As summer turns to fall, people start focusing on the holidays and celebrations. One of the first festivals that kicks off this season is Oktoberfest, which runs from the end of September into early October. Because Oktoberfest celebrates beer, many brewers have decided to throw their hats in the ring and develop seasonal, German-style ales for customers to enjoy.
If you're looking forward to this season, you may wonder how to maximize your beer profits before, during, and after Oktoberfest. This article will discuss the types of beer that are popular this time of year and how technology can help you serve them more efficiently.
Oktoberfest dates back to the early 1800s when Crown Prince Ludwig married Princess Therese in 1810. The occasion was marked by a multi-day celebration in Munich, which featured lots of beer and local food. The celebration was so successful the city decided to host it again the following year and kept doing that year after year.
Originally, the festival was only in October, but locals decided to move it into September to take advantage of the warmer weather. And when it comes to Oktoberfest beer styles, three types stand out the most: Märzen, festbier, and weisnbier. Let's break down each option.
One thing to note about Oktoberfest is that it's officially only celebrated in Munich. However, other parts of Germany have various fall festivals, and brewers across the country make beers to help guests celebrate. Märzen beers are so named because they're brewed in March specifically to enjoy in late September and early October. Tons of these beers are served at different festivals, so they're not exclusive to Oktoberfest.
As the name suggests, festbiers are ales designed to be served at a festival. As with Märzen beers, there is a wide selection of festbiers to accommodate attendees of many different fall celebrations across Germany. Festbier is a generic term to refer to a beer served at a festival. So, while some Oktoberfest beer styles might favor specific flavors or ingredients, festbiers may run the gamut from dark to light and sour to malty.
The area where Munich's Oktoberfest is held annually is called Theresienweise, which translates to "Therese's Meadow." So, beers served at this festival are often called weisn beers. Unlike the other two varieties, weisn ales are meant for Oktoberfest specifically, and they're usually a bright, golden color with a higher alcohol content.
Whether a business is celebrating Oktoberfest in Germany or the states, it needs the right equipment to serve the hundreds of guests that want to imbibe and have fun. Improper or low-quality machinery can leave money on the table, such as wasted beer or too much foam in a glass. One Source can help.
Chill-Rite kegs are specially designed to keep beer (especially Oktoberfest beer) at the correct temperature. By chilling it consistently, the keg can avoid so much foam. Not only does the foam mean more beer lost, but workers have to use more to fill the glass or mug all the way.
On average, using a Chill-Rite keg can help businesses get as much as 95 percent of their beer, leading to an extra $500 or $1,000 per week in additional profits. And, considering that these numbers are for a single keg, a business can increase its profit margin significantly without any extra overhead or labor costs.