Oktoberfest!

Oktoberfest is nearly upon us, and I'm noticing the Oktoberfest beers are starting to hit the stores.

I would love to hear what Oktoberfests everyone is drinking. If it is a small brewery please post where they are based. If its a pretty large one, then no worries. Pictures are always encouraged of course.

Oktoberfests are some of my all-time favorite brews and I'm always sad when they are no longer stocked. Lets all find some great new brews and celebrate the season!

My first entry is shown in the picture. Ninkasi is located in Eugene, Oregon. Es ist ein leckeres Bier!

It's not a beer that I've really explored in the US craft beer scene, but I do enjoy Spaten and Sam Adams Octoberfest. Both are easily obtainable and very tasty.

For my money, you can't beat the Dogtoberfest from Flying Dog
http://flyingdogbrewery.com/beers/dogtoberfest-marzen/

Had one of these tonight, great stuff:

This is one of my favorites.

buffdaddy said:

Had one of these tonight, great stuff:


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Ohhhh this is so wrong

Eeyore said:

Ohhhh this is so wrong

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But it feels so right, lol!

I much prefer Shiner Oktoberfest to the Sam Adams offering. Just my $.02.

Prosit!

My wedding anniversary is September 18th. I tried to get my wife to go to Munich for our honeymoon but she wasn't having any of it.

And autumn is such a great season in Germany!

So what is the difference between a standard German Reinheitsgebot lager and an Oktoberfest beer?

I know all about Oktoberfest in Munich buteducate me to the difference in the beer.

Must admit I'm a real ale best bitter drinker!

Gareth

From Old Mecklenberg in Charlotte, NC

My favorite is New Glarus Staghorn.

galopede said:

So what is the difference between a standard German Reinheitsgebot lager and an Oktoberfest beer?

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I think there is no real difference, apart from the fact that the beer is brewed in Bayern?

Eeyore said:

I think there is no real difference, apart from the fact that the beer is brewed in Bayern?

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For us here in Europe that may be the case but all the beers they are talking about above are brewed in the USA. Could it just be a selling point over there? Let's call it Oktoberfest and we'll sell a lot more!

Gareth

Then it's purely branding. Indeed, to create a sense of exclusivity probably?

I'm a big fan of Octoberfest brews as well. I agree that the Shiner Octoberfest is indeed very good, and a little superior to my taste to the Sam Adams version. So if you like SA, search out Shiner and let me know what you think.

I've been to Germany during Octoberfest, and was actually a bit disappointed. The Octoberfest beer there was very light colored, more like a Pils than what we see in the US. So I'm not sure where our recipe came from. But I do know I enjoy it. While I was disappointed with what I had in Germany, it was still a good beer. Just not what I expected at the time.

ByMyBeard said:

I've been to Germany during Octoberfest, and was actually a bit disappointed. The Octoberfest beer there was very light colored, more like a Pils than what we see in the US. So I'm not sure where our recipe came from. But I do know I enjoy it. While I was disappointed with what I had in Germany, it was still a good beer. Just not what I expected at the time.

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Funny that you should say that, because Oktoberfest = Pilsner.

Maybe the US "Oktoberfest" is a mix between German tradition, Bockbeer-festivals, and the American "Supersizing"?

Eeyore said:

Funny that you should say that, because Oktoberfest = Pilsner.

Maybe the US "Oktoberfest" is a mix between German tradition, Bockbeer-festivals, and the American "Supersizing"?

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Glad to know my tastes were right. I'm really not sure where the US Octoberfest comes from. The beers are much more amber/copper colored, and tend to have a pretty neutral profile from hop/malt. I greatly enjoy them, whatever their actual origins may be. I don't believe that our supersizing has anything to do with it, however.