"Oktoberfest in September?"

Yes Oktoberfest is in September...always!  In fact most of the funfair takes place in September.  This 16 day festival runs from late September to the first weekend in October.  Historically, the event was marked for the marriage of Munich's beloved Crown Prince Ludwig (later to become King Ludwig I) to Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen on October 12, 1810.  The citizens of Munich were invited to attend the festivities held on the fields in front of the city gates to celebrate the happy royal event.  The fields were named Theresienwiese ("Theresa's meadow") in honor of the Crown Princess.  The locals have since abbreviated the name simply to the "Wiesn".

The wedding was celebrated by all of Bavaria and at the end of the festival, a great horse race was done in the presence of the Royal Family.  The decision to repeat the horse races in the following year gave rise to the annual tradition of the Oktoberfest.

Only beers conforming to the Reinheitsgebot, and brewed within the city limits of Munich, can be served at the Munich Oktoberfest.  Beers meeting these criteria are designated Oktoberfest Beer.  Oktoberfest Beer is a registered trademark by the Club of Munich Brewers, which consists of six breweries. (Hacker-Pschorr-Brau, Augustiner-Brau, Lowenbrau, Paulaner, Spatenbrau and Hofbrau-Munchen)

What is a Fest beer?  In fact it is a Marzen.  Bavarian brewers discovered that if they cooked their lagers during the late winter or early spring and sent them to slumber in cool caves or cellars until the fall, the beers that emerged were crisp, flavorful and superfresh.  These full-bodied, malt-forward, and lightly sweet beers emerged as marzen- German for March, the month in which many of these beers were brewed.  These were the beers served at the Crown Princes wedding so the tradition has kept...as too were the sausages!  In keeping with tradition, I encourage you to raise a glass of Marzen and wrap your other hand around a bratwurst...Prost!