Oktoberfests / Marzens

I totally disagree: subtle does not equal boring. I'd take a a Bayericsher Anstich Augustiner Helles over an over the top Imperial Stout any day of the week.[/QUOTE]

Agreed. I find a dark mild on cask to be infinitely more interesting than a double IPA. There isn't a whole lot there for me personally in a hefty IPA.

 

Hmm, I would have guessed German Pilsner to be your favorite.

 

I second (third?) this. While I was half serious in my other post, I find that subtler beers reveal more and more complexity the more you drink of them. With a (D)IPA the thrill is almost over after the first whiff of tropical fruit.

 

Agreed. I find a dark mild on cask to be infinitely more interesting than a double IPA. There isn't a whole lot there for me personally in a hefty IPA.[/QUOTE]
I greatly enjoy Yards Brawler on cask!

Cheers!

 

Definitely like Pilsner, but I probably like Helles more and my favorite is Amber Märzen with Maibock being a close second.

Then again, Bitter, Stout, Mild, Weizen, Dunkel, Doppelbock... can't say I'd turn any down. Just a big fan of Märzen from way back.

 

Helles is up there for me. In fact, a world class Helles is more or less the true definition of "beer" in my mind. If aliens came here to visit and wanted to know what beer tasted like I'd give them a mug of Andechs Vollbier Hell.

Wait, what about sours, barrel-aged imperial stouts, hoppy lagers, and double IPAs? Those are like the four main food groups in craft beer right? What kind of beer advocate are you?

 

Would love to try this one. I've heard great things.

 

I friggin' love marzens. Paulaner's good, and as far as American takes, Prost did a great one last year, and GD Hoss is available year round and that one's great as well. I think Avery's Kaiser has a shot at the top 250, but seems like people either love that one or don't get it. Wish more breweries tackled that style, though.

 

Experienced. Learned. Honest?

 

One that remembers that beer is for drinking not for looking at and sipping.

 

I would totally drink that.

 

Well, not all beers or even all the best beers.

 

As perhaps (a pure guess) over 95% of all beer production is for volume drinking I would place the stronger stuff etc as "special occasion" beer and not mainstream everyday beer.As to what are "best" beers IMO the best beer is the one I enjoy the most.
Compare with cars. I have a couple of two seater convertibles , one of which is blindingly fast , the other is an old classic. On the right day on the right journey there's nothing like them."Special occasion" cars.But my big Ford is a better car nevertheless.By which I mean that for most of what a car is needed for it does it better.

 

Great Lakes Oktoberfest is one of my highest rated beers.

 

For the sake of clarification, again, my comments were regarding the discussion of such beers, not the consumption. I will never argue that layers of subtlety is less intriguing than a less complex and more intense IPA or stout but that latter will tend to lead to livelier conversation.

 

Ever had a Ford on cask? Sublime.

 

Makes sense. Even though you said Amber Marzen, the pale versions are basically imperial Helles to my palate.

 

Only the canned version

 

While the car comparison is good, it should be noted that -- just like beer -- there are different varieties between a sports car and an everyday sedan. Just as you said, some for special occasions, some for the work-a-day running around, some in-between that might just happen to be both, but there are still too many varieties to say an automobile is just an automobile -- and a beer is just a beer.

I'll often take time to notice appearance and aroma in a beer I'm drinking while prepping dinner, even though I'm not formulating a full evaluation. Same as noticing intriguing cars on the road -- it's appreciation, if not always full on enthusiasm.

 

@steveh , @Domingo -
Regarding the HB Maibock diversion from earlier in the thread:
I have recently picked some up this year and it's just as you guys described it- darker and maltier than most maibocks, very close to a traditional dunkles bock. Delicious beer. I don't know what happened last year, but I think I am just going to pretend it never happened and forget about it .