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A guide to Oktoberfest in BC
Oktoberfest's history, local events, and beers to try
Joseph Lavoie
September 27, 2022
Good morning!
We're trying something new with the Beer Loop in the coming weeks and you'll see the first treatment of that in today's newsletter.
Every Tuesday we'll go deep on a specific topic, a beer style, or feature one of the many talented people working in the craft beer scene in BC. This week, we bring you a list of upcoming Oktoberfest events and beers to give you an excuse to dust off your lederhosen.
You'll still get a roundup of new beer releases every Friday, along with featured events and other features to help you enjoy all that BC's craft breweries have to offer.
Geoff and I are constantly trying to improve The Beer Loop, so let us know what you think of these pieces in the coming weeks with a quick reply or if there's anything else you'd like to see us feature or cover.
—Joseph Lavoie
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What is Oktoberfest?
Before we get into the line-up of Oktoberfest events in BC, you might be wondering what this famous festival is all about? Sure, you know it involves beer steins, warm pretzels and an excuse to get dressed up in traditional Bavarian outfits. But how did we get here?
It all started with a wedding
Oktoberfest is the world's largest Volksfest and travelling carnival held in Munich every year since 1810. The first Oktoberfest was held to celebrate the wedding of Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen and King Ludwig I. The celebrations were held over multiple days and featured drinking, feasting, and horse races. The celebrations have continued almost every year since then and have become a worldwide celebration of Bavarian culture.
Today you can flock to beer tents in Munich to continue the tradition. And tradition there is, with six Munich breweries, one dating back to 1328 still providing the festival's beers. Only traditional Bavarian music is allowed in the tents before 6pm and festival goers dress up in traditional dress, reviving dirndls and lederhosen.
Did you know?
Octoberfest was originally a 16-day festival leading up to the first Sunday in October. That all changed after the German reunification in 1994. The festival now runs until German Unity Day, which means some years the festival is 17 or 18-days, depending on how the calendar shapes up that year.
By the numbers
🍺 120,000 litres: The amount of beer consumed at the 100th anniversary Oktoberfest in 1910.
🍻 7.7 million litres: The amount of beer served in 2014.
🥨 6 million: The number of annual visitors that attend Oktoberfest.
🎶 85 decibels: The loudest music can be played in the afternoon, in an effort to curb the intense party mentality that overtook the festival by the early 2000s.
2022 Oktoberfest Events in BC
It’s Oktoberfest every day at BREWHALL
Who says you need to limit yourself to one Oktoberfest event when you can make it a daily routine for nearly a whole month? BREWHALL has daily soft-baked pretzels, currwurst, schnitzel sandwiches, and other Oktoberfest feasts to go with a rotating lineup of German style beers including Paulaner Hefe-Weissbier, BREWHALL Köl Story Bro Kölsch and Prost Helles Lager.
Dates: Every day until Oct. 10.
Location: 97 E 2nd Ave, Vancouver | Map
It’s also Oktoberfest every day at Parallel 49
Until October 2, Parallel 49's beautiful 120-seat garden is being transformed into an Oktoberfest Biergarten. On top of the brewery's usual lineup of beers, you'll find a German Pilsner, Hefeweizen, Schwarzbier, and Festbier served in classic beer steins for an authentic experience.
If you're hungry, the Parallel 49 is also offering Oktoberfest-themed food like Bavarian pretzels, Bratkartoffen (crispy potatoes), and currywurst.
Dates: Every day until October 2.
Location: 1950 Triumph St, Vancouver | Map
Harvest Haus
Here's the grand-daddy of Oktoberfest events. Harvest Haus in Vancouver is the 7th edition of this festival and it combines modern fare with European harvest traditions. You'll find international brewers, vintners, chefs, and entertainers and your fill of Oktoberfest flavours.
Tickets: Sold Out, but you can join the wait list.
Date: Sept. 30 and Oct. 1.
Location: PNE Forum | Map
Oktoberfest at Trading Post Brewing
You’ll enjoy German platters (pig knuckle, bratwurst, pretzels, pickled onions, mustard, potato salad, etc), German beer flights, competitive pretzel tosses, live accordion players, and lots of prizes.
Dates: Sept. 30, 5pm to 10pm
Location: Trading Post Brewing, 107-20120 64th Avenue, Langley | Map
Tickets: $40-$120 depending on group size, available on Eventbrite
Luppolo's Lager Fest
On October 1, Luppolo will have nine lagers and special limited guest taps, live music, and pizza from Mordimi Bite of Italy. Tickets are not required, and entry is free. What's not to like? We're told many of the beers are super limited, so go early to enjoy the full selection.
Date: October 1, starting at 12pm
Location: 1123 Venables St, Vancouver | Map
Oktoberfest at Smuggler's Trail
Smuggler’s Trail has your Octoberfest needs covered with this event on October 1. The brewery is putting on a beer garden complete with a souvenir beer stein, live music, a car show, four food trucks, and free entry for designated drivers.
Tickets: $64.67, available at Eventbrite.
Date: Oct. 1, 12pm to 11pm
Location: 9339 200A Street Unit 140, Langley | Map
Oktoberfest in Surrey
Russell Brewing is celebrating the recent opening of its new tasting room with a two-day Oktoberfest celebration. Live music, beer exclusives, and of course, Oktoberfest feasts.
Dates: Sat Oct. 1 and Sun Oct 2
Location: 13018 80 Ave, Surrey | Map
BC Oktoberfest Beers
Howe Sound Biergarten Bavarian Lager, a complex and crushable lager that pours a brilliant golden amber.
Strange Fellows Ludwig, a relatively modern German style that is now the main beer brewed for Oktoberfest celebrations, having replaced darker and heavier beer styles.
Persephone Oktoberfest Lager, a malt-forward lager with notes of bread crust and toffee, with a hint of spice.
R&B Brewing Marzen will take you back to a time when this was the go-to beer style at Oktoberfest.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
What's a Festbier?
In the early days of Oktoberfest, you would have only found dunkels, or dark lagers. You can point to rudimentary kilning technology for that, as the only malts available were roasted dark varieties, which means dark beers were the only option.
As kilning technology improved, maltsters could produce lighter-coloured malts, which in turn led to the development of lighter-coloured lagers. By 1841, the use of these lighter malts led to the creation of modern Märzen, which became the official beer style of Oktoberfest by 1872.
Then things got even lighter and in 1970, Paulaner introduced a golden-coloured lager at Oktoberfest that gained popularity during the 1990s. This golden lager replaced Märzen as the official Oktoberfest beer.
Examples in BC
Ludwig Festbier from Strange Fellows
Festbier Lager from Two Dogs Brewery