Josephsbrau Oktoberfest is a rich, complexly malted lager, made exclusively for us by a respected West Coast craft brewer who marries modern-day technology with old-world recipes. In this particular case, that “marriage” takes some inspiration from a real-life historical wedding! First celebrated in Munich in 1810, the inaugural Oktoberfest was thrown to mark the nuptials of Kronprinz Ludwig to Princess Therese of Saxe- Hildburghausen. Now nearly synomous with beer, Josephsbrau Oktoberfest is an homage to the festival’s official drink, known to locals as Märzenbier. In fact, in order to match Märzenbier’s marvelously malty profile, the brewers at Josephsbrau have imported three kinds of malts all the way from Germany!

Each sip of Josephsbrau Oktoberfest is full-bodied and caramel-y, but with a light enough touch of hops that it remains remarkably easy-drinking. We recommend serving it well chilled, out of the can or in a frosty glass (or stein, if you’ve got one!), preferably alongside a grilled steak, sausage, or burger. We find that its toasty caramel malts are particularly suited to pairing with seared, and even slightly charred proteins—try a can the next time you’ve got chicken wings, ribs, or brats on the barbecue.