It’s the most wonderful time of the year: Oktoberfest season! What started with a Bavarian royal wedding and horse race has turned into one of the biggest parties on the planet with tents, games, rides and most importantly, beer. But what are the differences between the way Germans brew the beer for Oktoberfest and how other countries do it? What about differences in parties, culture, food, and music?

This month on the All About Beer podcast, we talk to a brewer at the classic Munich, Germany based Hofbrau about their brewing practices for their very popular festbier and Chicagoland adjacent brewery Goldfinger about how they keep Bavarian tradition alive as well as create their own spin on the classic beers of this celebrated season. Prost!

Listen to the whole conversation where you download podcasts including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and Overcast.

This episode is sponsored by:


This episode is brought to you by Hopsteiner and Alora™ hops. If you’re looking for the next breakthrough aroma variety, Alora delivers. With 5 times more bound 3MH thiol precursors than Cascade hops, Alora gives brewers incredible potential for unlocking vibrant tropical and citrus character. Add in a unique oil profile featuring over 50% selinene—and you get expressive notes of peach, apricot, yuzu, and sweet melon. Discover otherworldly flavor with Alora™. Shop Alora and other products at shop.Hopsteiner.com.

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At All About Beer, we’re honored to share the stories that define the beer community, and we couldn’t do it without the generous support of our underwriting sponsors. Their commitment helps sustain independent beer journalism, allowing us to highlight the people, places, and passion behind every pint. Their partnership ensures these stories continue to inspire, connect, and celebrate the craft we all love. Join our underwriters today and help make an impact on independent journalism covering the beer industry.

Em Sauter
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Called the “Bob Ross of beer” by Imbibe magazine, Em Sauter is an award winning cartoonist, author, beer judge, journalist and public speaker based in the US and is the founder of the website Pints and Panels which teaches visual drinks education. She has an MFA in cartooning from the famous Center for Cartoon Studies, is an Advanced Cicerone®, holds WSET Level 2 in Spirits and Wine and is an BJCP certified international beer judge who has judged high-profile competitions on every continent but Antarctica. She is the co-host of the All About Beer podcast along with Canadian drinks writer Don Tse.  She has contributed to Forbes, Brewers and Distillers International, Craft Beer and Brewing, Vinepair, Outside, The Alcohol Professor and more. She is the author of four books on beer.

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Don Tse

Living near seven malthouses, Don Tse is a freelance beer and malt writer and consultant known globally as The Don of Beer. He has been active in craft beer for over 25 years and has famously sampled and written tasting notes on over 31,000 different beers. He is the co-host of the All About Beer podcast. Don has also written for magazines and presented on beer in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Ukraine and Singapore.  Nobody in those countries thinks his jokes are funny.