Best 2017 Oktoberfest, So Far

As I stated in the Sept 23 online tasting thread, I estimate this mug to be ~20 oz. / Imperial pint ... I haven't measured it, but it is larger than a US pint / 500ml, and smaller than a liter. It is actually a Ayinger-branded mug (rotated so the label does not obscure the look of the beer), but it does not appear to be a common metric size.

For photographic effect, I did use almost 2 of the 330ml bottles.

You can see a little of the label in this shot of the New Glarus Staghorn ... (one bottle with a vigorous pour to get the head to "fill" the mug...)

 

My favorites change day-to-day based on the weather, the setting and my mood. That said, this year, this is how I'd rank them...

1. Sierra Nevada
2. Thomas Hooker
3. Hacker Pschorr Weisn
3. Hoffsbrau
5. Paulaner Weisn
6. Flying Fish
7. Great Lakes
8. Sam Adams
9. Czig Meister
10. Fat Heads G'Suffa

 

Oh, and I meant to say.... WOW! 40 different versions! I only had 9 different versions, and I thought I was floating in Oktoberfests at times!

 

It's a half liter mug. You can tell in the original shot because of how high up on the bottle the mug is. It's 16.9 oz. to the indentation in the mug at the top, it's the one that separates the dimpled part from the top part. Filled to the top it might be ~20-22 oz. A 1 liter Maß is 1 liter at the same indentation/mark on the mug.

Each year from late August into early October I've slowly drank more and more of them. This year it's at the point that nearly all of the beers I've drank are Oktoberfests.

Many of those 30+ different versions I've had on both draft and in the bottle/can. Most of them I've had multiple of each to get a better idea if I like them or not. I've even had an Oktoberfest on cask, and this past weekend a Paulaner Original (close enough) from a wooden barrel imported from Germany. And also a Schlenkerla Marzen on draft thrown in there for good measure.

Finally, plenty of German food eaten at 5 different Oktoberfest events, and hopefully one more this coming weekend. Somehow I've managed to diet and lose over 6 lbs. in this time. Maybe Oktoberfest events are the secret to dieting?

It all sounds amazing, but I envy my roommate who went to the actual Oktoberfest in Munich last week.

A big ol' Prost!

 

Okay, I'm guessing you mean Wies'n. Nonetheless, Hacker-Pschorr doesn't export their Wies'n Fest style to the U.S., only their Amber Märzen -- do you have an inside source?

 

Pretty recent one here :

 

Another country

Edit: Figured out how to recover a deleted photo. This was from Ottawa last weekend. Wish I had a US hook up, cuz I liked this much better than the amber.

 

I finally broke down and bought Sierra Nevada's last night and I can confirm that it is, in fact, delicious.
I need to try some other examples besides Sam Adams', but I feel like I like the Festbier variety better than Märzen. I need to try more Oktoberfestbier, especially Festbier.

 

Labatt brews Löwenbräu for the Canadian market.

In the US, after Miller lost the US rights in 1999, Labatt started brewing Löwenbräu for the US market, supposedly again using the all-malt Munich recipe. That existed for a few years into the early 2000s, after which the US again started getting Munich-brewed Löwenbräu, eventually imported by AB's "Import Brands Alliance" subsidiary.


Lowenbrau's US distribution shrank (it was even rumored it would be dropped soon after the ABInBev deal when they deleted a few other imports like Leffe Brown and Tennant's) - up to a few years ago, it was limited to mostly the northeastern states. Possible it is now gone from the US market, since it is not listed on the US version of ABInBev's Tap Into Your Beer website.
(Try calling the above toll-free number, they don't get in until 11am EST ).

 

Well that's just cheating!
(that's it -- I'm goin' to Ottawa!)

I can't say I like one style better than the other, but the Paulaner Wies'n was sure going down nicely during our late season heat wave.

 

Taking sort of a (envious) cue from you, this season I took the opportunity of some off time to visit a local tavern for their Oktoberfest offerings this year. I figured that if I sampled one or two each time I'd get to know some new takes on the style.

Not quite 40 like you, but enough to make me happy! I got to try some of my favorite imports on tap along with some new favorites... and some really bad examples too.

Never mind that I've also reacquainted myself with this old favorite tavern and am establishing that "regular" status. If only I was wealthy enough to spend more time there.

 

This was pretty much my experience as well. Just for my own records for next year, here's the list so far...

German amber Oktoberfest:

Paulaner Marzen (draft and bottle), Hacker Pschorr Oktoberfest (draft and bottle), Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen (draft and bottle), Spaten Oktoberfestbier Ur-Marzen (draft and bottle)

German pale Oktoberfest:

Paulaner Wies'n (draft), Andech's Speziel Hell (draft), Traunstein Oktoberfest, Weihenstephan Oktoberfestbier (draft and bottle)

US amber Oktoberfest:

Sam Adams Octoberfest (bottle and can), Jack's Abby Copper Legend (draft and can), Fort Hills Red Prince (can), Brooklyn Oktoberfest (draft and bottle), Victory Festbier (bottle), Otter Creek Collaboration (bottle), Sierra Nevada Collaboration (bottle), Von Trapp Oktoberfest (bottle), Idle Hands Brocktoberfest (draft and can), Nightshift Oldenburg (draft and can), Lamplighter Oktoberfest (draft)

Bonus: Element Altoberfest (cask)

US pale Oktoberfest:

Uinta Fest Helles (can), Smuttynose Oktoberfest (bottle)

Samples/not really Oktoberfest:

Banded Horn Oktoberfest (draft sample), Paulaner Original Lager (from wooden barrel), Schlenkerla Marzen (draft), Benediktiner Oktoberfest (draft sample)

On deck:

Berkshire Brewing Company Life on Marzen (bottle, maybe draft?), and probably going to revisit a few of the above to reevaluate. Specifically the Traunstein I had on draft this past Saturday as I had a minor sinus infection.

I might even be forgetting some...so who are the overall winners?

For the amber style, it's Paulaner Marzen in a bottle/draft, and Hacker-Pschorr on draft...both are dreams to drink, flawless.

For the pale style, it's Weihenstephan's in bottle/draft and Andech's is close too. Although Smutty's is very interesting, but it's more or less a Maibock/Helles Bock in both taste and ABV (6.7%).

Ha, ok, maybe not 40. But I swear I counted about two weeks ago and it was around 30, and I've had a lot more since. Guess I have more work to do...

Prost!

 

Knew I forgot one...how could I forget Hofbrau! (Bottle and draft)

 

Top three for me:

 

Bonus points for proper glassware.

 

I forgot to add the Paulaner Wiesn to the 2nd tier with Hofbrau.
Jack's Abby is very nice - seems less sweet than last year?

 

Drinking this now and I'm really impressed. Certainly on the strong side so I can see the Bock similarities. But the bitterness is restrained just enough to me to keep it from feeling like a Maibock. Very big on the toasted malt though. I'm a fan, which is no surprise to me, as I generally hold Smuttynose beers in high regard.

 

Had a Spaten on tap after work, very good beer. I still prefer SN and Hacker Pschorr so far at 1-2.

 

Two 6.7% ABV beers at once? When I saw that I assumed you were from MA considering how badly the Red Sox were beaten today.

Their website said 6.3%, but I think my bottle said 6.7%, but it was a bit blurry. What does yours say?