Best 2017 Oktoberfest, So Far

The better question may be where do you end...

 

Ha, I pace myself with this list every year at that bar.

I typically head up there on a Saturday afternoon and enjoy two pints. Throughout the next two months I'll make my way through all the ones I want to try, which is most. Not only does this help me not get hammered (even though Oktoberfests are sessioned, they're not session strength), but it also keeps my palate clean enough to pick out the nuances of each.

Usually I'll start with one amber and one pale, at least until I run out of the pale versions. They even split the list on the menu explaining the different characteristics of each. I'm sure that really helps non-beer geeks who are thoroughly confused that one "Oktoberfest" is clear and pale, and the other looks amber like Sam Adams Octoberfest.

Luckily Erdinger's isn't on the list, because that would just confuse the hell out of everyone.

 

So finally got my hands on my Ayinger. 330ml bottles. Unbelievably soft and smooth. I did not get any diacetyl but I may not be as sensitive as others to low amounts. Rich--like I always remember.

One other observation--as opposed to imports, my local Mectoberfest (that I brag so much about) which tonight I enjoyed along side the Ayinger--is available very, very fresh. What is interesting to me is that the first couple of brews I had of the Mectoberfest--bottled 8/23 and consumed near release-- seemed "tight" with more hop character than I have noted in the past. Funny how drinking it two weeks later beside the Ayinger, it had mellowed considerably. I suspect there is room for more mellowing. I have never considered it more hop forward like a lot of American "fests."

I know we have all these discussions about fresh IPAs, but although we want our lagers fresh, perhaps a little more time to mellow these brews is what the doctor ordered. I can't wait to drink Mectoberfest into October.

@herrburgess --do you find your version softens a bit with the season? Do you prefer it if does?

 

Real Ale is in Blanco, which is between San Antonio and Austin. Their Oktoberfest beer is good, but their smaller stuff is better. I wouldn't pay $23 for 4 pints of their Oktoberfest. But, I would hope they would have some of their better stuff available too. If the weather looks good that weekend I would go. It's also a good drive if you're staying in Austin and you'd want transportation so you could fully enjoy yourself.

For all the hype Austin gets as a beer town, someone from Colorado, the Pacific Coast, the Midwest, New England, and North Carolina will find the breweries pretty mediocre.

 

Thanks for the information. Yeah when I mapped it from my sisters it did seem a bit far. Plus Live Oak has their oktoberfest on at the moment and I love that brewery. Will probably do that instead.

 

I suspect the SN wasn't lagered all that long. I think @AlcahueteJ asked @sierranevadabill about lagering times, but I'm not sure he got an answer.

As for ours, well...this is our first year brewing it on a commercial level. So far it has been lagering for 8 weeks, and it is indeed rounding out nicely. I will let you know how it tastes after packaging and a bit more time in the keg.

 

Looks like we got sandbagged , me too.

 

Gotta be your own advocate! Point out the BS before it becomes epidemic!

 

Ayinger, still my fave.

 

@AlcahueteJ My fault, guys, I didn't see the original question.
Our 2017 Oktoberfest was lagered longer than our standard lager protocol (28 days, vs. 21 days) but this is due to the fact that the 2017 Oktoberfest was also Krausened so needed a tad longer to mature prior to packaging.
Previous year's Oktoberfests weren't krausened so followed our typical 21-day lager protocol.

 

that is pretty short. i think it might explain the "green" or sharp/tight character people are mentioning. thanks for the information.

 

Left Hand's Oktoberfest is by far the best one I've had this year.

 

It's only early September and I've already been hitting the Oktoberfest biers hard. So far it's been Spaten, Sierra Nevada, Von Trapp, and Czig Meister for me. I became a big fan of Spaten Oktoberfest a few years ago and it's holding its own again this year. Very smooth and drinkable.

Czig Meister is a local NJ brewery and their version is an interesting one. I chatted up one of the brewers there who told me they actually use a Kölsch yeast and then it is lagered for about a month. It lacks the depth of other Märzens but it's very clean and enjoyable.

Ayinger is my all-time favorite, so I'm a little surprised by the negative feedback this year. I'll give it a shot, as always, and see if I notice a difference from previous years.

Next on my radar is Hofbräu. Eager to revisit it after they switched from green to brown bottles!

 

me too! I grabbed all two bottles off the shelf. LAst year I did not get any.

 

It is a little buttery. You can taste it right at the back end when you swallow. For me diacetyl puts a frown on my face and this time it did. I will say that other aspects of beer can put a look on your face. The slight pucker or gentle kiss of a lambic or sour beer, the chewy motion when you first taste a big stout. It's also kind of slick and that slickness stays at the back of your throat after you swallow. The malt taste is trying but not as crisp as it would have been. It's a good toasty beer though. Hop bitterness becomes more forward after a few sips.

 

Sounds like I may have to pick up some of that Left Hand Oktoberfest if I see any around. I know the local beer store stocks their Milk Stouts and a few other beers, maybe that'd be a good place to check

 

Yup, the slight butter and slickness on the finish is what I got. That's one of the questionable bottles then. I'm sure you'd love a clean sample.

 

Has anyone noticed diacetyl with Ayinger in the .333L four packs?

 

I'm having the Weihenstephaner Festbier and it's a fine beer. I've suspected that it's on the drier side of the spectrum and this turned out to be the case. What really stands out to me compared with the Munich Oktoberfest beers I've had is the hop bitterness. Based on the lower OG with a similar abv it makes sense that a similar IBU (26 as per the website) would make the bitterness be percieved as more prominent, but I still find it interesting. There's also some nice hop flavors and aromas to go along with the bitterness, and the malt is in the background. There is a definite malt taste, but not a malt sweetness. The best before date on the bottle is 27th of july 2018 so it's pretty fresh too if they use a one year shelf life. I really like it. My two favorite styles are pilsners and pale export lagers so this is right up my alley, and it offers something different compared with the Munich beers.

 

Finishing an Ayinger Oktoberfest on draft as I type.

I wouldn't say it's riddled with diacetyl, but it's there. More off putting is how bland the beer is. But perhaps the diacetyl is the culprit in disgusting the deeper characteristics of this beer. I've also had a half liter bottle and a 0.33 L single, haven't cared for one of them.

Really disappointing considering this is a perennial favorite. Luckily I had an Andechs Festbier before this one and it was delicious.