Oktoberfest Butterbeer Tasting Finished

The first tent was full of small tasting cups, in a huge variety of butterbeer.

If you wanted butterbeer, this event was the place to be. Imported from all over, there were many types of butterbeer that was available to the students today - including some that they may not have ever even heard of. A number of them were common but a few flavours were rare. Students and professors had the opportunity to taste some of each, and they could choose to either have them served either piping hot or iced cold.

There were twelve different types of butterbeer here today. Each was made to perfection, with the right amount of ingredients to taste the way it was meant to. There were a few ‘rare’ types of flavours too, that had been specially imported for the day. These ones were not available as ingredients either, so students who wanted to try it would have to use this opportunity.

Regular - The classic butterbeer that encompasses the nature of butterscotch and its sweet flavour.
Extra Sweet - A classic butterbeer base with some extra sweet added flavors to really kick you in the sweet tooth.
Vanilla - A classic butterbeer with some added vanilla to enrich the woody flavours.
Maple Syrup - A sister to butterscotch, maple syrup butterbeer has a more roasted flavour.
Cinnamon - Butterscotch spiked with a bit of sweet-spicy cinnamon
Sarsaparilla - A butterscotch beer with added sarsaparilla root, the main flavor in root beer.
Nutmeg - A sweet scotch with a strong hint of nutmeg spice.
Black Licorice - The smooth sweetness of butterscotch here is paired with the strong, bitter flavor of anise.
Sweet and Spicy - An interesting combination that tickles the tongue. Not for the fair hearted.
Chocolate - A classic pairing of smooth butterscotch and rich chocolate.
Caramel - This natural flavor pairing combines two sickly sweet flavors that create the most delicate of butterbeers.
Sweet and Salty - Tickle the taste buds with a bit of salty flavor with your silky smooth butterscotch.

In the corner, there were a ton of extra crates. Perhaps too many. The Professors would have to give some out just to get rid of the extra stock. Although Hjørdis thought she had ordered enough, a random Hufflepuff student that she did not know had come and donated a bunch more, claiming that they had reached her by accident. There was enough butterbeer to give out throughout the day and then some now. Hopefully, this would be a fun opportunity for people to try some of the drink and relax with their friends.

The drinks were served in very small tasting cups only, however and each student was limited to a maximum of twelve cups. This would give them the chance to taste each flavour once - or one flavour twelve times. However, as they were small cups, it prevented anyone from getting affected by the alcohol as it was limited to a maximum of one normal sized cup - which meant no one would be intoxicated. Although they wanted people to have a fun day, they did have to be careful.

Thread Notes:
You may post multiple times in this tent, you do not need to wait.
IC limit of twelve small cups per student. Breaking this will result in IC consequences.
Special thank you to Siege Aramastus Bal for donating the items that will be given away here.

The Mixing Tent

The second tent was a little different. It was full of ingredients and a sign labelled as ‘creation tent’.

There was a very long wooden table set up in the middle of the tent, which had lots of little racks. Each rack contained little tubes and jars of various ingredients. At the end of the table, there were little paper cups that people could take and fill with ingredients. They were free to mix and match as they saw fit.

Reducio

Alihotsy - Finely ground leaves from the Hyena Tree. This ingredient is a primary component of the laughing potion. The effects of these leaves induce large amounts of hysteria and amusement. The mirth is nigh impossible to resist! Use at your own peril.
Rose Oil - A fragrant ingredient made from various petals of the rose flower. Add this ingredient to give your butterbeer a wonderful odor and add calming effects. Be careful with the ingredient though, as it is a common allergy.
Mint - The ground leaves of the Mentha plant.  They will provide a cooling effect to one’s drink and refreshing one’s breath! Don’t add too much, as mint is toxic in high doses.
Honey - A viscous substance produced by bees and various other insects. Gathered freshly from local beekeepers, add this honey to your butterbeer to give it a naturally sweeter flavor. Plus it never expires!
Onion Juice - The squeezed juice of this vegetable from the Lily Family. This ingredient adds a foul burning taste to one’s drink. Use to to prank one of your friends!
Sugar Shrub - A specially made magical plant, ground down into a fine powder. It is far sweeter than that of sugar cane! For the true sweet-tooth in your life!
Bacon - The spiced or smoked strips of pork meat. Popular among the carnivores of the world. The meat is fried and broken into pieces, add it for a more umami flavor.
Chocolate - Not your everyday Muggle Chocolate! Magical chocolate will not only add a sweet cocoa flavour to your Butterbeer, but will also stave off the chill of the incoming fall.
Cinnamon - The finely ground bark of several different trees of the Cinnamomum Family. This powder adds a spicy flavour to one’s drink! We recommend adding sugar with it. Add too much and prepare for the heat!
Coconut - The fruit of a tropical tree, the white meat inside is shredded into fine strips. Add it to add a more tropical feel to your Butterbeer!
Coffee - Finely ground “beans” from a flowering bush of the rainforest. Filtered with water, it commonly adds an energy boosting effect. Beware of the crash though.
Lemon - A Citrus fruit hailing from the tropical regions of the world. Very acidic and sour, add this ingredient to give the Butterbeer a punch.
Marshmallow - A spongy ingredient made from gelatin, sugar, and water. Also ground down so you can stir it in for a sweet flavor in your Butterbeer.
Pumpkin - A gourd shaped squash that grows in the late autumn season. The pulp is mixed with various other squash. Add for a more full flavour, especially with other spices!
Toffee - A delicious hard candy made from mixing sugar with milk/cream/butter. It’s in melted form so it will mix in easily. Add for a sweet taste.
Vanilla - A very sweet liquid derived from a certain orchid plant. One of the most common flavorings to ever exist! Goes well with many other things.
African Red Pepper - This is a strong red chilli pepper imported from Africa. Adding this to butterbeer gives a good combination of sweet and spicy. Be careful how much is added though - this pepper is very strong!
Anise - This is a flowering plant that is native to the Mediterranean region and Southwest Asia. It is commonly also referred to as aniseed. It adds a strong flavour to the butterbeer that tastes like eating liquorice.
Hazelnut - The hazelnut is a product of the hazel tree. Grind it and add the powder into the butterbeer for a nutty flavour. Warning: Please do not consume if you are allergic to nuts!
Caramel - This is a versatile confectionery product made from a variety of sugars. Add a top coat of caramel for a sugary flavour or mix it in for a sweeter drink.
Nutmeg - Derived from the fruit of the evergreen tree, the nutmeg is then ground into a spice that can be added into the butterbeer. Add this as a garnish for a touch of flavour or mix it into the drink for a stronger flavour!
Maple Syrup - This imported syrup is made from the sap of maple trees. It's uniquely sweet taste gives the drink an sugary flavour. It is a hugely popular favour of butterbeer in Canada.
African Sea Salt - Salt that was extracted from one of the seas in or bordering Africa. Add this into your Butterbeer to achieve a sweet and salty combination of flavours but make sure to get the balance right!

Once they had filled their cup with ingredients, they could make their way to one of the mixing stations. There was ten stations. Each station had a small brewing cauldron, which was full of hot butterscotch - made from boiling water, sugar and butterscotch. Students could go to any of the empty stations, drop their chosen ingredients in and stir it to mix it thoroughly. Within a few minutes, they could taste their brand new creation - which may or may not taste nice based on their chosen ingredients!

There was a warning on the tables, informing students to be careful about their mixtures. Not all of the combinations would work. Students were limited to mixing and trying out two different butterbeer combinations, that would be served in a small cup. These were served piping hot.

Thread Notes:
Aoi Risa will moderate the effects of your creation.
Please wait for her post between each creation, to find out the effects of yours.
Use any of the ingredients under 'reducio' in your creation.
Specify the amount of each ingredient. The three options are a pinch, a spoonful or a handful.
You may have up to four pinches, 4 spoonfuls, and two handfuls max.

Hjørdis stood by the tents, examining each one before looking up at the sky. It appeared that it might rain in the afternoon, there were some grey clouds looming on the horizon. For now, however, it was dry. She was dressed in a pair of light blue skinny jeans, some black knee-high boots, a dark pink sleeveless top with a black biker jacket thrown over it that was left unzipped. The female professor had accessorised her clothing with a small amount of jewellery and a touch of makeup too. A pair of stud earrings, a necklace with a snake pendant and a single bracelet on her left wrist. The witch chose to dress very much like a muggle during her days off - or rather, whenever she could. She grew up that way, she had no intention of changing her attire unless the occasion called for something a little more formal or 'wizardry'. For now, she was satisfied with her casual muggle clothing.

Glancing around, she nodded firmly to herself as she mentally confirmed that everything was ready. The aroma of butterbeer was heavy in the air, she could not help but feel content at the effect that had been made today. She just hoped it would be a good opportunity to meet more people and gauge what the students or other professors were like here. It would, if nothing else, serve as an insight into the lives of those living at Hogwarts.

Stepping inside the tasting tent, Hjørdis cast her eyes around the open tent. Everything was ready. All they needed was hoards of students and professors to drop by. Walking towards the table on the inside, she scanned the flavours trying to decide which one she wanted to go with first. With a small grin on her face, she picked up a cup and helped herself to some of the 'Sweet and Spicy' butterbeer that was mixed with strong chillis that were imported from somewhere in Africa. It reminded her of home, where her grandparents still lived and where she visited regularly.

Hjørdis moved towards the exit after filling her glass. She stood by the door, easily spottable to passersby. Waiting for people to come down to the grounds - or rather, hoping that they did. If not, it looked like her and Professor Risa would end up having to drink all of the butterbeer themselves... And oddly enough, she was okay with that, though she preferred something stronger if she had the choice. Nonetheless, she would take it. Hey, she couldn't let it go to waste, could she?

{ Outfit of the day }

Godmod permission granted by Luna Aurelius

Aoi was never one to stay still. She had jumped in on wanting to help with the celebration coming to Hogwarts. And while she had only been here for three days, she was already a member of the staff for the first event. She could barely contain her excitement as she prepared to head out to the tents arranged for the Butterbeer tasting. She had taken the duties off an overburdened Prefect from Ravenclaw who simply wanted to sleep. Aoi had taken pity on the poor white haired girl. Handling regulation and study at the same time was no easy task.

She was thoughtful about her outfit today. A warm peacoat, unbuttoned so you could see her top. The colors of autumn graced the long sleeved shirt, a myriad gradient of pinks, reds, purples, and oranges. It was the time to be festive now wasn't it? A pair of darkblue jeans would help keep the chill away and flat hiking books for movement on the grounds. Aoi was confident in her appearence.

The walk from the castle to the grounds would be brief. More chaotic energy boiled inside her at the chance to work with Professor Jensen. Aoi held strong respect for her Head of House. The woman seemed to radiate strength, dedication, and confidence. Attributes Aoi saw as markings of a great leader. She didn't regret her choice to join Slytherin either. The house made the most sense to her. Her school had never had such designations, but if she had to choose, those who had the drive to act, the ambition to achieve, were those who would succeed.

She had been so lost in thoughts that she had barely noticed the walk up from the dungeons to the staging grounds. Professor Jensen was already there enjoying a drink. Aoi wasn't much of a drinker herself. The infamous flush being a point of embarrassment. She held no judgment for those who did enjoy it though. And so she approached, a smile on her face, greeting the woman she'd be cooperating with today.

"おはようございます Professor Jensen! That's how we say good morning in Japan. How are you feeling this morning? Excited for the day?"

Aoi certainly was, and she positively brimmed with energy. The woman would seem harmless to most, albeit far from the truth. Aoi was quite dangerous when she needed to be, and she was prepared if any events tried to repeat themselves from the year before. She may not have been here then but she was now. If anyone wanted to harm her sister or her pupils, they'd have quite the fight on their hands.

"Quite the amount of ants around here don't you think? Hope we can keep them away from the Butterbeer." Aoi remarked absently as she noticed a huge hill of the swarming insects. As long as they steered clear of the tents, Aoi would leave them be. She stood before the mixing tent and waited for the first students.

おはようございます=Ohayōgozaimasu which means "Good Morning"

The blonde loved autumn the most - the crisp air and leaves changing colors. It had been chilly for a few weeks now, enough that Dymphna bundled up when going out and sat closer to the fire during study sessions to ward off the chill throughout the castle. The Ravenclaw common room wasn’t particularly bad, having a fireplace and charms in place to help keep the warmth inside the tower.

Still, Dymphna preferred the coziness she felt being surrounded by her grandmother's knitting. Scarves, sweaters and socks — her Nana could do it all. When she received an owl about her cousin Hjørdis receiving a Professor position at Hogwarts, she wrote home at once and begged her Nana for an extra scarf.

It arrived just in time, an emerald shade of green and striped with silver to celebrate her position as Head of Slytherin. Dymphna bound down towards the Oktoberfest tents where she knew her cousin would be hosting on the first of October. Her own scarf, a solid powder blue that was quite plain but Dymphna didn’t mind that it had no special design or emblems. Her Nana told her that it brought out her eyes.

“Hjørdis!” Dymphna bellowed in excitement, flashing a smile at another new Professor as she ran passed them to throw her arms around the woman. “Airím uaim thú. How have you been? Was the Ministry sad to see you go? Oh, I’m so happy you’re here!” Her mind was going a mile a minute with more questions but she refrained, not wanting to overwhelm her anymore than she might already have.

Right, the scarf! Sheepishly, Dymphna handed it over. “Nana Caoilfhoinn made it for you. Everyone’s proud, y’know?” She knew that they were relieved as well, knowing that Hogwarts wasn’t as safe as it seemed. Having Nora, a skilled duellist and trained Auror, there meant that their daughter would have better protection.

Finally, the Ravenclaw noticed the samples of Butterbeer, the reason for the day out on the grounds. “Can I try the Vanilla?” Butterbeer was something she was only allowed a sip of during the holidays and only then, she’d only had the regular. Vanilla seemed right up her alley, preferring woodier flavors over sickeningly sweet ones.

Having heard of a ‘Butterbeer Tasting Festival’ related to Oktoberfest, Evany was determined to try some. She had had a little taste several years prior, and didn’t much like it, but thought maybe she should try it again. Dressing in sweatpants and a hoodie, and pulling on her steel-toed combat boots, she made her way up from the dungeons out onto the grounds. Spotting the tents in the distance, Evany started towards them.

Arriving, she spotted her head of house, Professor Hjørdis Jensen standing in front, and shouted a quick ”Morning, Professer!”, before ducking into the tasting tent. Seeing as she was apparently the first, she smiled, but it quickly dimmed when she caught sight of the blonde already inside. Oh well, guess she hadn’t been fast enough. Nodding to the other girl, and taking 3 small cups, Evany took some normal Butterbeer, some cinnamon, and some vanilla. Taking a small Sipo the first, she nearly retched at it’s overbearing sweetness. She didn’t know how ANYONE could stomach this, much less the ‘sweeter’ one. Bleh. Shuddering, she set it aside. The vanilla and cinnamon ones were only marginally better. Thinking that even she could do better than this, Evany transferred to the Mixing tent. Nodding approvingly, she set about creating hers.

Starting with a normal Butterbeer base, she dumped in a couple spoonfuls of honey, followed by a pinch of ground cinnamon, and a spoonful of vanilla. Adding a pinch of ground mint, she followed it witha pinch of bacon. Mixing it carefully, she waited a couple minutes, and, bracing herself, gingerly took a sip.

Tasting Tent
Interacting with Hjordis Jensen

Adelaide was extremely excited. Not only was it the beginning of Fall, the start of the time of year where she truly flourished, but it was the very first day of her month long event. It was the first grade scale event that the relatively new Professor had proposed, planned and carried out, and she could only hope it lived up to everyone's expectations. Her and and team of volunteers had worked tirelessly these past few weeks to plan everything out, and make sure everything was going to run smoothly.

Of course, as the Butterbeer Tasting and Creation event was the very first event to take place during Oktoberfest, there was no way Adelaide was about to miss it. Plus she Dhampir rather enjoyed the drink. She wished a bit of artifical blood was one of the chosen ingredients, but alas, this was the world of humans and so no such thing would ever be considered.

That was alright, though, Adelaidr was more than excited to try out the combinations she had already imagined in her mind. Plus, she could finally taste the different important beers she had ordered. She had refrained from trying them when they first arrivied, she didn't want to ruin the surprise.

She headed down to the tent that was set up on the Grounds of the castle not long before she figured Aoi and Nora would be finished setting up. She had met the new Professors when they arrived, as they both as volunteered to help in the festival and give the amazing, but tired and overworked Prefects a break. She was excited about all the new staff members, hiding her concern for all those who suddenly left.

As the walked into the tent, both to enjoy the event and to make sure everything was sunning smoothly and without error, she breathed in the sickly sweet smell of the Butterbeer that engulfed the area. It was near sickening, but exhilarating at the same time. She grinned widely at Professor Jensen as she arrived, but quicky attempted to tone down her smile, so as to not draw to much attention to her set of teeth. Adelaide, unlike some Dhampirs, chose to keep her fangs out at all times. She thought the gaping holes when they were pulled in her much stranger and more noticable than fnlangs, she simply had to keep control of her smiles.

Her eyes burned a deep Auburn as she greeted the Professor. "This looks absolutely amazing, Nora. I cannot thank you enough for your help. I am so glad to have you on the Staff now, and so happy you are aiding in this festival. It will be a great way to meet both members of your House and of the school." She started, through overjoyed to have the new company. Nora seemed nice enough in their previous interactions during planning. And she certainly let off an aura of power and leadership, something Adelaide, who had so much to hide, often lacked. Traits, too, that would help her guide and lead an extremely powerful House of witches and Wizards.

But soon the Dhampirs attention moved from her companion to the line of drinks before her. She.knew, of course, that she had the freedom to try whichever and as many as she wanted, but found herself stalling on which to take first. After a bit of thinking, however, she decided upon the Sweet and Satly Butterbeer ad Adelaide often enjoyed meeting and salty snacks such as Carmel corn or chocolate dipped pretzels.

"Which have you tired so far, Nora?" She inquired lazily as she focused on the small glass of shining Butterbeer. With a slow motion she moved it to her lips, smelling the delicate butterscotch. It smell like any other Butterbeer as salt was.difficult to smell, but her sensitive nose picked up trace amounts of the common spice. Then she quickly threw her head back along with the shot of drink.

She held the sweetness in her mouth just long enough for the salt to make it's round, before she sealled the delightful shot. She grinned, closed mouth this time, at herself. Good choice, she thought, as that was simply an amazing pairing of flavors.

Open to Interactions

Mixing Tent

Autumn was definitely Anastasia's favorite season. It wasn't mind-numbingly hot or cold, it was the perfect in between. She wasn't exactly an "outdoorsy" type, but she did love being outside during the fall. She also loved all of the fall events that her parents had taken her to, and she was looking forward to getting to see what Hogwarts was like in the fall. 

When she heard about the Butterbeer tasting, the young Prefect thought she had died and gone to Heaven or something.  Anastasia loved Butterbeer more than just about anything in the world. The normally calm and mature first year was barely containing herself from skipping into the mixing tent. She had an idea for a mixture that she was rather excited about. 

Despite her excited mood, she still appeared to be closer to a small adult than an eleven-year-old. She was wearing a red dress that was simple but rather formal, with a sweater that appeared to be woven from gold. Despite the fact that she wasn't wearing her robes, it was pretty clear what house she was. 

She reached the mixing table and examined all of the add-ins. True, she had a plan for what she wanted to do, but she wanted to be certain that there weren't any other flavors that were calling her name or anything. After carefully inspecting all of the ingredients, she made her selection. 

She first neatly mixed in a spoonful of marshmallow and then a careful pinch of cinnamon. Cinnamon was a quite interesting flavor, in her opinion, and it reminded her of fall, so it felt perfect. Now, how would it taste?

Interacts With: The Professors and maybe some students  

There was a certain coolness to the air and a warm feeling of change. It was definitely Autumn. Although it wasn't her most favorite season, Elaine saw no reason not to still love it. The blonde was simply ecstatic for the start of the Oktoberfest. She honestly didn't help out as she was still very new, but nothing would stop her from complimenting the professors and prefects that did. It surely must have been some sort of hard work for them.

The young woman would make her way to the grounds, but only this time her entrance didn't include a floating trunk. No, not this time. This time, she rode in on a floating pumpkin that was made big enough to fit her. Not only that, but it would serve to be a very big jack-o-lantern or make a lot of pumpkin pie. The blonde would sit at the very top, legs wrapped around what was now a very large stem for support. It was honestly quite a sight. A supposedly adult riding in on a giant pumpkin to a festival event. 

But it was just how the blonde was. She did make quite a bit of fun using spells she had previously learned. Elaine waved rapidly to the students outside of the tents that she could see. Not that she was very high up, more like a few feet, but now she might be called the floating teacher from the two times she has arrived like this. Well, nobody could say it didn't look fun. The butterbeer tasting tent was where she 'landed' her orange steed and attempted to 'park' it like in the parking lots of the muggle world. The young woman would enter the tent and see her fellow professors and a few students.

"Ah, hello, lovely ladies." Her voice was how it always was. Charmingly sweet. Like honey. "Very nice job with the first event!" Elaine was very genuinely excited. It was honestly very cool and very nicely done on the side of the professors and prefects that did help out. She had only met them for a little moment when they had arrived and gotten the job, but no other interactions. Well, of course that would change.