Beer Blog
Oktoberfest Beer
We love it when Oktoberfest Beers start to show up at the end of the summer, and every year it always seems like they’re gone all too soon. I always recommend these to people when we have them in stock, since they’ve been brewed for the past couple hundred years to specifically be enjoyed as summer turns to fall.
Oktoberfest beers were traditionally brewed in the springtime, laid down in caves during summer, and pulled out in the fall to celebrate the harvest season. Before refrigeration, beer couldn’t be brewed in the summer since it would spoil too easily, so they had a lot to celebrate once there was a chill in the air again. These beers are usually golden to light amber in color, with a little more body, sweetness, and well-rounded malts than pilsners. The alcohol is still relatively low though, as Oktoberfest beer is brewed to be quaffable. Here are some of my favorites:
Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen – This is one of the most traditional Oktoberfest beers out there. It’s on the lighter side of medium bodied, and a beautiful golden-amber color. There’s a slight caramelization from the malt, with wonderful hints of spicy toffee and rye bread. It’s juicy and smooth on the palate, with an assertive, yet pleasant floral bitterness on the finish.
Two Brother’s Atom Smasher – For their Oktoberfest, Two Brothers adds a nice twist by aging Atom Smasher in large oak casks called foudres. The result is spectacular, with a little more alcohol than usual, well rounded malts and a fuller body, and nice tones of toasty oak and restrained fruits on top of the classic Oktoberfest flavors.
Victory Festbier – In my mind, Victory brews one of the finest representations of the style on this side of the Atlantic. Classic orange-amber hues and a medium body, with bready malts and spicy hops, their Festbier is smooth, creamy, and satisfying.
Weihenstephaner Festbier- More golden in color than a traditional Oktoberfest, but certainly tasty in its own right. A brisk, herbal hoppiness compliments the slight malty sweetness up front, and it’s refreshingly crisp on the finish.
Avery Brewing The Kaiser – Avery really kicked it up a notch (or three) with The Kaiser. Dubbing it an Imperial Oktoberfest, this malty best clocks in at 10.01% ABV. If you’re familiar with Avery, you probably know about their tendency to make incredibly delicious, high octane beers. The Kaiser is no exception, packed with enough flavor to make you feel like you’re drinking two Oktoberfest beers at once.
