The first Oktoberfest was held in Munich in 1810, celebrating the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese of Bavaria. This inaugural celebration involved a parade, a horse race around a 2 mile track, and copious beer consumption. Additional events and activities were added over the ensuing years. Currently it is a 16 day festival, with as much as 2 million gallons of beer consumed by the 6 million annual visitors.
Although Oktoberfest features occasional excess, beer in moderation does have health benefits, especially craft ales. Research has shown that ale increases levels of B vitamins when consumed in moderation. A Dutch study found beer drinkers had a 30% higher level of B6 than non-drinkers, and twice as much B6 as wine drinkers. Ale also contains soluble fiber, unlike other alcoholic beverages. Ale promotes kidney health, and has even been shown to reduce cardiovascular risk. Light to moderate beer drinkers have a 40-60% reduced risk of heart attack. Hops, which are an essential ingredient that gives beer its soul and rich floral aroma, are rich in antioxidants which scavenge damaging free radicals.
Interestingly, certain hops such as Citra and Simcoe can lend a slightly “catty” aroma to an aggressively hoped IPA…