2018 Oktoberfest Releases

Michael, FWIW I too purchase my Oktoberfest/Marzen beers in September. Right now it is stinkin' hot & humid; non-ideal weather for a Marzen for me.

Cheers!

 

Drank all six already?

But then the Hofbrau will be old.

 

I emailed Merchant du Vin again regarding Ayinger, see below:

Me: Hello,
Thank you for the prompt response!
Sounds good. Any way to decipher the batch code for future purchases?
Also, was it brewed in March, or bottled in March?
Thanks again!
Prost!

Merchant du Vin: Bottled in late April ‘18– the ultra-traditional Ayinger brews OFM in March. As, you probably know, “Märzen” is “March” in German.


I can give brewery coding info to our distributors and retailers. Can you let me know the city & state you are located in, so I can bring your inquiry to our local folks?


Thanks & Cheers,

 

Wow, that's a new one. I guess it's better than just ignoring the request but to refuse to give a paying customer the answer to such a simply, basic question... ... ESPECIALLY with so many brewers having consumer-friendly date codes, webpages to "Report Old Beer", etc.

(And, what the hell, they already told you the Oktoberfest is brewed in March and bottled in April...).

Reminds me of the time a few years ago now, when the new Narragansett was expanding its distribution region and I'd see it around infrequently (and usually not particularly fresh). So I emailed them asking for their New Jersey distributor(s) and they told me that was private info that they wouldn't give out to consumers... WTF!

I know lots of people like those frequently unreliable "BEER FINDER" apps on websites but, me? I like the brewers who also list their distributor by state. I'd rather than be able to go to one of my local stores and say, "Hey, you deal with ABC Beer Distributors, right? They're the local distributor with the rights to Narragansett - order me a case, willya?"

As a result, Narragansett got permanently* crossed off my "BUY" list...

* Always subject to change, of course.

 

My whole time in NY and VT two weeks back, we saw one, a Otter Creek Oktoberfest.

This year I think I've seen the lowest amount available this late into August locally cI remember going 20-24 deep one tasting years ago. Now it feels like some of these breweries will just skip over this seasonal and jump into pumpkins. With as many breweries expanding and distributing, I thought I'd get up to 30. But we may have peaked sadly.

 

To hopefully assist in understanding why Ayinger and a few other German breweries brewed this years Oktoberfest in March/April here's part of a history lesson based on the style:

It was commonly brewed in March (hence the name) before the heat of summer made brewing temporarily impossible each year, and then stored until early autumn – later, refrigeration would make brewing it year-round possible, but the style kept its name. And in 1872, Franziskaner brewery (which is now Spaten) brewed a Märzen for that year's Oktoberfest celebration in Munich. It was a hit, and other breweries pouring beer at subsequent Oktoberfests copied the style. It became the de facto beer style of the celebration for the next century, and consequently became inexorably tied to the annual festival, which is why "Märzen" and "Oktoberfest" are now largely synonymous.

Back in the day lagering was done mainly in caves and cooler related places thus why they also started earlier also. The longer aging process also helped build on the malt bill.

Hopefully this helps Prost!

 

The annual seasonal creep conversation around Oktoberfest/Marzen always makes me laugh. If you read these comments it seems like everyone expects the Bavarian brewers to have some sort of predictive analysis that places beer on shelves at the exact right time for someone in Arizona, Saskatchewan, Rio de Janiero, and Tokyo to enjoy the beer with the fall colors and crisp air on their back patio.

It’s called Marzen for a reason. It’s traditionally a spring brewed beer. If you need the exact right temperature outside to enjoy it, send a note to the Bavarians. I’m sure they’ll make a special batch just for you

 

Yes, it was lagered in cool brewery cellars, as was the norm for lager beers at the time.

It was not bottled the next month, (presumable) pasteurized, and then transported across the Atlantic in a shipping container (likely unrefrigerated) and then "stored" in various trucks, warehouses and retail shops, most likely at room temperatures.

 

My only issue with the “seasonal creep” is that there never seems to be a second round of distro on most of the Marzens so when mid to late Sept comes around they are hard to come by because they were all out in July or early August.

I will agree with the drinking temperature/weather for the most part. Psychologically speaking, I think they do go better with a fire and brats on the grill on a cool fall evening. However, to each their own, but I don’t get the too hot to drink them. With a Maibock maybe, a Doppel, sure. I feel the same way. Too heavy. A good Marzen isn’t a heavy bodied beer.

 

Some of this may be incorrect. I haven’t been as up on my Oktoberfest history lately, but today Märzen is a strength designation, not a style. For example, I was in Germany this past January and a local brewery was serving a “Märzen”.

Oktoberfest was traditionally in October and was moved to September due to the nicer weather if I recall correctly. It now runs mid September into early October. Packaging these beers in April doesn’t really make sense.

@patto1ro knows a heck of a lot more about this than me though

Somehow Hofbrau and Weihenstephan got their crap together and bottled their beers in mid June this year. We’ve been receiving these beers in August for years now. It can’t be that difficult to bottle these in the summer and/or have a second bottling date for the fall as well.

 

The very first Oktoberfest celebration stated on October 10, 1810 but only nine years later (1819) the celebration was started earlier (September) to take advantage of “longer and warmer days of September” as you mentioned.

https://www.oktoberfest.net/history-oktoberfest/

Cheers!

 

I went to As Is (bar in NYC) yesterday and noticed they had a German kellerbier in cans. I'd never heard of the brewery or beer but decided to give it a run. It was St. Georgenbrau Keller Bier and it was awesome. I read the can and it turns out it's one of these beers that B. United cans in the United States after the brewery ships it from Europe. I really love that B. United does this and I've enjoyed the hell out of the Schlenkerla Smoked Helles that they can too. Apparently Tipo Pils is also canned by them.

Anyway, sounds like As Is will be doing some Oktoberfest biers over the next month and this is to include some gravity kegs. Very welcome news.

 

Schlenkerla's Märzen is brewed year round, as one example.

 

Bought a 24pk of Warsteiner Oktoberfest from Costco and surprisingly enough it's the best damn Oktoberfest I ever had and I've had well over 25.

 

A little more info on that St. Georgenbräu Kellerbier from the Germany forum along with some links you might enjoy reading.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/commun...e-bought-and-drunk.55872/page-99#post-6087737

 

SN's offering this year is worth a shot. I rated it 4.02.

 

For the people of michigan, rochester mills has their marzen out. Having one now, it's tasting good to me. Leinenkugels has theirs out too (12 pack for 13 bones, good deal) but I don't hold out much hope for that being very good because it's leinenkugels. Idk if I want to invest myself into 12 of those bad boys...

 

Leinenkugel's Oktoberfest has corn added to the grain bill for improved German authenticity.

 

Leinenkuel Oktoberfest and Canoe Paddler used to be amazing beers but ever since the Molson/Coors buy out Leinenkugel tastes like Coors.

 

Paulaner Weisn
Hacker-Pschorr Superior Festbier (the one in flip-top bottles...haven't seen it in years though)
Weihenstephan Festbier
Hofbrau Marzen