Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest?

The news of Kellerweis being around for the foreseeable future is terrific, as is the BA Narwahl. Keep up the good work SN!

 

Second that.

 

These pictures are making me thirsty.
http://www.sierranevada.com/beer/specialty/fall-pack

I hope they start shipping this sooner rather than later. I'm guessing they'll clear out all the Beer Camp packs first.

 

That looks awesome. I will definitely be buying that!

 

Oktoberfest malt bill:
Two-row Pale, Pilsner, Caramel, Dark Crystal, Roasted Wheat.

Hmm.

"The resulting malt produces unfermentable sugars during the mashing process, adding sweetness and body to finished beer. Roasted malt is base malt that has been placed in a roaster similar to a coffee roaster to produce deeper, darker, baker’s cocoa and espresso flavors like those common in a porter or a stout."

Now I'm skeptical; Märzen/Oktoberfest should have no flavor similarities to espresso -- let alone porter or stout.

The Vienna, on the other hand, sounds pretty good to-style:
"These delicate and extremely balanced amber beers rely on semi-sweet and bready malt flavors but walk a fine line with both malt and hop character shouldering equal weight."

 

All Celebration.

 

I think what you're quoting comes from SN's standard "specialty malts" thing that pops up on several of the beers on their website. If you look at the actual grain bill, aside from the roasted wheat that looks suspicious for a traditional O'fest, it looks like the malts should produce a relatively to-style beer.

I'd be naive to think that SN won't put their own spin on this in some way (i.e. increased hoppiness), but I really do not think that the amount of roasted wheat in the beer is going to make a huge cocoa/espresso presence if any.

 

I hope you're right, but that dark crystal has me a little worried too (dependent on quantity, of course).

 

I'm assuming that the order of the malts listed is decreasing in terms of amount. I'd be shocked if the dark crystal and roasted wheat are substantial portions of the grain bill. Of course, these two malts will add a lot even if used in small amounts...

We'll have to see this fall! Either way, I'm stoked.

 

I agree, the Pilsner and Weiss they brew are both top notch and true to style. The Oktoberfest should. be also.

 

I agree, but since it's my favorite style -- and few micros get it right -- I tend to be skeptical until I try it.

 

No Munich malt?

 

Not according to the web page.

Thing is, the Vienna lists: Vienna, Munich, & CaraRed -- wonder if the Vienna is gonna be more to our liking?

 

Replaced with "flavor crystal(s)"

 

Perhaps they just went more traditional with the Vienna than the Oktoberfest. I trust them with lagers, and German styles in general (Kellerweis).

For example, I find Summerfest to be more German than Czech, and their website states, "With a nod toward the original Czech tradition." But I still find it to be a very solid pilsner, even if it's simply their take on it.

 

I see that same section comes up on the Tumbler page too.

 

If that's the case, then I faintly remember hints of espresso in that beer as well. And it was a fine brown ale in my opinion. A little high on the alcohol side for what I'd prefer, but a solid brown that wasn't hopped to high heaven to make up for it's shortcomings.

 

What the heck is a flavor crystal, and why would it be in my Oktoberfest?

 

While I enjoy the heck out of it, I just wish it had a little more malt breadiness than it does -- which leaves me to question how they'll handle the Okto. Due time, eh?