The Munich Oktoberfest is just one of many such events which take place across southern Germany and Bohemia at this time of year.

Historically, these festivals signified the beginning of the new brewing season as temperatures cooled during autumn. Munich is the largest of the Oktoberfests by some distance, attracting more than six million customers to its 100,000-seater beer tents. Six brewers supply the festival, each producing a special, strong Oktoberfestbier. Several have featured here in earlier years, and this time round it’s the turn of Paulaner, the city’s largest brewery with monastic origins dating back to the early 17th century, though now part of the Heineken conglomerate.

Familiar pale gold in colour, and with a deep, foamy head, it has a light, buttery malt aroma with some citrus notes, and floral, herbal hops.

On the palate, there is bread and barley, with some soft, fruity notes of peach and lychee, though the overall flavour is quite dry.

The modest level of carbonation allows a nicely balanced, earthy bitterness to show through in the aftertaste, along with a little glow of alcohol, and a mild, spicy fruitiness at the finish.

A very enjoyable, well-flavoured lager, whose drinkability belies its six per cent abv.

Recommended by Jim Helsby, of the York Beer And Wine Shop, Sandringham Street, York.