Oktoberfest actually started two weeks ago, and in Munich there are only about three days left before it all wraps up and six or so million revelers return to their respective corners of the globe to sleep it off. Their German hosts were so thirsty, so eager to start their fortnight-plus of debauchery — a commemoration of the marriage of Bavarian crown prince Ludwig I, celebrated annually since his wedding day, in 1810 — that they kicked the thing off in mid September. (Actually, the timing has more to do with tradition and weather.) But there’s no reason you can’t enjoy Oktoberfest beers right through the month of, well, October.

Start with the genuine articles. Munich allows only beers from its own six native breweries to be served during the festivities, and Paulaner Oktoberfest-Märzen and Hacker-Pschorr Original Oktoberfest are two of them. Both are exemplary representatives of the Märzen style. Now, wait a minute, you’re saying. I speak a bit of German, and I happen to know that "Märzen" is derived from the word for March. This is October. What gives? Traditionally, these beers used to be brewed in March, then left to "lager" — sit in storage as the bottom-fermenting yeast matures the beer and brings out its character — for the months leading up to Oktoberfest. Paulaner and Hacker-Pschorr each lager for about 15 weeks, and that time spent in summer-long hibernation shines through. The Paulaner is a gorgeous burnished orange, with frisky effervescent body and a powerful nose redolent of fall foliage and pumpkin. Its malty sweetness really comes through at first, then fades away to a hearty, toasty finish. The Hacker-Pschorr is medium-bodied, with a glowing, tawny complexion. Hints of caramel and molasses assert themselves before rounding out into a drier finish.

Closer to home, Boston boasts some fine interpretations of the style. Samuel Adams Octoberfest is a luminous amber color, malty-sweet and a little spicy, finishing with a pleasant, hoppy tang. At the Sam Adams–sponsored Beer Summit Oktoberfest celebration two weeks ago, that style flowed freely. So did another: the Boston Beer Company unveiled its own limited-edition version of a Rauchbier, or smoked beer. It was made in a very small batch, and supposedly available exclusively for that Octoberfest, but reports are that it will be on hand at the Sunset Grill & Tap, in Allston, as long as supplies last. Pouring with a deep, copper translucency, this medium-bodied beer is marked by plangent smokiness — hickory, maybe? — making it the perfect complement to hearty German fare like sauerkraut and slow-cooked meat, but it’s a restrained smokiness, not at all over the top. (For that, try the imported Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen, with a woody aroma that often recalls smoked pork; it can be found at Bukowski’s Tavern, in Boston and Cambridge, for about $9 for a 16.9-ounce bottle.)

The folks at Harpoon Brewery say their Octoberfest takes the most time and effort to brew of all their myriad beers. The TLC shows. The six different malts they use impart a complex, multifarious sweetness, but it’s all balanced with an assertive, hoppy undertow.

See for yourself at Harpoon’s 15th annual Octoberfest celebration on October 1 and 2, at the Harpoon Brewery, 306 Northern Avenue, in Boston. Tickets are $12; call (617) 574-9551, ext. 3. Paulaner Oktoberfest-Märzen, Hacker-Pschorr Original Oktoberfest, Samuel Adams Octoberfest, and Harpoon Octoberfest can be found in most area liquor stores.