Let’s all raise a glass (or a stein) and toast King Ludwig I of Bavaria.

It was around this time of year, back in 1810 (when he was merely a crown prince) that he decided to take the plunge and finally get married. The citizens of Munich were invited to celebrate the auspicious occasion and Oktoberfest was born. Today, Oktoberfest is an annual 16-day beer festival celebrated not just in Germany, but around the world, including right here in New England.

That fact is pretty clear if you’ve stopped into your local package store or pub lately where you’ve no doubt noticed the proliferation of Oktoberfest beers. In recent years, the original fall brew has inspired a host of other seasonals, from pumpkin ales to harvest wheats. 

Well, few places do craft beer — or fall — as well as New England, so one of our areas more respected “beer nuts” stopped by the studio to walk us through some of the best area Oktoberfest celebrations and fall brews.

Guest:

• Norman Miller, author of “Beer Lover’s New England” and Wicked Local’s Beer Nut blog

Norman hopes you will enjoy these beers as much as he does:

• Jack’s Abby Brewing’s Copper Legend: “One of the better Oktoberfest-style lagers brewed in New England. This brewery is in Framingham, Mass.”
• Cambridge Brewing Company’s Great Pumpkin Ale: “The country’s oldest pumpkin ale and one of the finest.”
• Cape Ann Brewing Company’s Fisherman’s Pumpkin Stout: “There are some exciting things being done in pumpkin beers.”