How To Throw Your Own Oktoberfest In The Backyard
- 3 min reading time
2.5 MINUTE READ The air is crisp. The leaves are starting to change. And you want to drink your body weight in good German beer. Must be time for Oktoberfest! Want to be apart of the traditional fun, without the plane ticket to Munich? This may be the autumn you throw your very own backyard Oktoberfest.
2.5 MINUTE READ
DIY Oktoberfest
The air is crisp. The leaves are starting to change. And you want to drink your body weight in good German beer. Must be time for Oktoberfest! Want to be apart of the traditional fun, without the plane ticket to Munich? This may be the autumn you throw your very own backyard Oktoberfest. You’ll need a few (or a few hundred) things:
Sausages
You’ve heard the term ‘sausagefest’ but it hasn’t ever meant anything like this. The real Oktoberfest serves 115,000 pork sausages, so you’ll likely need to stock up. If you want extra points, contact a local butcher about having your own authentic brats made for additional juicy deliciousness.
And pay attention to your buns; nothing ruins a great sausage like cheap buns (we sound like we’re speaking in some kind of filthy code, but seriously, invest in good buns).
And don’t forget the essential goods, the stone ground mustard! Try making a few different styles, sweet, spicy, and savory and then use our 8 oz Half Pints for a colorful dipping arrangement.
Cups
You’re going to need a fair number of cups to host this shindig and, as great as the idea is, beer steins are pretty expensive. However, you also don’t want to single-handedly destroy the earth with four hundred disposable cups. Plus, you’ll need a good way for all of your lederhosen-sporting guests to keep track of their beverages. Enter the Silipint. Sturdy enough to withstand even the best “hold my beer” ideas and non-disposable, they’re the perfect vessel for your German ales. Plus, they have two huge advantages over other cups:
- You can write on them with chalk to help keep track of individual’s cups
- If your party is big enough, you can customize your cups to really celebrate your event in style
Costumes
Wanna loosen up your festive crowd? Encourage people to wear authentic German clothing. You’d be amazed how a couple of pairs of lederhosen and a dirndl or two will create mingling magic among strangers. Although you can get the real deal at www.lederhosen4u.com (for real, we are not making up that URL), you don’t have to break the bank for great costumes:
Obviously, your event will center around fun, friends, and beer. Don’t make the mistake of going for some high alcohol content beer. While you likely won’t be able to find actual Marzen beer (only beer brewed within Munich can be served at the actual Oktoberfest!), don’t fret; find a traditional, delicious lager that’s not going to hit your guests over the head. Lowenbrau and Paulaner are both beers you can commonly find in the US that are some of the official brewers of Oktoberfest beer.
Decorations
You don’t have to go overboard to make your house and yard look Bavarian. Here’s a primer on the way to go:
- Light blue and white, the colors of Bavaria, especially tablecloths
- Hops
- Giant pretzels (thematic and delicious!
- Cute alpine German hats for the men
- Hand these out as favors to your guests: