Midwest Oktoberfestbiers (2021)

Easily a top 10 worst thread title in this forum. Thank you for your service @Todd

 

I thought it was more an argument over Märzen being a style or an alcohol weight designation?

 

See? It's started already!

 

Wait, I was replying to *you!*

 

You debate amongst yourselves, I’ve already gone through 4pks/6pks of Dovetail Festbier, Metropolitan Octoberfest and New Glarus Staghorn. If you want to debate in the future then meet me at Goldfinger on October 2nd! Cheers everyone, just drink lager! I’ll head over to Roaring Table this week for their Festbier.

 

Funny, because I remember trying it a couple years ago and having the same impression as @CB_Michigan -- the label left an impression and it's one I immediately pass when I see it.

 

Has anyone seen Summit Okto in southern Wisconsin? I haven't had it in a couple years, love to revisit.

@grantcty @MNAle -- did this one become a draft only? I seem to remember something about that.

 

Not draft only--at least up here anyways. On the shelves in bottles and cans.

 

I think it was for one year a couple of years ago. Not sure, but I seem to recall it was.

It's on the shelf this year.

 

My tasting notes are "2017 was too bitter, 2018 was good, 2019 too IPA-ish". Since there's nothing about 2020, I either didn't get it, or it was so unimpressive that I didn't bother making any notes. Glad I passed on it at Binny's yesterday.

 

I will confirm that Roaring Table Octoberfest is really really great! It’s even better that this year’s NG Staghorn which since 2008 has been my go to Octoberfest beer, so that’s saying something! I went to Roaring Table when they were a newer brewery & the beers were mediocre. They have come along way if the other beers they brew are as high of quality as a New Glarus beer.

Also have Riverlands Octoberfest & Dovetail Festbier in the fridge will report back.

 

In talking with the bar tender at RT (who's also instrumental in other brewery aspects), he told me that the owner/brewer was following trends for sales early on, but then decided he wanted to brew beers he liked himself. Thus, some of the traditional styles.

FWIW -- the cask Bitter was pretty good, and the Pale Ale got thumbs up from my friends. I think RT has found a good balance of styles to offer.

As an aside, I always wanted to really like Staghorn, but it's never wowed me. I think if they started using the same malts as Two Women I might like it better.

 

Same experience here, tried Roaring Table last year and brought back loads of beer and neither myself nor two friends found one beer that was good. Glad to hear things have changed.

This is one of my favorite styles as well, I bounce back and forth between Pollyanna Fruhauf and FFF Munsterfest for my favorite.

 

I guess "good" is a matter of opinion and palate, in this case. I'm no sour fan, but my friend is, and he enjoyed the one he tried at RT.

I tried their Alt, and have had their Dunkel in the past -- neither was quite true to style, but they were well-made and highly drinkable beers.

I just find it hard to believe there wasn't one RT beer you thought was at least "good," but I don't know what you were expecting.

 

Love to hear your opinion on Staghorn.

To me, Uff-da is a throwback to the kinds of Bocks you could get from Rhinelander and Huber back in the 70s -- not exactly true to German style, but nostalgic for some of us.