but rather its mass appeal and smooth taste.The beer has a reddish copper body and thin off-white head that retains its pillowy consistency throughout. It is somewhat dark for a lager, but that's how this style of beer is supposed to be. The aromas are light, but the roasted malts are most noticeable. There are faint but detectable grain notes. Also, just like the smell, the taste is rather subtle. The slightly sweet, slightly grainy malt flavors swirl around your mouth and are followed by a noticeable but short, slightly bitter, aftertaste.

The best aspect of the beer is its smoothness. It is perfectly carbonated, giving it a full body, and it is still easily drinkable. It's a great beer to be drinking when you know you are going to be drinking a lot of beer. You can chug it down in a toast to the great King Ludwig I, or you can sip it in between bites of bratwurst and enjoy it just as much. In fact, this beer matches well with sausage; the body can stand up to the greasiness of the sausage and the flavors are equally mild.

Overall, Warsteiner Oktoberfest isn't an overly complex or subtle beer. It isn't pretentious in its presentation and is very straightforward with its flavor. It's a step up from your basic import, but there are a lot of beers out there with more character. Part of this though, is just because the Märzen style is pretty simple.

It's a good German beer to have at a good German festival outside in the slight coolness of autumn. Interestingly, Warsteiner's slogan is "Eine Koenigin unter den Bieren," which roughly translates into "The Queen of Beers." I'd happily take this over a Budweiser any day of the week.