Some have the same name from Bavaria to the North Sea, such as the popular bratwurst, but each one will taste different depending on the region, the town and local tastes.

At Edelweiss restaurant in Norridge, Ill., whose atmosphere instantly transports diners to another, older world, owner Walter Kosch presents a platter brimming with bratwurst, thuringer, German wieners, bloodwurst, liverwurst, bockwurst and knockwurst. For good measure, he throws in a seasonal strudel made with bratwurst, apple and sauerkraut. In Chicago, Kosch believes, the most popular German sausages are bratwurst, knockwurst, bockwurst and thuringer, the latter being his favorite.

All the Edelweiss sausages are handmade at Paulina Meat Market, owned by Bill Begale and located in the heart of the Old Lincoln Avenue Germantown neighborhood. There may be no better place in the Chicago area to get the real thing, along with friendly advice on preparation and side dishes.

Kosch and Begale agreed that a true taste of Oktoberfest rests on top-quality meat, first and foremost. In this case, meat means lean veal and pork and, sometimes, beef. Depending on where they originate or who makes them, some German sausages are all veal, some are veal and pork and some include all three.

Some sausages are finely ground, usually veal, and some are coarsely ground. Some are spicy, some have few spices. The key, Kosch said, is a gratifying mouth-feel and texture, and a flavor that gently expands on the taste buds.

Preparation is equally varied. Some should only be warmed with a slight boil, some should only be grilled and some are smoked.

Weisswurst, for example, is a very pale, tender sausage that is ubiquitous at the original Oktoberfest in Munich. It leaves a relatively light imprint on the stomach. Begale said it's another name for a veal bratwurst, a sausage that a German will have with a big pretzel and some tangy mustard. Weisswurst always is boiled and only gently.

Brats, conversely, are always best grilled, said Eva Marski, manager of the Westmont Brat House in the western suburb. That way, you sear in the flavor and juices, cooking them slowly for 8 to 10 minutes over coals. And whatever you do, don't poke them with a knife or fork, she said, which results in all the flavor trickling out.

Marski said that a good sausage always is the result of a labor-intensive process that blends the meats carefully and adds fresh spices while the sausage is made. Depending on the type of sausage those can include nutmeg, mace, caraway, garlic, coriander and chives, not to mention salt and pepper. And there's a little sugar in most of them, Begale said.

"The sign of a good sausage is really what it doesn't have in it, like fillers, fat and MSG," added Marski. Which is another way of saying that less is more in this case.

If you're going to be authentic with the sausage, there are a few serving pointers to follow. If you want to impress guests, put your brats or other sausages into thick bakery-style rolls - not commercial hot dog buns, which won't stand up to the juices. Westmont Brat House, for example, uses S. Rosen's sausage rolls.

And while you're at the market, ask for advice on the proper side dishes, which mostly amount to kraut, potato pancakes, sweet red cabbage and maybe some apple slices. Of course, it's all washed down with an authentic Oktoberfest beer. And, add good cheer liberally.