Celebration Fermentation

Posted by Cameron Siewert, Sep 24, 2007

Bottoms up: Oktoberfest has begun! The largest beer festival in the world, this 2-week party kicked off on Saturday and has brew-lovers coming together for a rousing, collective cry of "Prost!"

Originally a celebration of a royal marriage (that of German Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen), Oktoberfest today has shed its sense of decorum and become a festival for the masses. In Munich, six enormous beer tents open their taps to throngs of revelrous beer drinkers, and spin-off celebrations erupt around the world. In the US, festivities are coming to a head in Denver, Washington, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Boston, and beyond.

But those of us who can't clink our pints in the midst of Oktoberfest celebrations aren't lesser beer connoisseurs. In fact, one of our very own on The Window Seat is tipping his hat (and his fermenter) to the fine art of brew at Brew York City, and many of us have devoted an evening or two on our travels to sampling the local tipples. My favorite departs from Germany and heads south to the Czech Republic: a pint of rich, dark Kozel in a cozy beer hall in Prague.

So, in honor of Oktoberfest, but really in honor of the thirst-quenching wonders a little yeast and grain can produce, let's make a toast to our favorite brews. What's yours, and where did you take your first swig?

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Comments

Charlie
Jan 14, 2009

Cameron, Thanks for the shout-out! I was a beer lover at a very early age, but knew little about the brew itself. It was not until I was about 16 or 17 (can I admit that in this forum) that my brother first gave me Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. At first, the bitterness imparted by those Cascade hops was a bit much. However, I have since become obsessed with pale ales, IPAs, and all hop-heavy suds. Sierra remains the standard, but more quality craft breweries are becoming established across the U.S. all the time. One of the best is Colorado-based Oskar Blues, makers of Dale's Pale Ale, available in 12oz aluminum cans to protect the glorious contents from light. Don't let the exterior fool you, the cans are lined to prevent corruption of the flavor and it is a spectacularly crisp quaff. I won't wax poetic here too much, but I should also give a nod to Sam Calagione's Dog Fish Head brewery whose 60-, 90-, and 120-Minute ales are some of the most interesting (and potent) IPAs made in the US. I've never tried Kozel, and I'll make a concerted effort to do so; thanks for this awesome, thirst-inducing post! Cheers!

Michelle
Jan 14, 2009

One of the old travelers' tales that I really believe is the one about Guinness tasting better in Ireland...and I think that theory extends to other places as well. I first took a liking to beer (Pilsner) in Germany, but it was in Belgium that I found my true favorites. I just love the way Belgian beer complements mussels and frites--yum!

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