Pubs raise steins to celebrate Oktoberfest

01-Oct-2019 - Last updated on 01-Oct-2019 at 14:22 GMT

Stein of the times: pubs and brewers celebrate Oktoberfest

It’s that frothy time of year again when Brits don’t need to look further than their local pub to enjoy Germany’s biggest party, Oktoberfest.

The celebration of the Bavarian culture sees people indulge in authentic Bratwurst sausage, dancing to Oompah music and clanking together steins of beer.

The Walnut Tree in Stowmarket, Suffolk, kicked off its German celebrations by holding an Oktober beer festival on 28 September.

Guests were able to sample genuine brands of beer from Munich, specially developed for Oktoberfest including Lowenbrau, Paulaner and Spaten.

The Stowmarket Concert Band performed three sets of Oompah music in the evening.

Special sausage

The pub also had barbecued food on offer with a specially created sausage recipe – using native large black pig – from Roger Brash at The Gourmet Sausage Van, which was flavoured with ale from The Krafty Braumeister microbrewery.

Licensee Helen Sheldrake at the Walnut Tree commented: “We had a fantastic weekend celebrating Oktoberfest at the Walnut.

“Our team are experts in offering unique ales and beers to customers and we were thrilled to be able to give them a chance to sample an authentic range of beers produced especially for Oktoberfest, a rare opportunity for pubgoers in the UK.”

Short leather breeches

The festival is also renowned for its traditional German attire.

Barmaids dressed in the classic dirndl dress and guests donning short leather breeches, the traditional lederhosen.

The Ladies Mile in Brighton, East Sussex, is holding its Oktoberfest this weekend on 4-6 October, where staff will be dressed in German clothing and customers are invited to do the same.

Manager Gayle Newman said: “This is the third year we’ve done it – there will be German sausages, German music, the pub will be decorated, and all the staff will be dressed up too.”