Oktoberfest Now Has Its Culture War. It Isn’t About the Beer.
MUNICH—Oktoberfest is usually all about the beer. This year, it is about chicken. A decision by the Paulaner festival tent to serve all-organic hens at its marquee venue is stoking a debate between advocates of a sustainable Oktoberfest against traditionalists wary of a “Woke Wiesn"—a play on the short form of the name of the Bavarian celebration.
“It’s an experiment," said Arabella Schörghuber, who runs the Paulaner Festzelt. “It’s more expensive, but the quality is higher. We want to make sure that the animal has a good life.
We’ll see what happens." On Saturday, she helped hand out the first beers from the middle of the giant festival tent after thousands of people counted down to the tapping of the first keg. Waiters each toting a dozen glasses with a liter of beer wove through the crowds as huge rotisserie ovens cooked hens in a side kitchen, five on each spit. Andrea Koerner, 56 years old, comes to Oktoberfest each year and usually orders the chicken, the most popular festival food.
Not this time. When she saw that an organic half hen cost 20.50 euros, the equivalent of $22, about 50% more than the nonorganic hens, she opted for pretzels and a cheese spread instead. “We don’t know the taste because it costs too much to try," Koerner said.
Other guests said the chicken was good and worth the price. “I don’t care at all," said Jake Williams, a 32-year-old guest. “I guess it is good if people care about the chickens." The price hike is among other inflation-related markups.
The cost of a liter—or “mass"—of beer in most big tents increased this year by 6% to €14.50, according to a survey done by the city. That is after prices rose sharply last year following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Oktoberfest was canceled in
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