Review: We Came, We Drank, We Polka Danced: It’s Oktoberfest Time in the City!

REVIEW PULP

Das Boot // The Brat Pack / Photos by Kevin Sharp

Das Boot // The Brat Pack / Photos by Kevin Sharp

Even before I changed careers and became a teacher, fall has always felt like the “new year” to me. The weather changes, the trees look different and pretty, people buy new school clothes and there’s just a general feeling of settling into a new routine. And it's Oktoberfest time!

Every year, Arbor Brewing Company closes down Washington Street and throws the party of all parties with brats, German potato salad, an Oom-pah Band, and of course, plenty of beer. Thirsty patrons, some decked out in lederhosen and dirndls, enjoyed the four beers on tap this year: Euchre Pilsner, Olde #22 German Alt, Festbier, and the Oktoberfest marzen.

The first Oktoberfest beer that I ever had was from the late Leopold Brothers in Ann Arbor. The deliciousness of their beer prompted me to investigate more. A classic Oktoberfest should be malty but not overly sweet; have a light to moderate toasty malt aroma; low to moderate hop bitterness; and an overall smooth, clean, and rich malty character. Arbor’s Oktoberfest fit the bill perfectly. It was the choice of Events and Marketing Manager Elizabeth Cain-Toth. “It’s my personal favorite, perfectly balanced with spicy hops and sweet malts.”

Festbier, the newest beer, hit all the right notes. Made with paler grains and more hops than the marzen, this lager was crisp and clean all the way through. In addition to the two other beers, Oktoberfesters could also enjoy red wine or hot, spiced cider. Immigrant Sons brought the music, playing German drinking songs, top 40 hits, and polkas.

As a special treat this year, two liters of beer were available for the taking if one bought an Oktoberfest “boot”. Beer boots began as a military hazing ritual, and they used actual boots to drink from! The tradition came to America along with the GIs returning from World War II. The boots are now made from plastic or glass, but the drinking remains the same. There are some rules to follow when drinking from the boot, including that one must pass the boot clockwise, one must drink again if one is splashed, and whomever lets the boot touch the table buys the next boot. (None of these rules were abided by me, because I got the brilliant idea of scooping beer out like it was a punchbowl. That sort of worked).

If you missed it, you can still enjoy the beers on tap at Arbor Brewing Company. Get a brat and create your own, private Oktoberfest -- but without the lederhosen, unless you are reallllly into it. Prost!


Patti Smith is a special education teacher who lives in Ann Arbor with her husband and cats. She is the author of two books about Ann Arbor, the most recent is a history of the People’s Food Co-op. Visit her at PattiFSmith.com or @TeacherPatti on Twitter.