The long, delicious history of German beer and pretzels (2024)

Call it a humpen, a krug, a Maßkrug or simply a Maß (“mass”), but if you want to sound like a German, and who doesn’t, do not use the word “stein” when ordering a personal-size vessel of beer during Oktoberfest.

Admittedly, the word “stein” is German in origin, and may have been used to order beer long ago when mugs were made of stone or stone-looking ceramic. The word “stein” means “stone,” and is not used anymore to order a beer in a bar, beirhalle or bierpalast.

On the other hand, one should also be careful of the word Maß, which means “measure,” because one measure of beer is exactly one liter, which is not a small quantity. (For those who don’t speak metric, this is basically the equivalent of two pints of beer.)

When it comes to German beers, the sky is the limit, although keep in mind that the Germans have been making beer a lot longer than the rest of us, so theirs are, by and large, very good, no matter what the style. That said, there are only six legit breweries allowed to serve at Oktoberfest, and those are the six that brew within the city limits of Munich. These breweries deliver their suds in wood barrels directly from Munich to the Oktoberfest grounds, and although all six are available in limited quantities in the United States around this time of year, nothing beats the freshness of hand-tapped barrels.

The six official Oktoberfest beers are Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbräu, Löwenbräu, Paulaner and Spaten, and all adhere to strict Bavarian beer laws from 1516 known as “Reinheitsgebbot.” One does not need to know a lot about brewing to taste a Reinheitsgebbot-compliant brew and immediately realize that whatever this quality control is, it makes for some darn tasty beers.

Germans shorten the name of these beers to “festbier,” however the original Bavarian Oktoberfest beer style that is still favored by many German and American brewers (and drinkers) is called “Marzen.” The Beer Judge Certification Program guidelines describe a Marzen as “An elegant, malty German amber lager with a clean, rich, toasty and bready malt flavor, restrained bitterness, and a dry finish that encourages another drink. The overall malt impression is soft, elegant, and complex, with a rich aftertaste that is never cloying or heavy.”

Marzens may sound too good to be true, but they are that good, with our true test of a quality Marzen being whether the one in front of us is befitting of the phrase, “encourages another drink.” That said, we are also fans of the modern festbier, which is a lighter, blonder version of a Marzen.

There are many American breweries that produce Oktoberfest beers, and as of late, have been turning out some impressive examples of both styles. We are suckers for a good Marzen or festbier, so try every new one we see, but year in and year out, Sierra Nevada takes the extra step by collaborating with a different German brewer to create a unique yearly Oktoberfest beer. We found this year’s Sierra Nevada in orange and black checkered packaging at Petaluma Market, immediately tried it upon returning home, and not surprisingly, loved it.

Twisted history

Although there are a lot of classic Oktoberfest eats, especially in Munich during Oktoberfest, from schweinshaxe (roasted pork knuckle) to spätzle (cheesy pasta) to steckerlfisch (fish roasted on a stick), here at home, few things go better with German beer than lye pretzels.

Pretzels are so old that it is unclear exactly where they came from or when they were first made. The history of the pretzel dates back nearly a millennia, with some crediting an Italian monk with creating them as a treat to children for completing their prayers. The pretzel shape is said to resemble arms crossed over one’s chest. Another legend ties the invention to a French monastery, while another says they were invented by German bakers who were held hostage, for some reason or another.

Regardless of the lack of distinct origin, pretzels appeared as bakers’ emblems in Germany as far back as the 1100s. They were considered religiously significant, both due to their forgiving ingredients and their prayer-hands shape. Still known by many as Lent food, pretzels were a preferred means of sustenance when religious holidays forbade the intake of indulgent ingredients such as eggs, lard or dairy. Historic German bakery signs often included a symbol of a pretzel, dating back to a time when much of the population was illiterate.

According to some historians, the “modern” lye pretzel was a tasty mistake.

Legend has it that a baker at the royal coffee house in Munich inadvertently glazed his pretzels with a lye solution he had on hand for cleaning baking trays, instead of the usual sugar water, prior to baking. He then realized the mistake, but the perfectly browned pretzel smelled so good, he decided to serve them – and to the visiting King of Bavaria, Ludwig I, no less. Clearly, they were a big hit and have become the golden-brown standard to this day.

Even in small geographical areas such as southern Germany, there are regional pretzel differences. I learned this from a German couple who attended a pretzel-making class at Keith Gusto Bakery Supply (kgbakerysupply.com) and their Artisan Baking Center (www.centralmilling.com), which is the best place to buy high quality baking supplies, and is the local spot to learn how to bake all kinds of breads.

In Bavaria, pretzels are allowed to split on their own during baking, whereas in Stuttgart and the surrounding historic region of Swabia, the fat bottom portion of the pretzel is slit in advance in order to predetermine where the split will be.

But as chef Craig Ponsford, our pretzel-making instructor for the day, said, “I’m here to teach you how to make great pretzels. I’m not so concerned about their history, just making a truly delicious pretzel.”