Oktoberfest History
The very first Oktoberfest took place in Munich, Germany on October 12, of what year?
A. 1776
B. 1810
C. 1874
D. 1901
B. 1810
It was initially organized as a wedding celebration for Crown Prince Ludwig and his wife Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. The festivities lasted for five full days and included a horse race, abundant food, live music, and plenty of wine and beer!
This type of beer is tapped at the opening festival of Oktoberfest.
A. Lager
B. Hefeweizen
C. Bock
D. Marzen
D. Marzen
Marzen, which means "March beer" is a lager that originated in Bavaria, Germany.
Modern Oktoberfest draws about how many people each year to the celebration (many of them tourists).
A. 900,000+
B. 1,500,000+
C. 2,500,000+
D. 7,000,000+
D. 7,000,000+
In 2023, it was estimated that there were over 7.2 million visitors!
The first Oktoberfest in the United States was held at _____ in 1961.
A. La Crosse, Wisconsin,
B. Albany, New York
C. Berlin, Connecticut
D. Addison, Texas
A. La Crosse, Wisconsin,
In 1960's, the Greater La Crosse Chamber of Commerce was looking for something to replace their annual Winter Carnival, which had gone defunct after the 1920s, in order to promote tourism and hometown pride for the city.
Despite its reputation as a beer festival, Oktoberfest is quite family-friendly. ___ and ___ are designated as “Family Days.”
A. Mondays and Fridays
B. Tuesdays and Thursdays
C. Wednesdays and Saturdays
D. Fridays and Sundays
B. Tuesdays and Thursdays
Such days offer half-priced rides and activities for children.
The tradition of the Munich Mayor tapping the 1st keg at Oktoberfest keg began in 1950, with then Mayor Thomas Wimmer screamed out "O'zapft is!", meaning what?
A. "Drink up!"
B. "Here it comes!"
C. "It's tapped!"
D. "Beer here!"
C. "It's tapped!"
The mayor of Munich taps the first barrel in the Schottenhamel tent, the oldest private tent at Oktoberfest.
Which of the following German breweries is NOT served at Oktoberfest?
A. Augustiner
B. Weihenstephan
C. Paulaner
D. Hofbräu
B. Weihenstephan
The brewery is in Freising, which is outside of Munich. Only breweries that produce their beer in Munich are allowed to sell beer at the Oktoberfest.
In 2014, it was estimated that ____ liters of beer were served at Oktoberfest, the most amount of bier to date!
A. 7.7 million
B. 9.1 million
C. 5.0 million
D. 5.5 million
A. 7.7 million
This is compared to only 6.5 million liters in 2023.
Vianey and Jeffrey became engaged during the Oktoberfest celebration in which Texas town?
A. El Paso
B. Dallas
C. Ft. Worth
D. Addison
C. Ft. Worth
The two are still together, till this day.
While Oktoberfest is a global phenomenon, about __% of visitors are from Germany with the remaining __% coming from all over the world, making it a truly international event
A. 50% and 50%
B. 66% and 34%
C. 75% and 25%
D. 81% and 19%
D. 81% and 19%
Since its beginning, Oktoberfest has been cancelled how many times?
A. 0 times
B. 10 times
C. 25 times
D. 29 times
C. 25 times
Oktoberfest was cancelled twice in a row, in 2020 and in 2021 due to covid.
As of 2023, how much does a 1-liter mug of beer cost at Oktoberfest?
A. $13.45 to $15.90
B. $14.15 to $18.50
C. $7.00 to $9.00
D. $15.50 to $25.00
A. $13.45 to $15.90
In 2023, a 1-liter mug cost between 12.60 euros and 14.90 euros ($13.45 to $15.90), an increase of about 6% from the previous year.
In 2019, how many whole roast chickens eaten at Oktoberfest?
A. 410,000+
B. 510,000+
C. 610,000+
D. 810,000+
B. 510,000+
Roasted chicken has been a traditional part of Oktoberfest since the first chicken sales in 1885.
Where is the largest Oktoberfest celebration held in The United States?
A. Nashville, Tennessee
B. Houston, Texas
C. Fredericksburg, Texas
D. Cincinnati, Ohio
D. Cincinnati, Ohio
Oktoberfest Zinzinnati is an annual German-heritage festival in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio. Based on the original Munich Oktoberfest, it is billed as the largest Oktoberfest celebration in the United States and second largest in the world.
During Oktoberfest, traditional visitors wear Bavarian hats called Tirolerhüte (Tyrolean hat). It is recognized that more tufts of ___ hair on your hat, the wealthier you are considered to be.
A. Dog
B. Horse
C. Cat
D. Goat
D. Goat
Though this hat from the Alps is part of an older tradition, the tufts are often synthetic and everybody can look as wealthy or as poorly as they like.
What year did Oktoberfest introduce electric lighting to its beer tents?
A. 1850
B. 1860
C. 1870
D. 1880
D. 1880
In 1880, electric lights were used for the first time to illuminate more than 400 booths and tents. This innovation marked a significant shift from the traditional oil lamps and candles, enhancing the safety and overall experience for festival-goers.
During what months is Oktoberfest beer officially allowed to brew?
A. January - June
B. February - June
C. September - April
D. October - March
C. September - April
Traditionally Oktoberfest beer was brewed in March. This practice dates back to a time when brewing was restricted to the cooler months to prevent spoilage. Specifically, brewing was allowed from September 29th to April 23rd. The beer was then stored in cool cellars over the summer and enjoyed during the autumn festivities.
Oktoberfest has a significant economic impact on Munich, generating around how much revenue annually for the region?
A. $5.8 million
B. $20.0 million
C. $823 million
D. $1.43 billion
$1.43 billion
For 2019, Oktoberfest had an annual $1.43 billion economic impact on Munich.
This American brewer is not only a German immigrant but also the oldest brewer in the U.S.
A. Anheuser-Busch Brewery
B. D.G. Yuengling & Son
C. Miller Brewing Company
D. Spoetzl Shiner Brewery
B. D.G. Yuengling & Son
Though Anheuser-Busch Brewery is the largest brewer in the U.S. (Est. 1852), D.G. Yuengling & Son was established in 1829. Miller est. 1854, Shiner est. 1909.
In 2017 Adidas launched their München “Oktoberfest" sneakers showcasing what unique feature?
A. Pretzel scented exterior
B. Beer repellent coating
C. Bratwurst-colored soles
D. Drindle-inspired shoelaces
B. Beer repellent coating
They feature a special DPBR (durable puke and beer repellent) coating to protect your shoes during the beer festival.
Oktoberfest originally took place over a 16-day period. In 1994, this longstanding schedule was modified. As a result, if the first Sunday in October falls on the 1st or the 2nd, then the festival runs until 3 October, celebrating which German holiday?
A. German Unity Day
B. World Children's Day
C. Assumption Day
D. National Bratwurst Day
A. German Unity Day
This commemorates German reunification in 1990 when the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) joined the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany).
The Reinheitsgebot is a series of German regulations limiting the ingredients of beer in Germany. The best known version of the law was adopted in Bavaria in what year?
A. 1516
B. 1801
C. 1819
D. 1988
A. 1516
According to the original 1516 law, beer could only be made from three ingredients: water, barley, and hops. Yeast was not mentioned because its role in fermentation was not understood at the time.
Paulaner Brewery produced the world's first non-alcoholic Weissbier, or wheat beer, served at Oktoberfest in what year?
A. 2022
B. 2000
C. 1999
D. 1986
D. 1986
Non-alcoholic beer is available at almost all festival tents. Non-alcoholic beer is also known as Schankbier in German.
German Americans make up roughly 41 million people in the US, which is approximately 12% of the population. Which US state has the largest German ancestry population?
A. California
B. Texas
C. Pennsylvania
D. Wisconsin
C. Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Bavarian Oktoberfest in Canonsburg is an annual festival that brings the vibrant spirit of Bavarian culture to the heart of Pennsylvania.
The five states with the greatest number of Americans with German Ancestry were Pennsylvania 2.915M, California 2.786M, Ohio 2,730M, Texas 2.429M, and Wisconsin 2.195M.
You might see people snorting a white powder at Oktoberfest. This powder known as Wiesn Koks, is a mixture of ___ and ___.
A. Glucose and Menthol
B. Camphor and Laxative
C. Frankincense and Myrrh
D. Cocaine and more Cocaine
A. Glucose and Menthol
The mixture of glucose and menthol are meant to give a quick energy boost.