How To Throw An Oktoberfest Haus Party
Bring Munich to your living room with these Oktoberfest party essentials.
DAS BOOT
Germans call it a “stiefel” (boot) or “damenbein” (ladies leg), but we call it “impractical glass footwear unless you’re using it as a beer vessel, which thankfully, we are.” This model is engravable and holds three liters of ale to share with your friends. Cold sores for everyone!
$68; beerfestboots.com
SCHALLER & WEBER SAUSAGES
Using only the finest cuts of pork and natural, hand-blended spices, Schaller and Weber have been stuffing sausage casings for nearly a century — and shipping them to meat-lovers everywhere. Chef Daniel Boulud, who’s throwing his own Oktoberfest shindig at his NYC restaurant DBGB, recommends braising the links with beer, bacon, and onions for additional flavor. Then pile them onto a large platter of sauerkraut, add seasonal root vegetables and potatoes, and serve with mustard. It’s the best wurst platter this side of Dusseldorf.
$8/pack; schallerweber.com
LEDERHOSEN
Step into a pair of authentic suede shorts to display your Oktoberfest spirit and pale thighs. Bonus: it’s multi-use for German leather daddies!
$253; oktoberfesthaus.com
DAVID HASSELHOFF’S “NIGHT ROCKER” ALBUM
Because Germans love The Hoff’s music as much as The Hoff loves drunkenly eating cheeseburgers on the floor, this is the only Oktoberfest soundtrack you need.
$16; amazon.com
BIER
Photographed for Maxim by Ben Ritter | Licensed to Alpha Media Group 2013
Here are five of our faves to stock your kühlschrank:
Bahnhof Berliner Weisse
3% ABV
Brewed in Berlin, this wheat-based beer is sour-mashed overnight to give it its trademark tartness. Most Germans order it “mit schuss” (with a shot of flavored syrup) to cut the acidity. Without it, prepare to pucker.
Schneider Weisse
5.4% ABV
Six generations of brewing wheat beer has made the Schneider family weizen experts, and their original ale is proof: with a hint of banana and nutmeg, it’s the perfect companion for a sausage party. The wurst kind.
Warsteiner Premium Verum
4.8% ABV
A classic German Pilsener brewed with slightly tart hops and natural spring water from the Arnsberger Forest, home of magical beer fairies.
Aecht SchlenkerlaMarzen
5.4% ABV
This smoked pale lager is brewed with smokemalt to give it a salty, charred flavor. It’s like licking Tony Robbins’ feet after his motivational firewalk.
Spaten Oktoberfest Ur-Marzen
5.0% ABV
The world’s first Oktoberfest beer is a medium-bodied pale ale that’s so traditional, it should be playing the accordion in an oom-pah-pah band
Reissdorf Kolsch
4.8% ABV
By law, a true Kolsch can only be brewed in Cologne, and Reissdorf plays by the rules. Drink this crisp lager through Oktoberfest and all the way into summer. It’s the beer that keeps on giving.
Photos by beerfestboots.com
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