New York City bar owners and brew masters offer up their suggestions on what to drink (and eat!) this Oktoberfest.
Leland Estes
Clinton Hall general manager
“During Oktoberfest, we pay homage to the oldest brewery on the planet. My personal favorite, Brauerei Weihenstephaner is a Bavarian State Brewery established in 1040 by an order of the Benedictine monks. To put that into perspective, that’s pre-Great Crusades, or over 1,000 years old. I’ve stood amongst the ancient still operating lagering cellars and it is a humbling experience. This is the quintessential example of German Hefeweizen. Perfected notes of banana, clove and spiced coriander. You’re quite literally tasting history.”
Andreas Heidenreich
Paulaner brew master
“During Oktoberfest season, drink unfiltered beers, like we brew at Paulaner, which means all the vitamins and minerals from the yeast are still in the beer. Also, all types of my Paulaner beers are brewed according to the German law of purity ‘Reinheitsgebot.’ It’s the oldest food law around the world, established 1516, and according this law I can use only four ingredients to produce beer: malt, hops, yeast and water.”
Tobias Holler
Black Forest Brooklyn co-owner
“As far as seasonal specials is concerned, throughout Oktoberfest (Sept. 20-Oct. 4) we’ll be fully stocked with Hofbräu Oktoberfest kegs, a rich full-bodied beer specially brewed for the occasion, that pairs perfectly with the Bavarian food specials that will be on offer, such as schweinshaxe [pork shank], schweinebraten [pork roast] and others.”
