1.7.2022
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
C 252/23
The Oktoberfest begins when the incumbent Mayor of the City of Munich taps the first keg of ‘Oktoberfestbier’, a tradition which began in 1950 with the then Mayor, Thomas Wimmer.
Before the first keg of beer is tapped, the restaurateurs parade to their tents on the Oktoberfest site in carriages decorated with flowers, accompanied by mayors and councillors, horse-drawn floats carrying service staff and the resplendent carts of the Munich breweries.
The entry of the restaurateurs and breweries, together with the tapping of the first keg, are widely broadcast around the world on television and the internet, as is the world’s largest costume and riflemen’s parade, which takes place the following day and is considered by many as the high point of the Oktoberfest’s opening festivities.
The worldwide reputation of the ‘Oktoberfestbier’ nowadays is based partly on the fact that brewing innovations were introduced at an early stage in Munich, with a decisive impact on the quality of the beer.
Such innovations include, in particular, the first cooling machine developed by Carl von Linde in 1873.
First used in a brewery in Munich, the success of the machine meant that it was taken up by other Munich breweries and later across the world, in the form of refrigerators.
The machine was important because for the first time it allowed any desired amount of consistently high-quality beer to be continuously produced and stored, irrespective of climate and external temperature.
This made it possible to produce large quantities of beer in advance for large events and to store and serve beer on site, with no loss of quality.
One of the key factors behind the exceptional reputation of ‘Oktoberfestbier’ is that it was brewed specially for the Oktoberfest.
This top-quality product is now not only available at the Oktoberfest, but is also sold throughout the world, marked with an ‘Oktoberfestbier’ label.
Although the City of Munich has not promoted the Oktoberfest since 1985, in an official worldwide survey, 91 % of respondents said they were aware of the Oktoberfest.
In this regard, an article in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung of 20 October 1997 said: ‘The festival is so international!
Although it is called the Munich Oktoberfest, many of the visitors have clearly come from abroad, speaking English, Italian, French, Japanese and other less recognisable languages, and true Bavarian dialect is hardly ever heard.’
Specificity of the product In this regard, the City of Munich’s official publication celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Oktoberfest states that ‘a distinctive “Oktoberfestbier” has gradually developed only since 1872’.
The book 175 Jahre Oktoberfest 1810 bis 1895 [175 years of the Oktoberfest 1810-1895] by Richard Bauer and Fritz Fenzl states that in 1872, a particularly strong beer with a high original gravity was served.
In his book München, Bier, Oktoberfest [Munich, Beer and the Oktoberfest] Hans Glöckle writes that at that time the people of Munich had to pay the princely sum of 12 kreutzers for ‘Oktoberfestbier’; however, instead of complaining about the price, they drank the beer ‘with reverence and contented appreciation of its special quality’.
He continues: ‘From 1872 onwards “Märzen” (“March beer”), with its original gravity of 13 % and its alcohol content of 4,1 %, became the Oktoberfest beer par excellence, and retained this special status until after the Second World War.’
From 1950, a lighter variant began to appear, which was more to the liking of those who attended the Oktoberfest at the time, although amber-coloured beer is currently experiencing a renaissance.
‘Oktoberfestbier’ is beer brewed by breweries located within the geographical area especially for the Oktoberfest, where it is served in considerable quantities; this aspect is a particular expectation of consumers.
‘Oktoberfestbier’ is distinct from other festival beers on account of the water used, its higher minimum original gravity of 13,6 %, its lower maximum original gravity of 14,0 %, its higher alcohol content of 5,3-6,6 % and its higher base value for bitterness of 16 EBC units together with a lower maximum value for bitterness of 28 EBC units.
As a result of the maximum value of 28 bitterness units, the beers are not very bitter, and are usually characterised by a full-bodied, very mellow taste, as has been the preference in southern Bavaria for decades.
The production methods based on the Purity Law of 1487 and the resulting exceptional experience and expertise of the breweries located in the geographical area mean that consumers associate ‘Oktoberfestbier’ with the expectation of exceptional quality.
The special status and reputation of ‘Oktoberfestbier’ are acknowledged within Germany and internationally.
Numerous articles from European newspapers refer to the Oktoberfest in more or less close association with beer.
In 74 UK newspaper articles published between 1995 and 2012, the beer and the Oktoberfest are widely said to be ‘best known’, ‘known worldwide’, ‘famous’, etc’.
Some articles even describe the beer.
As long ago as 1955, Dr Kuballe wrote the following in an article about the Oktoberfest in the Industrie-Kurier-Düsseldorf: ‘Primarily a Munich-based annual celebration back in the last century, the festival has become the largest in Europe.’
He added: ‘In travel