2019 Oktoberfests

For anyone still interested in Ofest beers (me) - Magoun's still has 5 taps flowing.

 

Not an Oktoberfest, but had the Jack's Abbey Private Rye at Deep Ellum last week and it was one of the best stateside Kellerbiers I've had.

 

Not an Oktoberfest but regardless a HUGE surprise on tap at Deep Ellum . . . https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/5983/21625/

Have only had this from the bottle in Germany. Drink up, BAers!

 

Number one ya don’t say...hmm.

I think I might start an ongoing thread labeled “All Things German and Czech in MA”.

There seems to be enough lager heads here to keep it somewhat active.

 

Hofbrau Ended up being my favorite Oktoberfest this year. I probably had about a dozen and I felt that one was my favorite. What was everyone else’s favorite? I think my favorite American Oktoberfest was probably a Copper legend by Jack Abbys. I love Von trap, but I was disappointed in their Oktoberfest this year. I thought it was too hoppy. However as it sat I liked it more. Von traps Oktoberfest was definitely my biggest disappointment because I had such high expectations.

 

Hoffbrau was definitely my favorite German import this year as well. Thought it hit all the hallmarks of a great festbier.

I enjoyed Von Trapp's version, probably because of the subtle increased hoppiness.

Biggest disappointments for me were Sierra Nevada (have loved their past collabs, but this one was a dud) and Ayinger (usually great but tasted off this year. Maybe stale?).

 

Just going off memory here (I could look back at my posts too). It was tough to remember since I probably had 30+ different Oktoberfests, and some I had both in the bottle/can and on draft:

Imported Pale Oktoberfest: Weihenstephan and Hofbrau

Imported Amber Oktoberfest: H-P and Paulaner on draft

American Pale Oktoberfest: I think the one I had on draft from Liquid Riot was pale. And then there's Notch's. But I also think these are the only two I had in this style that were American.

American Amber Oktoberfest: Zero Gravity, Von Trapp. Schilling's Konstantin is kind of an outlier being an Austrian Marzen and only 4.8%. But I dug this one too.

Overall: Hofbrau and Weihenstephan

 

Sad I missed out on Zero Gravity's. My overall favorites were Hofbrau and the Schilling/Almanac collab Festive Attire, a pale festbier they had on at Schilling's Anniversary/Oktoberfest celebration. But Benediktiner was easily the best value.