KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Prost! Oktoberfest is in full swing at Border Brewing Company.
Owner and founder Eric Martens kicked off the brewery's first year celebrating the event Sunday by digging up a piece of history.
“In the 17th century, when Oktoberfest originated, they used to bury beers in caves to keep it cool before refrigeration was a thing," Martens said. "So what we did was we buried this lager, this Oktoberfest beer, back in March, and we just dug it up in September as our Oktoberfest celebration.”
Martens started the company in 2015 and moved to the Crossroads Arts District in 2021, working tirelessly tokeep German tradition alive.
“There is always a story behind every type of beer, and the Marzenbier Oktoberfest is one that doesn't get told often — a lot of people don't know about it,” he said.
When making craft beer, Martens believes it's important to honor old traditions while adding a new twist.
“We found a way to kind of manifest that story and do something kind of silly, or seemingly silly, but also tell a story of old Germany," Martens said. "It just creates an excuse for people to come out and have a community where people can get together and drink beer."
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