Oktoberfest is coming to Queensland’s Scenic Rim on 11 October at Commercial Hotel Boonah.
Guests can expect a Bavarian-style party across the entire venue – including the hotel’s carpark – with hearty food, live music, and a freshly brewed, limited-edition Märzen ale from the venue’s Boonah Brewing Co.
Brewer Jakob Röller told Beer & Brewer the event will be a celebration of the Oktoberfest Australians know and love as well as a nod to the regions German history.
“Oktoberfest is the biggest festival of beer in the world, and the second largest group of people who go to Munich to participate in the celebrations, after Bavarians, are Australians, so we thought it would be fun to bring the celebrations to Boonah.
“In addition, the Scenic Rim has a strong German history, with German settlers flocking to the region in the 19th century. We thought many descendants and today’s beer lovers in the region would appreciate a very traditional German beer and some Oktoberfest fun.”
Pouring from the taps will be the brewery’s signature craft range along with a specially brewed, limited-edition rich amber lager made famous by Oktoberfest.
“Our Märzen is a true-to-type German beer. Technique-wise, it’s identical to what you’d expect in Germany: step rest mashing, a cold fermentation with a Bavarian lager yeast and a five-week maturation period to develop that smooth balance.
“Thanks to our brewhouse design, tailored by The Brewery Mentors, we can run a traditional mash that really unlocks the typical German drinkability, making this a perfect Oktoberfest stein-filler. And in line with German purity tradition, it’s brewed without any additives or preservatives, just malt, hops, yeast, and water,” explained Röller.
He said drinkers can expect a traditional beer with a sweet caramel note, rich malt character, toasted bread aroma with a crisp finish and a Scenic Rim twist of sessionability.
“Where we differ slightly is in the ABV, instead of pushing 5.9-6.5 per cent like many German Märzens, which are brewed specifically for Oktoberfest and hence have a higher ABV, we gave it a Scenic Rim twist by dialing it back to 5.5 per cent. That makes it a little more sessionable and well-suited to rural Queensland’s drinking culture, while still retaining the full flavour and body of the style.”
In terms of brewing process, Röller further explained that the goal was to stay true to German traditions.
“We started by selecting German specialty malts, to bring in the caramel and toasted bread notes, backed by a base of local pale malt. The hop bill was kept traditional with noble varieties like Hallertau Mittelfrüh and Tettnang for a delicate spice and floral touch. For yeast, we use the classic German powerhouse W34/70, known for its clean fermentation profile.”
He continued: “To really tie it together, we adjust our water profile to match Munich’s, then run a classic step rest: starting at 62°C for fermentability, rising to 72°C for body, and finally 78°C to assist lautering. The result is a malt-forward, smooth-drinking lager with restrained bitterness that stands apart from the more hoppy, modern styles in our Boonah range.”
On the food menu for Boonah’s Oktoberfest is local beef bratwursts and burgers, which Roller said the culinary team had fun weaving in traditional German food using local produce that would pair well with Boonah Brewing Co beer.
“It doesn’t get much more traditional than bratwurst, which are made with Scenic Rim native beef. This isn’t just local beef, it’s beef that is raised on the farm of the Ghanem family, who owns the hotel and brewery.
“Sustainability and flavour go hand in hand here: the brewery draws on pure spring water from underground aquifers on the family’s nearby farm, while spent grains and hops feed their free-range cattle. That same prime beef makes its way back onto the menu, including on the Oktoberfest bratwurst and beef burgers made for the festival.”
