{"id":21119,"date":"2018-09-19T10:48:34","date_gmt":"2018-09-19T17:48:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/archives.csusm.edu\/westcoastersd\/?p=21119"},"modified":"2018-09-19T13:30:17","modified_gmt":"2018-09-19T20:30:17","slug":"oktoberfest-continues-in-san-diego","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archives.csusm.edu\/westcoastersd\/2018\/09\/19\/oktoberfest-continues-in-san-diego\/","title":{"rendered":"Oktoberfest continues in San Diego"},"content":{"rendered":"

Germans have been perfecting the art of brewing for centuries (Weihenstephan since 1040 AD), and have greatly influenced the technology, terminology, and processes we use today. German lagers are nuanced, refined, accurate, and precise. It is no wonder that beer\u2013obsessed San Diego celebrates Oktoberfest by brewing German-style lagers. These lagers are tricky to make well to insure ultimate quaffability en masse and Ein Ma\u00df \u2013 those 1 litre mugs. Many German Lagers, especially the ones made for Oktoberfest, are malt-forward, but never sweet, sticky, or cloying. Rather, the beer\u2019s maltiness evokes the comfort of rich, fresh baked bread. They are typically hopped lightly to provide counterweight to the soulful malt-centricity. Specifically, German \u201cnoble hops\u201d add a deep cool forest edge with earthy, spicy, and floral notes.<\/p>\n

The word Lager means \u201cto store.\u201d Lagers typically take two to three times as long to produce as ales. Lager yeast fermentation is slow and low (46F\u201352F) using Saccharomyces pastorianus<\/em>. When the beer is done fermenting it is rolled over to a long cold\u2013storage period (lagering). The end result is a beer that is crisp and clean without the fruity notes or the more distinct ale yeast character. Prior to the invention of refrigeration, the lagering process was performed by rolling barrels into caves or dug out cellars, and using ice chunks from nearby frozen lakes to keep things cold.<\/p>\n

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Oktoberfest: The History<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

1810 \u2013 On October 12, Kronprinz Ludwig (later King Ludwig I) and Princess Therese of Saxon-Hildurghhausen were married. They invited the citizens of Munich to attend the reception, which was thrown on the fields in front of the city gates. On October 18, horse races were held as part of this celebration. The field was named Theresienwiese (Therese\u2019s Meadow), and was eventually shortened to Wiesn.<\/p>\n

1811 \u2013 Oktoberfest was born. The city of Munich was presented with a repeat of the previous year\u2019s wedding festivities, horse races, and a newly added agricultural show designed to boost Bavarian farming.<\/p>\n

1818 \u2013 Beer stands were introduced to the festivities to quench the thirst of party goers.<\/p>\n

1870 \u2013 Carnival-like rides were added to the festival.<\/p>\n

1898 \u2013 Smaller beer stands grew into large Oktoberfest beer tents.<\/p>\n

Cancelled \u2013 Since its inception, Oktoberfest was canceled 24 times due to two Cholera epidemics, the Austro\u2013Prussian War, the Franco\u2013Prussian War, and both World Wars.<\/p>\n

1946-1948 \u2013 Following World War II, Munich only celebrated a smaller \u201cAutumn Fest\u201d and the stronger Oktoberfest Beer was not allowed to be served.<\/p>\n

1950 \u2013 A new Oktoberfest tradition was born when the fest opened with a twelve-gun salute, followed by the incumbent Mayor of Munich tapping the first keg of beer and proclaiming, \u201cO\u2019zapft is!\u201d (\u201cIt\u2019s tapped!\u201d in Austro-Bavarian dialect). Oktoberfest has begun the same way every year since then.<\/p>\n

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Rough Draft beertenders Bri Villagomez and Allison Bradford with company founder Jeff Silver<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Oktoberfest: 21st Century<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Over time, Oktoberfest grew, adding to the spectacle with more beer, more food, and more rides with each passing year. Oktoberfest is now the largest folk festival, beer festival, and funfair in the world, attracting visitors from all over the globe.<\/p>\n

In 2017 alone, here were some fun Oktoberfest stats:
\n\u2022 75+ Countries Attending
\n\u2022 14 Large Tents
\n\u2022 20 Small Tents
\n\u2022 1,981,000+ Gallons of Beer
\n\u2022 127 Oxen
\n\u2022 57 Calves
\n\u2022 500,000+ Chickens
\n\u2022 140,000+ Pairs of Sausages
\n\u2022 5 Lost Children, 14 Lost Youth helped by local youth welfare
\n\u2022 4,055 Lost and Found Items
\n\u2022 12,000 Mugs Confiscated by Security
\n\u2022 759 Filming Permits Granted
\n\u2022 56 Press Releases Granted<\/p>\n

In Germany, the 2018 (185th) Oktoberfest runs from September 22 through October 3.<\/p>\n

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Oktoberfest Events in San Diego:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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Through Sunday, September 23:<\/p>\n