Bayernbiere Bought and Drunk

I too personally would not be too bothered if Sierra Nevada labeled this beer as an Oktoberfest beer but I appreciate that they did label it as a Vienna since it is of lower gravity and has a bit more oomph in the bitterness department.

Cheers!

Sierra Nevada Vienna Lager overview:

Alcohol Content 5.3% by volume

Beginning gravity 12.6° plato

Ending Gravity 2.7° plato

Bitterness Units 28

Edit: Stoudts should be available in your area maybe you would want to give their Oktoberfest a try since it won a Silver Medal in the recent GABF for the Vienna style. I tried to buy a 6-pack yesterday but my local bottle shop was sold out of this beer (I bought another 6-pack of Sly Fox Oktoberfest instead).

 

I'd be interested to see what others think of the Stoudts Oktoberfest. I had it a few years ago and remember it being like a lot of other American oktoberfests: too hoppy with too much caramel flavor.

 

Result of our Festbier-Tasting last weekend, blind tasting of course. Contest with four Oktoberfestbeers (from Munich) vs. four Festbeers from elsewhere (Franconia, Thuringia, Black Forest).
Close run, favorite Augustinger came in 2nd, winner is Spaten, mostly unexpected. After all, Spaten is an ABInbev brand.
__________________________
Spaten Oktoberfestbier 2,6
Augustiner Oktoberfestbier 2,7
Loffelder Märzen 2,8
Ur-Saalfelder 2,9
Paulaner Oktoberfestbier 3,1
Alpirsbacher Klosterstoff 3,6
Hummel Festbier 3,7
Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfestbier 3,9

 

Means nada, why didn't you question Paulaner or H-P, being owned by Heineken? And if it was truly a blind tasting, the AB-InBev influence should have been invisible.

If the brewers are brewing with their skills, the right ingredients, and their hearts, it should show -- and does, in Spaten's case. Same with the Amber Märzen they export to my fridge.

 

What was "wrong" with the Hummel Festbier? I always enjoyed it...

 

I had this in Wiesbaden along with my Schweinshaxe

Anno 1050 (it fits in with all of the Oktoberfest Biers in my opinion)

http://www.weltenburger.de/en/beer-treat/weltenburg-beers/anno-1050/

 

Where in Wiesbaden?

 

Looks deeelicious. The Anno 1050 is one of my top reviews. Unfortunately, I don't see it around here anymore.

 

Of which, I'm enjoying right now. What a delicious beer from a macro brewery -- who would believe it?

 

@steveh I can send you some fresh Anno 1050 - watcha got to trade?

 

At "Die Hütte" near the abandoned American Arms Hotel.

 

Thanks for the info, will try it next time I am in Wiesbaden. Know the location too, having stayed at the American Arms a few times growing up there.

 

We hold several blind tastings per year, and it was the first time, that an Abinbev beer was 1st. If you have in mind that Augustiner has higher ratings everywhere, and, at least in Germany, a better reputation, it is worth mentioning the ownership.
Becks came in last at the blind Pils-Tasting, but nobody was surprised.
Blind as we use ist means, that only the style is known, but nobody knows the brands served.

We had, of course, the German Spaten: http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/142/186547/

 

It smelled a little fusty. That might be due to the fact that small breweries have more problems with constant quality.

 

Oktoberfestbier: Read more details on berlincraftbeer.com:
http://www.berlincraftbeer.com/2015/09/30/blind-oktoberfestbier-tasting-munich-breweries-on-top/

 

The brands were truly unknown? Good to know. I thought everyone may have known what was in the mix, just not what was in each glass.

Well, mine was brewed in Germany too -- and I know others have found it in Munich in the past, but yes -- I concluded that yours was the Wies'n "style."

 

At the moment? Not much. After Oktoberfest season I'm in another beer doldrum so my stash -- and enthusiasm -- has dwindled. Thanks for the offer, but I have to pass. This time, anyway.

 

Have you seen the updated BJCP guidelines? They're finally acknowledging the difference between Festbier and (traditional) Märzen (pages 7 & 10), though their sources are still somewhat vague and there still seems to be a lot of speculation on style development.

@patto1ro Ron Pattinson is listed on the credits page this go-round, maybe he can shed some light on decisions used to create changes.

4B. Festbier
Comments: This style represents the modern German beer served at Oktoberfest (although it is not solely reserved for Oktoberfest; it can be found at many other ‘fests’), and is sometimes called Wiesn (“the meadow” or local name for the Oktoberfest festival). We chose to call this style Festbier since by German and EU regulations, Oktoberfestbier is a protected appellation for beer produced at large breweries within the Munich city limits for consumption at Oktoberfest. Other countries are not bound by these rules, so many craft breweries in the US produce beer called Oktoberfest, but based on the traditional style described in these guidelines as Märzen.
History: Since 1990, the majority of beer served at Oktoberfest in Munich has been this style. Export beer specifically made for the United States is still mainly of the traditional amber style, as are US-produced interpretations. Paulaner first created the golden version in the mid-1970s because they thought the traditional Oktoberfest was too filling. So they developed a lighter, more drinkable but still malty version that they wanted to be “more poundable” (according to the head brewer at Paulaner). But the actual type of beer served at Oktoberfest is set by a Munich city committee.
Characteristic Ingredients: Majority Pils malt, but with some Vienna and/or Munich malt to increase maltiness. Differences in commercial examples are mostly due to different maltsters and yeast, not major grist differences.
Style Comparison: Less intense and less richly toasted than a Märzen. More rich-heavy in body than a Helles, with more hop flavor and higher alcohol. Less rich in malt intensity than a Maibock. The malt complexity is similar to a higher-gravity Czech Premium Pale Lager, although without the associated hops.

6A. Märzen
Comments: Modern domestic German Oktoberfest versions are golden – see the Festbier style for this version. Export German versions (to the United States, at least) are typically orange-amber in color, have a distinctive toasty malt character, and are most often labeled Oktoberfest. American craft versions of Oktoberfest are generally based on this style, and most Americans will recognize this beer as Oktoberfest. Historic versions of the beer tended to be darker, towards the brown color range, but there have been many ‘shades’ of Märzen (when the name is used as a strength); this style description specifically refers to the stronger amber lager version. The modern Festbier can be thought of as a pale Märzen by these terms.
History: As the name suggests, brewed as a stronger “March beer” in March and lagered in cold caves over the summer. Modern versions trace back to the lager developed by Spaten in 1841, contemporaneous to the development of Vienna lager. However, the Märzen name is much older than 1841; the early ones were dark brown, and in Austria the name implied a strength band (14 °P) rather than a style. The German amber lager version (in the Viennese style of the time) was first served at Oktoberfest in 1872, a tradition that lasted until 1990 when the golden Festbier was adopted as the standard festival beer.
Characteristic Ingredients: Grist varies, although traditional German versions emphasized Munich malt. The notion of elegance is derived from the finest quality ingredients, particularly the base malts. A decoction mash was traditionally used to develop the rich malt profile.
Style Comparison: Not as strong and rich as a Dunkles Bock. More malt depth and richness than a Festbier, with a heavier body and slightly less hops. Less hoppy and equally malty as a Czech Amber Lager.

 

I had no say in any decisions. They just sent me a draught and I returned my comments.

Though looking at the description of Märzen, I might have influenced it. I can't remember what my comments were.

 

Ron, I appreciated that you participated in the update of the BJCP style guidelines.

You da man!!

Cheers!