Hoppy oktoberfest or lager?

Kinda contradictory to the rest of your post, don't ya think? What if that Sprite was a new style dubbed "hoptoberfest" and Coke was the "authentic" maiboch?

If it were entered in a contest for a true-to-style Octoberfest? Then OK, that's reason to knock off a point.
Bottom-line IMO- we, both brewers and tasters, should never stop experimenting. More choices=more people happy. We can afford to lose the snobs that talk down on a style/opinion/idea just because they don't find it delicious.

 

Surly Fest is a dry-hopped Oktoberfest.

 

so when is the documentary on America's addiction to hops coming out? I mean it seems that no style is sacred when it comes to people wanting to hop the shit out of beer. Marzens are not meant to be hoppy. Can't we just stick to IPA's when it comes to hops?

 

If only... Hop bitterness is one of the easiest things for people to identify, so my guess is that people will continue to call for everything to be hopped to hell so that they can identify it as a 'craft' beer and distinguish it from a fizzy yellow lager. Personally, I'll take a traditional Oktoberfest over almost any IPA out there when they're in season.

 

This is probably too hopped up for what the OP is looking for, but you could try this and it's from a Wisconsin brewery: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/710/97186

 

I remember stoudts Oktoberfest being abnormally hoppy. I found the hoppiness to be unpleasant and just really out of place, but if you're looking for some hops in an Oktoberfest you should give it a shot.

 

No, I do not.

I'm not following you at all and how can someone be a "snob" because they want a style to actually taste like a style?!? To me it could be argued that it would be more snobby to say that a style being true to itself isn't good enough and needs to taste more like another style instead.

 

Rock bottom rocktoberfest

 

Yes...this....good beer not along traditional ofest lines but a nice hoppiness to it....it is tasty.....

 

I came in here to suggest this. It's actually my highest rated Octoberfest. In fact I think it's one of the highest rated on the site (too lazy to check on my phone).

Dope

 

Here's one in your own back yard...

 

A hoppy version of a style being the highest rated in it's category on Beeradvocate? Color me shocked.

 

Can I borrow this and use it? Because it's incredibly awesome.

 

How many breweries have an excellent authentic version of a style, AND THEN created a hoppy version? You can start listing them now, because it won't take you long.

Using your example, Coke has nailed Coke. So they experiment with other versions....Coke Zero...etc. The consumer has the option of having traditional and experimental.

At some point, these breweries aren't being experimental. They're tossing hops in to hide their flaws and inabilities to create something traditional. That's one part of it. The other is America loves hops, and breweries are simply using different styles as a vehicle for the hops. It has nothing to do with improving a style or being creative.

You know what the top rated hop-forward beer is? A double IPA! Why isn't it an Oktoberfest? Because hops work best with IPAs.

And breweries get this. From Firestone Walker regarding their Pivo Pils. “Pilsner is one of the most difficult beers to perfect. It seems so simple and commonplace in the world. It’s so light, yet it incorporates so much, which is why any off flavor just comes screaming out. It’s this naked beer that doesn’t hide anything.”

 

sure

 

And yet, many who post on this site talk waaay down on IPAs that aren't "hoppy enough" for their taste.