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Oktoberfest is the most famous beer festival in the world. It is also one of the longest since it happens for 16 days every year, from September to October. In other parts of the world, this event takes place throughout the entire month of October.
Unfortunately, the 2021 Oktoberfest in Munich is cancelled. However, it doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy this festival this year. Moreover, you don’t have to go to a bar or restaurant to be part of this beer festival; you can enjoy it in your own home.
Hosting Your First Oktoberfest Party
If you want to host your first Oktoberfest party and make sure it is amazing, follow these tips:
1. Get the right beers.
Since Oktoberfest is a beer festival and the event highlights this beverage, having the right beers to serve during your party is a must. Before ordering beer delivery in Abu Dhabi, check the store’s available brands and types. An Oktoberfest party calls for German beers, such as Löwenbräu, DAB, Erdinger, Augustiner, Paulaner, and Spaten.
Festbier is the traditional type of beer served during the Munich Oktoberfest. It is a variation of the Märzen-style lager, a beer with medium to full body and colour that ranges from pale to dark brown. Festbier is a less-filling version of the Märzen-style lager, making it more suitable for an all-day drinking event.
Don’t forget that you can also get other types of beers from non-German brands if you want to offer a variety of this beverage. They are still beers and in keeping with the festival.
Food is also another mainstay of Oktoberfest. As such, you need to put careful thought into your party menu.
Sausages, rolls, and condiments should be the highlight of your menu.
Some sausages that you should have for your party are:
- Bratwurst – This traditional German sausage made from pork, veal, and sometimes beef is mildly flavoured and has a smooth texture. It contains a variety of spices, including salt, white pepper, garlic, nutmeg, and marjoram.
- Frankfurter – This traditional all-pork wiener seasoned with salt, garlic, paprika, and other spices is a cured or smoked sausage. It’s considered the predecessor of hot dogs.
- Kielbasa – This Polish pork sausage is usually lightly smoked, thus has a smoky flavour. It has a garlicky taste that combines well with the other ingredients and spices, such as cloves, marjoram, and pimiento cheese.
- Bier brats – These treats are modern versions of classic German sausages. They are seasoned with nutmeg, white pepper, ginger, and a variety of spices. They are light yet intensely flavourful.
- Knackwurst – This plump sausage is made of ground pork, veal, and sometimes, beef, and plenty of garlic. They are stuffed into snappy natural hog casings, aged for several days, and usually smoked over oak wood. They have a strong, smoky flavour.
- Nürnberger rost bratwurst – These small sausages make the perfect cocktail franks. They are made with coarsely ground lean pork and marjoram, their key spice. Salt, pepper, ginger, cardamom, and lemon powder are also mixed in.
When grilled, these sausages pair well with any type of beer you’re drinking. The smell will whet all your guests’ appetites, too.
Don’t forget to add some classic sides and dips as well. These include:
- Assorted pretzels
- Cabbage and potatoes
- Sauerkraut
- Cheese
- Mustard
- Fruits
- Olives
You can choose from among Black Forest cookies and cakes, apple strudel, and black cherry and raspberry kuchen for desserts.
3. Prepare the venue.
If you have the space and lots of guests, setting up a bier (beer in German) tent is a fun way to get everyone into the Oktoberfest mood. Moreover, a tent can keep your guests cool when it’s sunny and dry when it rains.
Decorate the tent with white and blue banners or fabric scraps to give it an authentic look. Do the same with the long tables; cover them with blue and white check patterns. Place benches on both sides of the table for that traditional Oktoberfest look and feel.
For decorations, you won’t go wrong with hanging Bavarian flags, banners, streamers, and wreaths around the venue. Decorate tables and other areas with seasonal or basic white flowers to give them colour and style. Lastly, hang outdoor lanterns to brighten up and add a bit of warmth to your outdoor space.
4. Use the right tableware and glassware.
Tableware and glassware are crucial for an authentic Oktoberfest event. If you have a big budget for the event, get some litre glass mugs since those are the typical glasses used for serving beer during Oktoberfest.
There are plastic varieties of these mugs if you don’t want to overextend yourself or use glassware. Another alternative is to get steins, or traditional beer mugs made of stoneware. Wood boards and serving platters are also a must for the party. You can arrange several sausages and other sides in each of these containers. These’ll look great on the tables too.
Make sure you get some beer coolers to keep the beverages cool. Also, prepare enough dishes, bowls, and cutlery. You can choose between disposable and reusable ones, whichever you think is more convenient for you to use.
5. Prepare entertainment.
An Oktoberfest party won’t be complete without music and games. As such, make sure you add those to your to-do list. German oompah music is a staple for this annual beer festival. There are also other German tunes that you can play throughout the party. You can also play English songs.
The key is to choose happy, lively tunes to keep your guests entertained and encourage them to get into the spirit of the event.
The Munich Oktoberfest is also known for its fun rides and games. Because of this, prepare some games to give your party more entertainment value and add to the fun. A simple game you can organize is a stein race, where players race around a relay point while holding water-filled steins. They have to reach the goal without spilling it.
Another game you could include is a stein-holding contest, where participants have to hold a full stein without spilling it for as long as they can. You can also hold other games; they don’t have to be traditional German ones. What’s important is they provide good fun at your party.
Hosting your first Oktoberfest party requires time, effort, and investment. Use this guide to streamline the entire process and throw a great one every year.
