Oktoberfest Food & Drink

Festival favorites

Miller Lite Beer Cheese Dip

Ingredients

Makes 12 servings

  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3 tbsp white flour
  • 0.5 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup Miller Lite® beer
  • 1 lb extra sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1.5 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

STEP 1

In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and continuously whisk for 2 minutes. While still whisking, pour milk into the flour mixture and cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Slowly add beer and whisk until the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes.

STEP 2

Reduce heat to medium-low and add cheese, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Cook and stir until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

STEP 3

Serve with hard pretzels or veggies.

STEP 4

Serve in a fondue pot or slow cooker to keep warm.

STEP 5

Pair with an American Light Lager, like Miller Lite®.

The history of Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest officially begins on the second to last Saturday in September at noon when the mayor of Munich taps the first barrel at the Schottenhamel Tent, crying "O’zapft is” (It’s open).

The German festival’s roots date back to 1810, when Bavaria’s Crown Prince Ludwig married Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen with a multi-day celebration filled with drinking, feasting and horse races. Over the next two centuries, large beer halls were constructed for patrons, attracting revelers from all over the globe. Today, Oktoberfest is one of the world's largest festivals, including amusement rides, games, live music, and dancing that lasts 16 to 18 days, ending on the first Sunday in October.

The main theme behind Oktoberfest is the celebration of Bavarian history which, of course, includes beer (and a lot of yummy German foods).

The food

  • Bavarian cheese
  • Black Forest Ham
  • Westphalia breads
  • Düsseldorf hot mustard
  • Munich sweet mustard
  • Swabian pickles
  • Sauerkraut and red cabbage
  • Dumplings and spaetzle

German-style pretzels, also known as brezen, are traditionally paired with butter. When it comes to the meats, you have several options, including pork roasted with dark beer and onions (schweinebraten), roasted ham hock (schweinshaxe), and crispy roast chicken. Plus, German sausages, or würstl, of which there are a variety, including bratwurst.

The beer

Beer is an essential part of any Oktoberfest celebration. If you want an authentic experience, there are six German lagers to seek out: Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Löwenbräu, Paulaner, Spaten, and Hofbräuhaus. For a simple celebration, start with the basics. There are more than 100 genuine German brands imported into the United States. Let our knowledgeable beer stewards help you find the right beer for your celebration.

Whether you tap a keg or crack open some bottles, as the host you should be the first to do so and proclaim "O’zapft is!"

Oktoberfest is a great time to build a feast! 

Here’s the good news: Oktoberfest is the perfect time to celebrate all things fall. You don’t even have to be German to get in on the fun. In fact, you can shop online in the app or at your local Vons for great fall party food.

Not sure where to start? Let’s talk about the appetizers. Soft pretzels and hot, molten beer cheese are a winning combination. Roasted potatoes and cabbage is another combo that’s a classic crowd favorite. Maybe sauerkraut isn’t up your alley yet, but there’s other ways to enjoy cabbage.

Firing up the grill isn’t a bad idea when there’s sausages and vegetables to enjoy. Bratwurst is a sausage that really tastes fantastic after cooking on the grill. Hot cheese dips are a great way to enjoy bratwurst, as well as spicy mustard to help balance the bold flavor of the sausage.

Oktoberfest feasts tend to be right as the weather begins to turn cooler, but summertime heat isn’t always gone for the year. This calls for breaking out cold beer and cider. Authentic German beers are full flavored, hearty, and an excellent addition to the feast. Non-alcoholic cider is a great option for those looking to capture the spirit of the season without drinking alcohol.

Don’t forget to head to the bakery. Not only does bratwurst go well with soft buns, you want to get desserts for the feast! German chocolate cake is a great addition to the table, but feel free to grab cookies, pies or even brownies. If you order ahead, you can even create a custom cake order with an eye-catching design.

No matter what you decide to serve, you can purchase all your party food online in the app or at your local Vons.