Let’s hope you’re still in full-oompah mode after attending the recent Charleston Oktoberfest. Why stop the fun after just one fest? Here is the Beers to You guide to throwing your own Oktoberfest celebration.

First and foremost, you can’t have Oktoberfest without beer! German festbier is the preferred flavor. Usually called Oktoberfest, this seasonal lager is readily available at the grocery store during the fall months. Samuel Adams, though brewed in the USA, is an excellent version and is usually fresher than many authentic imports. Penn Oktoberfest is another great one, but is harder to find locally. I tend to favor these American brewed festbiers because of their freshness, but make sure you buy the beer from the fridge and avoid the “aisle pile”. Beer is best kept cold.

I think the best fest-food is the wurst. I am talking Bratwurst, Knackwurst, Blutwurst, you name it and I like it, especially blutwurst. Not to gross you out or anything, but blutwurst is made from blood pudding. It has a very fresh, clean taste and is usually served cold with bread and mustard. Almost everyone likes bratwurst, the most popular German sausage. Brats are best when pre-boiled and then grilled before serving. Don’t waste your good beer by using it for boiling liquid; this is a job for cheap macro-lager. One of the most heavenly breakfast pairings on earth is gently boiled weisswurst served with sweet mustard, a pretzel-roll (Brezn) and Bavarian weissbier. The availability of a wide variety of German sausage does not exist in the Charleston area. Please refer to the links (pardon the pun) at the end of this article.

We often mistakenly refer to Sauerkraut as “kraut”. Kraut is German for cabbage. Sauerkraut is indeed cabbage, but it is pickled and aged cabbage. The best sauerkraut is barrel aged and is not as sour as many of the canned versions. Aging smooths out the harshness normally associated with retail sauerkraut. I find the canned or bagged versions will do in a pinch, but only after simmering it for hours and then adding just a bit of malty beer at the end to replenish some of the juice. I found an excellent barrel aged version at the North Market in Columbus at an Amish farmer’s meat stand. He also had a great selection of fresh and smoked sausages along with specialties like ostrich eggs. We often forget that (“non -sauer”) German style red cabbage is readily available in jars and makes a great side to almost any German dish.

Hours of “Chicken Dancing” will surely leave you hungry and roasted chickens are everywhere at Oktoberfest. One of the easiest moves you can make here is to simply pick-up a few pre-cooked rotisserie chickens from Kroger or Sam’s club. I like to grill-roast my chickens using indirect heat. I give the chicken a nice massage with butter and olive oil, shake on some salt, pepper and herbs and aromatics of your choice. Tuck in the wing tips and grill “breast-up” for 90 minutes or so, occasionally emptying the cavity juices into your drip pan. The skin will become crispy golden brown and the meat will be juicy. If you want some smoky flavor on the bird, throw a few chunks of your favorite smoke-wood on the coals or in the smoker box.

The only thing left is traditional German music. It’s okay, just admit it - you, and everyone you know likes Oompah music! All you have to do is log onto websites like iTunes or Amazon, and you can download oompah music a plenty! Live oompah music is even better. Luckily, I am friends with the two guys that play the traditional music at the Charleston Oktoberfest, and they play for my “Garagefest” every year (and yes, they are awesome!). All you have to do now is add people and beer and you will be well on your way to festopia!

Here are a few links that may be helpful:

www.bavariasausage.com

www.sausageheadquarters.com

www.northmarket.com

www.hausofbavaria.com

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