Barleywine - is it wine or is it beer?

A cold, dark winter evening is the perfect time to hunker down with a glass of barleywine, a dark, strong, malty ale originating in England.

It's dark, complex, sometimes bittersweet, sometimes fruity, and always very alcoholic.  

And no, it is definitely not wine.

Oktoberfest!

Munich, Germany's Oktoberfest is the world's most famous and imitated beer festival, and it's name has become synonymous with the style of beer served there: Märzen (Mayrt-zen).

Before refrigeration, it was difficult to brew beer during Bavaria's hot summer and the quality of the beer suffered. In 1553, Bavarian law decreed that beer could only be brewed between September 29th and April 23rd. Beer was brewed in March (Märzen in German) to be stored in cellars and caves for drinking during the summer.