Favorite New England fall beer

Scooped up a four pack of Brocktoberfest from Idle Hands - delicious! Bready, malty, caramelly, dry but neither too sweet nor grainy. So good. I put it right up there with any fest bier I’ve enjoyed this season. Haven’t been to their taproom but I’ve been picking up their cans more often these days.

 

I'll jump in with Copper Legend like most other people in here, it's just delicious.

Not a seasonal, but Exhibit 'A's Briefcase Porter is a damn near perfect fall beer.

 

The new "Brown" tasted pretty much exactly as I remember the old "Autumn Ale" did.

 

I picked it up at CBC Braintree and also saw it at Fort Point Market. Didn’t seem to last very long at either place.

At the risk of flashing my “don’t-know-shit” card for all to see, I would say it falls into the camp of the modern festbiers. Along the lines of Copper Legend and SN but more bready and not as floral/grassy.

Give it a whirl and let me know what you think! I see some heady back-and-forth posts about the style differences that go a long way to educating the masses like myself.

 

Revisiting this after consuming more Marzens and Festbiers. Copper Legend has lost a little in my mind in the time since, especially after having Ayinger's Oktoberfest. Copper Legend doesn't have the malt depth and the mouthfeel is lighter, compared to the Ayinger.

My prefs for the year are the Ayinger and Von Trapp's Oktoberfest (for something with a little more hoppiness). After doing a beer share that was Oktoberfest-themed, Von Trapp's take on the style was a refreshing break from what was becoming a little monotonous.

 

It's an amber Oktoberfest, and I saw it at Ball Square liqours a couple of weeks ago, not sure how prevalent it is at stores though. It tasted similar to how it was last year and the year prior I think. I'm not sure if you had it then or not, but if you did that might give you an idea. Tastes similar to some other local takes on the style, Banded Horn's (granted I've only had a draft sample of this, not a full pint) is one that comes to mind.

Definitely different than Otter Creek's collab though.

The "modern festbiers" would be pale Oktoberfests, as these are the ones currently served at the tents in Munich. They switched from amber to pale at some point in the 1970s. So, "traditionally" they were amber.

Brocktoberfest is definitely in the amber style in my opinion. Darker than Copper Legend/Sierra Nevada's this year, but those two are kind of 'tweener styles, akin to Ayinger. On the lighter side of amber, but still amber Oktoberfests in my opinion. Otter Creek may fall into this category as well if I recall correctly.

That being said, Brocktoberfest tastes different than the German ones, at least to my palate. The classic amber Oktoberfests are Paulaner Marzen, Hacker Pschorr's Oktoberfest, and Spaten's. Spaten's being the darkest, and Paulaner/Hacker Pschorr being eerily similar in taste, even carrying the same bottling dates. These two are produced in the same place though, so it makes sense.

 

See what I mean? Heady discussion! Good deal - thanks for the technical clarification. At this point I imagine that individual brewery-tweaks over iterations and seasons will add up and several beers will end up occupying a hybrid place on the spectrum...and deliciousness will result.

 

Bear in mind I'm no expert either, but it might be my favorite style (one of at least). As a result I've read a lot over in the Germany forum, as those folks tend to know more than most on this site regarding German styles/history. So this is just stuff regurgitated from what I can remember over the years of reading and of course drinking.

 

I look forward each year to
Berkshires Brewing Cabin Fever
The Peoples Pint Imperial Stout
CBC Pumpkin ale
Fisherman's Pumpkin Stout
This year add Von Trapp October fest
Cheers all

 

Sorry, a little late on this.

I thought the name sounded familiar...I believe they're a German "craft" brewery, doing a mix of innovative styles and traditional.

I enjoyed this beer, one of the better US takes on the styles. Still can't touch the imports, but like you said, it's a lighter Oktoberfest, perhaps even almost Vienna in character. I think I remember the smell of my first bottle being deliciously bready. That bready character, along with balance, is the true mark of a solid Oktoberfest.

I've had a few bottles, and I go back and forth about how much I like the beer. I'll try to snag another single if I see one. A nice beer though, perhaps not as smooth, rich, and rounded as the German Oktoberfests, but something I'll grab again if I see it.

 

Wow, good to know (sad to hear), thanks for the heads up. I think I saw some kicking around Downtown Liqours in Davis Square, singles at least. I wasn't really looking for it, so I didn't look in the cooler for six packs.

This was a couple of weeks ago though.

 

It really felt like there were a lot fewer pumpkin beers on the shelves this year in general to me too. Did anyone else feel the same way and does anyone know if there's any actual truth to that?

 

lmao

 

Not to start an argument (since Von Trapp is by no means my favorite) but I personally would put them in my top 10 (and maybe even top 5).

For my palate:

• Dunkel = Excellent
• Vienna Lager = Very Good
• Bohemian Pilsner = Good
• Helles = Very Good
• Kolsch (2018 - draft) = Very Good
• Oktoberfest = Good to Very Good

I hope to try their Weissbier and Trosten Lager someday.

Cheers!

 

For the most part I agree with that assessment. The Helles and Dunkel are my favorite. The Koelsch was far too hoppy for me, but based on the discussion I'm having in the Paste thread, it appears this year's might be different than last year's.

I didn't care for their Weissbier, but I love the Trosten. Hopefully you get to try them both. I really dig their IPL too, but that's not really particularly "German" to me.

They also make a "Hoppy Märzen", that I have yet to try.

I might put them in my top 10, I'd have to give it more thought.

 

If you can name 9 other US craft breweries that produce a portfolio of German beers akin to Von Trapp as being 'better' than life if good for you!

Cheers!

 

Didn't realize Trapp made a hoppy marzen, and I had to chuckle because I find their regular Oktoberfest too hoppy for my liking. And then on top of that I find it even funnier that - of all brewers - it's Trapp who's making hoppy and hoppier marzens. You'd think they leave that to Trillium's of the world? (ex their kolsch's)