Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest 2016

Sort of. We make projections early in the year of what we think we're going to sell. We then buy materials and ingredients for that ~5% or so. As the season moves-on, we adjust the brewing volume up or down based on the rate of sale and the specific timing. That works better for some beers, more so than others. For instance, Summerfest is a lager that takes at least 28 days to brew ferment and age. For that we need to make a final volume adjustment only a few weeks into the season to adjust up or down, or the timing from brew-to-shelf makes the point moot.
Sadly, our current round of seasonals: Celebration, Oktoberfest and Summerfest (and this year Tropical IPA) are all challenging beers int heir own right that take longer than the average ale to brew. We have a very narrow window to make adjustments before it's too late.

 

How has Otra Vez been selling? I would think that all of this hot weather would be beneficial to the sales of that brand.

Cheers!

 

Pretty well! I see a lot of potential in that beer, and those who love it...really love it.

 

I have only had it on draft and I have enjoyed that beer.

Note to self: Buy some Otra Vez before the next heat wave arrives.

Cheers!

 

July would historically have been right smack in the middle of Märzenbier/Sommerbier/Lagerbier season in Bavaria (back when most Bavarian breweries would have offered two beers, a winterbier/schenkbier and a sommerbier/lagerbier/märzenbier), a season which started on May first each year as per Bavarian law. Brewers typically divided their cellars up so that they had beers intended for serving in the first couple of months (May and June), middle couple of months (July and August), and last couple of months (September and October) of the sommerbier season. The hopping rate was adjusted accordingly (whilst the laws didn't leave room for adjusting the ratio of malt to beer, allowing only for 6 eimer (1 eimer equalling 64 liter) of sommerbier per scheffel (2.2 hectoliter) of malt from 1811-1814, 7 eimer of sommerbier per scheffel of malt from 1815-1824, and once again 6 eimer per scheffel malt from 1825-1860s). I guess they (Sierra Nevada) could soothe the unease of having to buy Oktoberfest branded beers in the middle of july by labeling the first few bottling runs as sommerbier instead, but then again they already have their summerfest .

 

Hot damn this is great news! I am an Octoberfest junkie. Last year the SN one was my favorite. I am gonna hit the store today!

 

Patrik, does the term "sommerbier" have any specific meaning in contemporary Bavaria? This past weekend I had a draft pint of Hofbrau Sommer which was a Kellerbier; I enjoyed drinking that beer.

Cheers!

 

I'm the same. I started checking the beer finder last week as well as regularly checking the social media pages of my local bottle shops.

 

None that I'm aware of at least, the term started to become obsolete by the mid 1800s once the restrictions against summertime brewing were abolished, and once ice-houses and later artificial refridgeration made year round brewing of bottom fermented beer possible. The terms winter and sommerbier lived on until the early 1900s at least in Bavaria, but post 1950s I haven't come across the term. I personally think Hofbräu's use of the term "Sommer" is unrelated to this history.

 

Okay now that this is out anyone got a bead on what the Fall 2016 SN mix pack will be?
Last year we had SNPA,Tumbler,Vienna, and Flipside. I hope Vienna comes back for sure!

 

I would prefer to be drinking Oktoberfest style beers when the temps are mid 50s to 70s for a high (i.e. late September through first of November around here). I also realize that I can't always get what I want. That being said, I'm a sucker for a good Oktoberfest, and appreciate it being fresh, so I will be purchasing a 12 pack of this as soon as I see it.

 

Pumped! Was just thinking about this one. Love the label.

 

Well, it sure looks tasty!!

Cheers!

 

Just a thought - maybe Otra Vez would be better as a seasonal and another lighter style could take its place.

 

I'm looking forward to finding this year's Oktoberfest so soon - maybe it takes the place of a session IPA or one of the countless IPAs on the shelf.

 

I can't wait to try this and while on paper it may seem difficult to think about Fall beers in 100+F heat, I am not bothered by that at all and will take an Oktoberfest anytime, one of my favorite styles for sure...Fall beers are some of my favorites.

@sierranevadabill I was curious and asked in another thread and any news on your Fall variety pack lineup? That has been one of my favorite variety packs ever and I can't wait for it! I am assuming maybe similar to last year's? As long as the Vienna and Tumbler are in there I will be a happy camper.

 

Fully agree with you guys on this. I'm stoked it's here, even if it is a tad early. Back in November of last year, it was tough saying goodbye to SN's Oktoberfest in this area so my excitement for this year's collab has been building for months.

Out of the 25 or so märzen/oktoberfests I had last season, SN was the clear winner from the States and it was actually only second in my book (overall) to Ayinger.

@sierranevadabill any idea when this is going to hit the distributors in Michigan?

 

I'm tired of the heat and can't wait to pick up a 12 pack, so I can pretend it's 60 degrees with falling leaves outside.

 

Ah, thanks for this. I realized after the fact I should have paged you as well, I had remembered you having some information on the history.

When you say Bavarian breweries during that time offered two beers, I assume winterbier/schenkbier (a spring beer?) would have been offered November - April? And lagerbier (May/June)/sommerbier (July/August)/märzenbier (September/October)?

What styles would all five of these beers have been at this time, or what styles would they be compared to today if that's more appropriate?

Thanks for posting this!

Now that we've established and accepted (well, some of us ) that the beer was bottled a bit early, I was going to ask who's tried it.

It looks like it's the "pale" Oktoberfest style rather than amber, which I think can help ease the pain a little of it being released in July. The pale version has always been more "imperial Helles" to me, and almost an Indian Summer beer rather than a fall beer. While the amber is more appropriate for cooler weather for my tastes.