Southport Magazine

Break out your Lederhosen…it’s Oktoberfest! 
The first Oktoberfest celebration originated in Munich, Germany in 1810. Known as the world’s largest public festival, Oktoberfest will be enjoyed by almost seven million visitors this year alone. The event is held annually running for 16 days from late September to the first weekend in October. Special Oktoberfest Beer is brewed and 7.7 million liters are served over the 16 day period. Music, games and Bavarian fare accompany this fun filled event.

Fortunately, for those of us who can’t make it to die Wiesn for the world’s biggest party,

The Southport Rotary and Mathew’s Ministries have teamed up with Check 6 Brewery to present their first Beer, Brats and Backpacks! Oktoberfest celebration on Saturday, September 26th. The event will take place on the grounds of Check 6 Brewery, 5130 Southport-Supply Rd SE in Southport from 6pm-10m. Tickets are $20 (with an additional on-line fee of $3) and can be purchased online at:  southportrotarycluboktoberfest.myevent.com or through their Facebook page:  Southport Rotary Club Oktoberfest.  They are offering a VIP option for an additional $10, which includes early entry (5pm-6pm), tour of the brewery and a sampling of beers.  Both ticket prices include a mug and first fill up for free.

Check 6 Brewery has brewed a special Oktoberfest beer for the event, as well as all their other offerings. German Polka music will be provided by The Group Du Jour.  And what Oktoberfest would be complete without Bratwurst!

We asked Noah Goldman of Check 6 Brewery for more information about Oktoberfest and this is what he had to say –

Today’s authentic Oktoberfest bier is only brewed by breweries within the city limits of Munich. And they are the only ones allowed to participate in the annual Munich Oktoberfest.  All other beers brewed to emulate that style must be Labeled Oktoberfest-Style.  In spite of its name, Oktoberfest Bier is an outgrowth of a traditional spring brew called Marzens (German for March, which was put in caves or cellars for summer consumption.)  The left-over bier had to be consumed quickly to empty the barrels and allow the brewers to brew fresh beers made with newly harvested grains and hops that were now available.  Over time the March beer turned into an October beer, Therefore Oktoberfest biers are always well aged lagers.  

 Our Oktoberfest bier is aged for 8 weeks and is made with rich Pilsner, Vienna and Munich malts. With its amber color, it’s very lightly hopped with traditional German Noble Hops and features a medium bodied rich malty taste, with no cloying sweetness.  It has an alcohol content of 5.3% A.B.V. making it extremely drinkable. Just exactly the way King Ludwig intended it to be.

The date of this style’s great transformation was October 12, 1810.  On that day, crown Prince Ludwig, who later became King Ludwig I, married Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghousen.  To allow the commoners to partake in the ceremonies, the couple organized a giant wedding party on some grazing land outside the Munich city gates. Around 40,000 happy Bavarians showed up. Almost every year since, that party is repeated in the same place.  Today around 6 million attend the event and consume 3 million liters of the very special beer. 

By the way, that meadow, was given its current name of Theresein weisse (Theresa’s meadow). To honor the Crown Princess.  Now known in the local vernacular as just, the “Wies’n”.

And is still the site of the world’s largest “Volkfest”. 

Prost!- Noah

And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, it does!  100 percent of the proceeds from this event to go Mathew’s Ministries, a local charity which began in August 2010 when a teacher submitted a prayer request to a local Moms In Touch group.  The prayer simply stated, “Please pray for a child in my class that does not have food at home to eat”.  Kristie Disbrow, a local mom, went back to the teacher and asked if her family could donate food to help this child.  She quickly learned that many children in the school did not have food at home.  Kristie emailed friends, told them about this need and set a collection bin on her porch.  Many of them donated food to this cause and teachers, social workers and guidance counselors distributed food to hungry children and their families.  More and more schools heard about this program and in December 2010, Matthew’s Ministry became a 501(3)(c) non-profit agency.

“The Southport Rotary Club supports health and kids in our community,” explains Oktoberfest Chairman, Jonathan Richmond.  “We wanted to come up with a fun, fundraiser!”  Jonathan came up with the Oktoberfest idea and Kristie came up with the mission.  The “Adopt a Backpack” mission through Matthew’s Ministry provides weekend food for children in Brunswick County who do not have adequate food at home. Over 500 backpacks are needed to start the program. Backpacks go home filled with food on Fridays and are returned on Monday to be filled again.  “We’ve adopted Southport Elementary. One VIP ticket to the Oktoberfest will provide 4 weekends of food for one child!” Jonathan says.

It seems like a no brainer to me!  Have a great time and support a local cause directly affecting the children in our community!

If you can’t make it to the Oktoberfest, here are some ways to help the “Adopt a Backpack” mission:

1. Donate a new or gently used backpack

2. Purchase a backpack and fill it with:

One box of cereal

One jar of peanut butter and jelly (plastic only)

One box of macaroni and cheese

One box of pasta

One can of pasta sauce

One can of tuna, chicken or Vienna sausage

One can of soup

One package of ramen noodles

3. Make a donation of 25$ (to cover one backpack and first week of food). Checks should be made to Matthew’s Ministry.

All backpacks (filled or empty) and donations can be turned in to the “little red wagon” at the law office of Stiller and Disbrow (801 N Howe St). Backpacks can be any size or color and will be used at elementary, middle and high schools in Brunswick County. For more information on Matthew’s Ministry please visit their website at www.matthewsministry.com.

The Beer, Brats and Backpack Oktoberfest event will be a great celebration of food, fun and charity!

Auf wiedersehen!